An investigation of the relationship between particle size and compression during capsule filling with an instrumented mG2 simulator.

An instrumented mG2 capsule filling machine simulator has been employed to study the effects of the amount of compression (compression ratio) on the capsule fill weight uniformity and measured compression and ejection stresses. Four size fractions of lactose were studied (mean particle sizes 15.6, 17.8, 37.5 and 155.2 micron). The range of compression over which satisfactory filling could be achieved was large for fine, cohesive powders but decreased with increasing particle size. The lower limit of filling ability was the ability to retain the powder and the amount of compression needed to achieve retention increased with increasing particle size. The upper limit on compression, was the compaction of the powder which prevented the piston acting to cause retention. Large particle sizes were able to undergo only a small change in volume before compaction occurred whilst fine, cohesive powders were considerably more compressible and hence could be filled satisfactorily at higher compression settings.