Capsule Filling Machine Troubleshooting

In the pharmaceutical industry, the automatic capsule filling machine occupies a crucial position. It integrates machine, electricity and gas, and adopts advanced microcomputer programmable controller and touch panel operation, which can automatically complete the capsule in place, separation, filling, locking and other actions, greatly reducing labor intensity and improving production efficiency. At the same time, it meets the pharmaceutical hygiene requirements, which plays a key role in ensuring the quality of drugs. Whether it is a large pharmaceutical company or a small pharmaceutical laboratory, automatic capsule filling machine is indispensable equipment.

Failure Of Frequent Production Problems

However, automatic capsule filling machine in the use of the process often appear a variety of faults, to the production has brought great trouble. For example, the separation of the capsule, if the capsule itself has a problem need to replace the capsule; vacuum is too small may be the reason for the vacuum pump itself, connecting the rupture of the gas pipe or filter membrane blocked for a variety of reasons such as the need for specific issues to be specifically analyzed. Capsule rubbing is also one of the common problems, may be the capsule itself, too much residual powder on the module, the upper and lower molds are not aligned, the size of the powder particles is not appropriate or the thimble is too high cause. In addition, there is no fixed solution for too large a difference in loading, requiring re-adjustment of the filling lever, and this problem is basically directly related to the powder. These failures not only affect the production efficiency, but also may lead to product quality instability, bringing economic losses to the enterprise. According to statistics, due to automatic capsule filling machine failure caused by production delays and product failure, every year to Europe and the United States pharmaceutical companies to bring millions of dollars in losses. Therefore, timely diagnosis and solution of automatic capsule filling machine failure is critical.

Common Failure Types And Cause Analysis

1. The Capsule Shell Can Not Be Separated

The capsule shell can not be separated may be caused by a variety of reasons. First of all, the quality of the capsule itself is one of the common factors. If the material and size of the capsule do not meet the requirements, it may not be able to be separated, and then the capsule needs to be replaced. Secondly, the vacuum is too small is also an important reason. Checking the vacuum gauge can find the problem of too small vacuum, which has numerous reasons. When the vacuum pump itself fails, you need to find a mechanic to repair or replace the vacuum pump. If the vacuum pump is connected to the bladder shell separated from the air tube rupture, then you have to replace the air tube; vacuum pump filter membrane clogging, to clean the filter membrane. In addition, the water flow rate is too small may also lead to too little vacuum, then you need to replace the larger water flow pipe. Furthermore, too large a gap between the module and the bladder separator can also cause the bladder to fail to separate. In this case, either adjust the height at the bladder separator or check if there is something wrong with the module or the telescopic rod in the module, which needs to be analyzed specifically in order to find a solution. This problem is especially likely to occur when the powder is too fine or too sticky. If the powder is too sticky to block the module, the module should be cleaned in time.

2. Capsule Scraping

Capsule rubbing split is a common headache. Its causes are mainly the following aspects. First, the capsule itself, if the capsule cap and capsule body difference is too large, you need to replace the capsule shell. Second, the module on the residual powder too much, which will lead to the capsule wipe split, this time you need to clean the module. Third, when installing the module, the upper and lower modules are not aligned, you need to re-align the module until the debugging lever can automatically fall into place. In addition, there is a theory that the size of the powder particles are also related to the capsule rubbing split, but the specific situation has not been confirmed. If it is confirmed that the size of the powder particles can indeed lead to the phenomenon of insertion and splitting, then it should be considered in the whole capsule when it is time to replace the screen. Also, the capsule shell capsule cap locking thimble is too high may also trigger the capsule wipe split. To solve the split phenomenon there is a way to try, that is, to shorten the distance between the top mold and the top plate, but the distance can not be too short, the principle is that it is not yet occurred in the split before the lock together.

3. The Loading Difference Is Too Large

The loading difference is usually directly related to the powder. There is no fixed solution to this problem and the filling lever needs to be readjusted. If it is determined that it is related to the powder, for the sake of the equipment, the filling should be rejected and the granulation position should be required to rework. This is because inaccuracies in the filling discrepancy will directly affect the accuracy of the amount of medicine taken by the patient, which will have an adverse effect on the patient's physical and mental health.

4. Other Failures

In addition to the above major failures, there are some other common failures. For example, the distance between the powder scraper and the dosage disk should be 0.5 mm, as long as it does not touch the dosage disk. Adjusting the distance higher or shorter can directly affect the loading capacity. Sometimes the loading is low, you can try to adjust the distance; if the loading is high at a short distance and the filling lever is not pressurized, please ask the granulator to rework directly. In addition, the bearings at the exit of finished product, locking place and rejecting waste capsule are easy to be blocked by the powder, at this time, the bearings should be cleaned in time and put on the right amount of oil, and the effect of adding grease to these places is better than that of putting on the machine oil. After cleaning should ensure that the bearing has been dried, otherwise it will immediately be blocked again. The bearings should be dismantled for cleaning and oiling every time the field is cleared. In addition, the cam action timing error may also lead to equipment failure, you need to adjust and check the cam to ensure that its action timing is correct to ensure the normal operation of the equipment.

Third, Troubleshooting Methods And Maintenance Points

1. Targeted Fault Handling

When encountering the failure of the capsule can not be separated, if the capsule itself, should be replaced in a timely manner to meet the quality standards of the capsule, to ensure that the capsule material, size and other parameters are accurate. If the vacuum is too small, you need to check the vacuum pump, if there is a failure to find a mechanic to repair or replace the vacuum pump; if the air pipe connecting the capsules separated from the rupture, immediately replace the air pipe; if the vacuum pump filter membrane blocked, carefully clean the filter membrane, if necessary, can be regularly check the filter membrane status, such as every use of a certain length of time after the inspection, such as 50 hours to check once, to ensure that it is unobstructed. When the powder is too sticky to cause the module blocked, the module must be cleaned immediately, you can use potable water to rinse the filling rod, module, metering disk, copper disk, under the bladder, if necessary, with a plastic brush until the object to see the original color, no stains, no scaling, the wash water is clarified, colorless, free of impurities. Then wash with purified water and send to CT-CI hot air circulation oven for drying.

For the capsule rubbing split problem, if the capsule cap and the capsule body due to the difference is too large, should be decisive to replace the capsule shell; if too much residual powder on the module, to clean the module in accordance with the cleaning process to ensure that the module is clean and no residue. If the upper and lower modules are not aligned, you need to use the debugging lever to re-align the module until the debugging lever can automatically fall into place. If you suspect that there is a problem with the particle size of the powder, when doing verification should be added to the verification of the particle size on the insertion of the split phenomenon of the verification of the item, if it is confirmed that there is an impact on the whole grain, consider replacing the screen. If the thimble at the capsule shell capsule cap locking is too high, the thimble height should be adjusted appropriately to find a suitable position to avoid capsule rubbing split.

For the problem of loading discrepancy is too large, first re-adjust the filling lever, if it is determined to be related to the powder, resolutely refused to fill and require the granulation position rework, to ensure that the quality of the powder and the size of the particles in line with the requirements, to solve the problem of loading discrepancy from the source.

2. Maintenance To Ensure Operation

Automatic capsule filling machine maintenance is essential to ensure the normal operation of the equipment. In the daily maintenance, daily check whether the fastening bolts are loose, if found loose should be tightened in a timely manner to ensure that the structure of the equipment is stable. Daily cleaning of the equipment, remove the powder filling holes, extrusion nozzles, the surface of the lid of the powder, capsule residues and dust, etc., to prevent wear and corrosion of the equipment. Regularly lubricate the guide bars, sprockets, shafts, etc. of each sliding part, such as weekly lubrication, to ensure smooth movement of the equipment.

For minor repairs, remove the oil stains on the transmission chain, sprocket, cam, bearing and roller, and add lubricant (grease); check the oil quantity of the main transmission reducer and the feed reducer, and add oil in time if the oil quantity is insufficient; check and adjust the tightness of the transmission chain; clean the filter mesh; remove the powder on the surface of the rotary table and the parts; check the electrical control system, replace the components with hidden danger, and remove the powder and dust; check the couplings whether they are loose, and tighten.

Medium repair includes the content of small repair, and at the same time remove the cam of the turntable disk, remove oil, check the cam contour line, apply grease; check the bearings mounted on the sliding frame, replace the loose, worn out bearings; check, repair or replace the capsule sorting mechanism; check, repair the capsule feeding mechanism, replace the damaged bearings and parts; check, repair the rejecting mechanism, the pressing mechanism, the finished product push out the mechanism, replace worn out bearings and parts; check, repair the powder feeding mechanism; check, repair the powder feeding mechanism, replace worn out bearings and parts; check and repair the powder feeding mechanism, replace worn out bearings and parts. and parts; check and repair the powder feeding mechanism, replace the damaged parts; replace the lubricating oil in the reducer, and replace the lubricating oil in the indexing box.

Overhaul requires a comprehensive inspection and repair of the equipment to ensure that the performance of the equipment is restored to the best state. The combination of routine maintenance, minor repair, medium repair and overhaul can effectively extend the service life of the automatic capsule filling machine, improve the reliability and stability of the equipment.

Automatic capsule filling machine as a key equipment in the pharmaceutical industry, its stable operation is crucial for the production of drugs. In the actual production process, although the automatic capsule filling machine may appear a variety of faults, but as long as we can accurately diagnose the cause of the failure, and take effective treatment methods, can guarantee the smooth progress of production.

Through the analysis and treatment of the capsule shell can not be separated, capsule rubbing split, loading difference is too large and other common faults, we can see that the correct fault diagnosis and timely maintenance is to ensure the normal operation of the equipment is the key. At the same time, we should also recognize that the automatic capsule filling machine troubleshooting is not only a technical problem, but also involves production management, quality control and other aspects.