What is a Tablet Inspection Belt and How Does It Work?

In drug manufacturing, the focus on quality control is paramount. The presence of one defective tablet (the tablet may be chipped, cracked, or have improper coating) can endanger the safety of patients and harm the reputation of a company. Quality reports in the pharmaceutical industry show that defects in solid-dose forms are among the top reasons batches are rejected and products recalled from the market. Therefore, an effective inspection system is an integral component of all processes involved with the manufacture of drugs.

Pharmaceutical companies rely heavily on Tablet Inspection Belts to accurately and efficiently visually inspect their products and identify defects before they reach packaging and/or distribution.

Accura Pharmaquip has been providing high-quality processing and packaging equipment for the pharmaceutical industry for many years, specifically providing advanced Tablet Inspection Solutions, which are designed to maintain quality standards and operate at the same high speed as production lines.

This blog will provide details about what a Tablet Inspection Belt is, how it operates, and why it is an important component in ensuring both the quality of the product and regulatory compliance in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.

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What is a Tablet Inspection Belt?

A Tablet Inspection belt is a highly-specialized piece of equipment utilized on pharmaceutical manufacturing lines to provide an inspection capability of tablets prior to packaging. The system utilizes a moving conveyor (belt) system combined with inspection capabilities to enable either an operator or automation system to visually inspect for defective tablets and remove them from the line.

The purpose of a Tablet Inspection conveyor is to ensure that all tablets which pass through the inspection point are free of defects and will meet required quality standards and continue in the manufacturing process.

Key Components of a Tablet Inspection Belt

Inspection Belt

The inspection belt is designed to be a food-grade or pharmaceutical-grade belt which will carry the tablets into the inspection zone at a controlled rate of travel.

Sensors and Cameras

The advanced optical sensors and cameras take high-resolution images of each tablet as it travels on the inspection belt.

Lighting System

The lighting system provides high-intensity lighting to ensure that all defects, such as cracks, spots, etc. and/or coating irregularities are easily seen.

Reject Mechanism

The reject mechanism automatically removes defective tablets identified throughout the inspection process.

Control Panel

Inspectors/Operators have access to view inspection results, slow down, increase speed, and control the machine via an easy-to-use operator interface.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing companies rely heavily upon the inspection belts for their ability to assist in meeting the requirements of the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and the regulations established by agencies such as the FDA and International Organization for Standardization (ISO). In this way, the inspection belts support maintaining consistency in tablet quality and, therefore, the safety, reliability and compliance of pharmaceutical products with regulatory requirements.

How Does a Tablet Inspection Belt Work?

An examination of an inspection belt for tablets will show how the inspection process works by using a combination of motion control for the tablets and advanced inspection technologies.

a. Feeding the Tablets

The first part of the inspection is positioning the tablets on the inspection belt after they have been compressed or coated. Once the tablets are placed on the belt, the belt will begin moving at a pre-determined rate so that all tablets will be evenly spaced and positioned.

These spacing controls allow each tablet to be visually inspected without either one being overlapped by another tablet or obstructed by other tablets.

b. Inspection Process

Once the tablets are moved into position on the belt, they will then move down the inspection belt, where they will go through a designated inspection area containing the necessary lighting, sensors and high-resolution cameras to inspect the tablets.

A number of different types of inspections can occur during the inspection process:

Visual Inspection

This is used to detect any visible defects (chips, cracks, broken edges, contaminants or discolored) on the tablets.

Dimensional Inspection

This type of inspection uses sensors to measure the size of the tablets (thickness, diameter, etc.) to determine if they are within the accepted tolerance ranges.

Color and Coating Inspection

Imaging systems are used to inspect the color and coating of the tablets for any irregularities (uneven coatings, spots or damaged coatings).

When the tablets move through the inspection zone, cameras capture images of each tablet and the information is transmitted to the control system of the machine, where software is analyzing the images in real-time.

c.Sorting & Rejecting Defective Tablets

When a non-conforming tablet has been identified by the inspection system, the reject mechanism will automatically reject the defective tablet from the conveyor belt. The reject mechanism then separates the defective tablets from the good tablets so they are not included with other good tablets in the packaging area or with other conforming lots of tablets. Automatic sorting ensures that all tablets meet the company’s quality standards before continuing to be processed on the production line.

d.Data Monitoring & Reporting

All modern tablet inspection systems have built-in data monitoring and reporting as part of their inspection systems. All inspection data collected during the inspection process is tracked and analyzed using the software associated with the inspection system. Pharmaceutical manufacturing companies can use this type of information to:

• Monitor quality issues in real time
• Track common problems
• Maintain inspection records required for regulatory purposes

Pharmaceutical manufacturing companies can utilize quality data generated by their inspection systems to continually monitor and improve their production processes and ensure consistent quality control.

Benefits of Using a Tablet Inspection Belt

Pharmaceutical tablet manufacturing companies have a number of benefits when using inspection belt systems to create high-quality pharmaceuticals.

Improved Product Quality

The use of inspection systems allows for early removal of non-compliant or damaged products from the production line; thus allowing for higher quality products to move to the final package and distribution stages.

Regulatory Compliance

Systems used by inspection will also assist companies in meeting the requirements of regulatory agencies and guidelines (such as GMP) regarding the quality of their products and services.

Enhanced Efficiency and Automation

The use of automated inspection systems is able to remove the time needed for the manual inspection process. This allows the manufacturer to continue to produce at high rates while achieving the same high-quality results as they were prior to using automated inspection systems.

Reduced Wastage and Recalls

Removing defects prior to the packaging stage will reduce the amount of waste generated by defective products and subsequently the cost associated with recalling products from the marketplace.

Better Production Monitoring

Automated monitoring provides immediate feedback to the manufacturing company; this enables them to identify production process issues immediately and ultimately improve the quality of their final products and services.

Why Choose Accura Pharmaquip’s Tablet Inspection Belt?

Accura Pharmaquip has built a reputation for providing quality and reliable pharmaceutical equipment and machinery for the manufacture of tablets in today’s high-tech environment.

The belt inspection systems used by Accura Pharmaquip have been designed to operate at very high speeds while maintaining a precise and reliable level of inspection for defective tablets.

Key Advantages

Precision Inspection Technology

High-resolution inspection cameras with advanced sensors provide for precise and reliable detection of defective products.

High-Speed Operation

Accura Pharmaquip belt inspection systems can be integrated into high-speed production environments and maintain their inspection accuracy at very high speeds.

User-Friendly Interface

All of Accura Pharmaquip’s inspection systems are user-friendly and simple to use, allowing operators to view the inspection results and modify the machine as needed.

Robust and Reliable Design

All Accura Pharmaquip inspection systems are made from heavy-duty components that will provide years of trouble-free service with minimal downtime.

Strong After-Sales Support

Accura Pharmaquip also offers a wide range of after-sales support services, including installation, maintenance and technical assistance to ensure continuous operation of its inspection systems.

Accura Pharmaquip has established itself as a trusted partner with many pharmaceutical companies requiring reliable inspection systems for their tablet inspection needs.

Conclusion

An inspection conveyor belt for tablets is a key element of quality control in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals. The use of such a belt provides the ability to accurately inspect products, automatically detect defects, sort products efficiently, and thus ensure that only products of high quality proceed through the rest of the production process.

The improved quality of products produced by these systems, along with their compliance with regulatory standards of pharmaceutical companies, helps to minimize waste, and optimize the flow of production operations, and support all pharmaceutical companies in meeting regulatory standards.

Accura Pharmaquip’s advanced engineering and reliability in operation enable its inspection conveyor belt for tablets to provide pharmaceutical manufacturers with consistent product quality and the highest level of operational excellence.

Explore Accura Pharmaquip‘s advanced inspection solutions to take your tablet inspection process to the next level and build upon your current quality control process in your production line. Contact the team today to learn more about our products or to schedule a product consultation.