Raw Ingredients
When the raw ingredients arrive at the manufacturers, they are accompanied by a Certificate of Analysis which not only details what the ingredients are but their potency. The manufacturer may send out the ingredients for further testing, especially if the ingredients are herbs, since bacterial contamination is a concern.
Powder
If the ingredients are in a powder form, they don't require further processing at this point. If they are not, then they will have to be ground. They might also need to be combined with either maltodextrin or microcrystalline cellulose.
Granules
In some cases it's necessary to mix the dry powder with cellulose and wet the mixture. After drying in a drier, the mixture will form lumps nearly as large as pennies. The mixture is placed in a mill, then pressed into granules. The granules are then weighed.
Weighing and Mixing
Weighing the mixture comes next. Each batch has a specific weight requirement. After the mixture is weighed, it's placed in a mixer. The mixer can hold up to 30 cubic feet of mixture at a time or more. After up to 30 minutes in the mixer, the mixture is tested to make sure it is consistent.
Making Capsules
For capsules, the mixture is dumped into a hopper where it is poured into capsules and tamped down. The capsules are then closed and set on a vibrating belt which removes any excess powder. The capsules next go to a machine which puts the proper amount into containers. The containers are then capped, sealed, labeled and shrink-wrapped.
Making Tablets
For vitamin tablets, the mixture goes into a tableting machine where it is spread onto a rotating table. This table can be up to 4 feet across with holes along the outer edge. The mixtures falls into the holes and is pressed down by two punches with the force of up to 10 tons. The tablets then move onto a vibrating belt where excess powder is removed. Coating of the tablets come next. The coating can be one color or two--one color on top of the tablet and another on the bottom. The coating not only makes the tablet more appealing, but can help time the absorption of the ingredients when they reach the intestinal tract, causing them to be absorbed over a long space of time. A coating of carnauba wax could follow. The tablets are then placed in bottles like the vitamin capsules.
Tags: excess powder, tablets then, vibrating belt