Lesson 1Milling and sieving equipment: oscillating mills, conical mill, hammer mill, sieves — particle size targets and feed controlReviews oscillating, conical, and hammer mills plus sieving systems. Emphasises particle size targets, screen selection, feed control, heat generation, and metal control to ensure consistent granule properties and downstream performance in local plants.
Oscillating mill operation and usesConical mill design and screen choicesHammer mill impact and heat controlSieving systems and mesh selectionFeed rate, segregation and metal checksLesson 2Granulation equipment: high-shear granulator, oscillating granulator, twin-screw granulator — process overview and when to useDetails high-shear, oscillating, and twin-screw granulators, comparing mechanisms, process parameters, and scale-up. Discusses binder addition, endpoint detection, and criteria for choosing equipment based on formulation and desired granule properties in South Africa.
High-shear granulator design and controlOscillating granulator uses and limitsTwin-screw wet granulation principlesBinder addition and endpoint detectionChoosing granulation route for a productLesson 3Primary packaging equipment: blister machines, bottle filling, capping — selection based on product and marketExamines blister, bottle filling, and capping lines, focusing on equipment selection by product sensitivity, stability, and market needs. Addresses line layout, changeover, in-process controls, and packaging integrity testing for South African requirements.
Blister machine types and key parametersBottle filling line design and controlCapping systems and torque verificationPackaging selection by product stabilityIn-process checks and package integrityLesson 4Drying equipment: tray dryer vs fluid bed dryer — drying kinetics, typical parameters and monitoringCompares tray and fluid bed dryers, covering drying kinetics, heat and mass transfer, and typical process parameters. Discusses endpoint determination, sampling, and controls to prevent degradation, case hardening, or uneven moisture in local operations.
Tray dryer airflow and loading patternsFluid bed dryer design and fluidizationDrying kinetics and critical moistureTypical temperature and airflow rangesMoisture endpoint tests and samplingLesson 5Lubrication and final blending equipment: tumble blender, low-shear blending best practices to avoid over-lubricationExplores lubrication and final blending equipment, emphasising tumble and low-shear blenders. Covers lubricant selection, order of addition, blend time, sampling, and controls to avoid over-lubrication and ensure content uniformity in South African facilities.
Tumble blender design and operating parametersLow-shear blending and scale-up concernsOrder of addition and lubricant distributionDetecting and preventing over-lubricationIn-process controls for final blend qualityLesson 6Weighing and dispensing: floor/bench scales, electronic balance calibration, batch reconciliation and checksFocuses on weighing and dispensing operations, including floor and bench scales, balance calibration, and environmental influences. Explains material identification, line clearance, batch reconciliation, and documentation to ensure GMP compliance locally.
Scale selection and installation checksBalance calibration and verificationEnvironmental effects on weighingMaterial ID, labeling and line clearanceBatch reconciliation and discrepancy handlingLesson 7Compression and tooling: rotary tablet press basics, turret speed, fill depth, tooling selection and punch maintenanceCovers rotary tablet press construction, turret speed, fill depth, and dwell time. Explains tooling types, punch tip design, and maintenance practices to prevent defects, reduce wear, and maintain consistent tablet quality and output in South Africa.
Rotary tablet press components and functionsTurret speed, dwell time and outputDie fill depth and weight controlTooling selection and punch tip designPunch inspection, cleaning and maintenanceLesson 8Coating equipment fundamentals: pan coating basics vs perforated pan and rationale for optional film coatingIntroduces coating pans and perforated pans, atomization, and drying zones. Explains film coating formulation, process parameters, and when coating is optional for stability, taste masking, identification, or modified release in local production.
Conventional vs perforated coating pansSpray guns, atomization and droplet sizeBed temperature and exhaust controlFilm coating formulation componentsReasons for applying or omitting coatingLesson 9Blending equipment: V-blender, bin blender, high-shear mixer — operating principles and suitabilityDescribes V-blenders, bin blenders, and high-shear mixers, comparing mixing mechanisms, scale-up, and blend uniformity testing. Guides equipment selection based on powder flow, density, and segregation risk for robust blending in South African plants.
V-blender geometry and mixing patternsBin blender use in contained handlingHigh-shear mixer for cohesive powdersBlend uniformity sampling strategiesSelecting blenders by powder propertiesLesson 10Raw material receipt, sampling and storage equipment: sacks, drums, sampling thief, controlled storage conditions, documentationAddresses raw material receipt, sampling, and storage equipment, including containers, sampling tools, and controlled environments. Covers labeling, status control, documentation, and segregation to maintain traceability and prevent mix-ups in South Africa.
Receipt checks and container inspectionSampling plans and thief use controlsStorage conditions and monitoringLabeling, status labels and quarantineDocumentation, traceability and audits
