Lesson 1Compression: tablet press operation, tooling, feed frame, weight control and main failure modesThis lesson covers the parts of a tablet press, how to set it up, and operating settings. It discusses caring for tools, controlling tablet weight and hardness, and frequent problems like capping, lamination, and sticking, along with ways to fix them in local production settings.
Types of presses, key parts, and safety guardsSelecting, checking, and cleaning toolsFeed frame design and powder flow problemsControlling weight, hardness, and thicknessCapping, lamination, sticking, and picking issuesLesson 2Granulation methods: wet granulation workflow, equipment operation, and critical parametersThis lesson details the steps in wet granulation, choosing binders, and types of equipment. It covers important settings, scaling up production, and cleaning, stressing controls that ensure good granule quality, flow, and performance in later compression stages for Ghanaian manufacturers.
Preparing binder solution and checksSetting up and running high-shear granulatorDetermining end-point and using PAT toolsTransferring granules and wet screening stepsScaling up and cleaning requirementsLesson 3Materials handling: APIs, excipients, sampling, quarantine, and release criteriaThis lesson reviews how to handle active ingredients and excipients from arrival to release. It includes sampling, quarantine, storage, and environmental controls, focusing on preventing cross-contamination and making release decisions based on specifications in Ghanaian contexts.
Receiving and labelling APIs and excipientsSampling plans, tools, and contamination risksQuarantine, approved, and rejected statusesStorage conditions and segregation rulesReviewing COA, testing, and release criteriaLesson 4Packaging: blister line operation, checks for integrity, labeling, and serial traceabilityThis lesson describes primary and secondary packaging for solid oral medicines, with focus on blister lines. It covers forming, feeding, sealing, coding, inspection, labelling, and serialisation, including controls to safeguard product identity and integrity in local packaging operations.
Steps in blister forming, feeding, and sealingCartoning, inserting leaflets, and bundlingOnline vision systems and seal checksCoding, serialisation, and aggregationDocumentation and yields for packaging linesLesson 5Direct compression: formulation suitability, excipient selection, and process controlsThis lesson focuses on whether direct compression works, considering API properties, excipient choices, and flow. It explains lubrication, risks of segregation, and controls needed for strong tablets without granulation, suitable for small-scale Ghanaian production.
API properties key for direct compressionChoosing fillers, binders, and disintegrantsUsing pregranulated and co-processed excipientsLubricant levels, mixing order, and effectsProcess controls and common failure modesLesson 6Coating and secondary operations (brief): when used and basic process considerationsThis lesson introduces film coating and other steps like printing and capsule banding. It outlines when coating is applied, key variables, basic equipment, and typical defects with fixes, relevant for basic secondary operations in Ghana.
Purposes of functional and nonfunctional coatingsBasics of coating pan and spray systemsControlling inlet air, exhaust, and spray rateCommon coating defects and causesPrinting, debossing, and capsule bandingLesson 7Drying and milling: moisture control, drying validation, particle size reduction and its impactThis lesson explains drying basics, moisture specs, and dryer types. It covers load setup, end-point checks, validation, then connects milling, particle size, and heat to blend uniformity and compression in Ghanaian manufacturing.
Moisture targets and loss on drying testsBasics of fluid bed and tray dryersDrying end-point, sampling, and validationTypes of milling equipment and settingsPSD effects on flow, compaction, and defectsLesson 8Handover between steps: line clearance, material transfer and in-process sampling pointsThis lesson explains controlled handovers between process steps, including line clearance, status labelling, and material transfer. It details sampling points, duties, and documentation to avoid mix-ups and data issues in local production lines.
Scope and documentation of line clearanceLabels for material status and transfer rulesRoles and responsibilities in handoversPlans and locations for in-process samplingHandling, storage, and chain of custody for samplesLesson 9Mixing and blending principles: blend uniformity, segregation risks, mixing validationThis lesson explains mixing mechanisms, blender types, and testing blend uniformity. It addresses segregation risks, addition order, scale-up, and validation methods to show reliable mixing for Ghanaian small-scale operations.
Types of blenders and loading methodsMixing mechanisms and time settingsSampling plans for uniformity testsCauses and fixes for segregationValidation and ongoing checks for mixingLesson 10Weighing and dispensation: procedures, accuracy, tare, and traceabilityThis lesson covers weighing room setup, balance checks, and proper tare use. It explains sampling, identification, reconciliation, labelling, and traceability to ensure accurate dispensing and full material tracking in Ghana.
Zoning and environmental controls in weighing roomsCalibration, verification, and maintenance of balancesTare procedures and reducing handling errorsMaterial ID, labels, and status controlsRecords, reconciliation, and genealogy for weighingLesson 11Overview of tablet and capsule manufacturing stages from raw material receipt to final packagingThis lesson maps the full production flow from receiving raw materials to finished packs. It highlights documentation, sampling, in-process checks, and decisions, connecting to GMP, data integrity, and batch release in Ghanaian standards.
Receiving, sampling, and testing raw materialsIssuing batch records and preparing linesCore processing via compression or fillingCoating, printing, and visual inspectionsFinal packaging, QA review, and release
