Tablets are the most used pharmaceutical form worldwide, accounting for nearly 50% of all dosage forms. A key advantage of tablets is that a very large number of active ingredients can be tableted. Some active ingredients are processed by direct compression. However, most tablets are produced by a wet or dry granulation process.  In addition to the raw material, other excipients are usually required during production.  

L.B. Bohle offers one of the world’s largest product ranges to produce pharmaceutical solids. Since its foundation in 1981, the technology company stands for quality, durability, and innovation. With an export share of approximately 80%, Bohle is internationally active and recognized as an established brand!

Focusing on the entire process

With machines and processes for weighing, wet and dry granulation, milling and sieving, blending, tablet coating, tablet checking and product handling, Bohle optimizes production worldwide.

The core competence of the German company lies primarily in process technology. In the field of granulation, Bohle offers components and system solutions for wet and dry granulation.

Fluid Bed Granulation with Tangential Spray

L.B. Bohle developed the BFS fluid bed system with tangentially mounted spray nozzles and the patented Bohle Uni Cone BUC®, a specially slotted air distribution plate with a conical displacement cone, for batches of 1 – 500 kg. Granulation, coating and drying can be performed in one line without any modifications. The BFS is pressure shock resistant up to 12 bar, making it suitable for organic processes. Short product transfer times and effective cleaning provide additional savings in production time and costs. Scale-up is simplified by the geometrically similar design.

Dust-free suction and discharge of the product bowl is achieved by a multi-purpose valve. This provides ergonomic and cleaning advantages over alternative systems.

High Shear Granulation

The GMA is a granulation system optimized for pharmaceutical applications. The agitator blade with high shear and compaction effect guarantees effective granulation. Dense granules are formed. The chopper prevents excessive pellet growth and distributes the granulation fluid throughout the product.

L.B. Bohle’s high shear granulation range includes laboratory and production scale systems.

Compact Granulation Module

The Granulation Module is the effective solution for optimizing classical wet granulation and drying in an economical and ergonomic way. The individual components – high shear granulator, fluid bed dryer, wet screen, cyclone separator and drying screen – are optimally combined to form a single unit. Process, cleaning, control, explosion protection, zone concept and qualification are perfectly matched.

The benefits briefly:

  • High-shear granulator and fluid bed dryer installed side by side in the wall; operation from a single control system.
  • Small footprint and minimal installation height.
  • Versatile use for different processes.
  • WIP cleaning ensures fast cleaning cycles

Single Pot Granulation

Single-pot granulation has been used in the pharmaceutical industry for decades. The process steps of mixing, high-shear wet granulation and drying are performed in a single bowl.

The VMA series can handle batch sizes from 20 to 960 litres and can be installed in hazardous areas.

Dry granulation BRC

L.B. Bohle meets the increasing market demand for continuous processes with the BRC, an innovative dry granulator with gap control. The BRC enables high production capacity with minimal material loss.

This is achieved by fast and precise force control of the compacting rolls with a fully electro-mechanical roll drive. The BRC’s innovative gap control produces uniform compaction of the material over a wide production range from <1 kg/h up to 400 kg/h.

Container Blending

L.B. Bohle is a world leader in container blending. With mixing elements on the inside of the container lid, the blenders ensure a very homogeneous mixing of dry powder batches. The mixing process is scalable from four to 12,000 litres. Mixing containers with different capacities are available for optimum flexibility. Both round and square containers can be accommodated. The mixers are conveniently operated by a PLC of the latest generation.

Tablet Coating

When it comes to fast, trouble-free, and efficient tablet coating, Bohle auto coaters have been setting the standard worldwide.

The interaction of mixing, spraying, and drying is elementary in tablet coating. All three processes must be performed simultaneously with the correct settings to achieve optimum coating uniformity.

Bohle coaters guarantee shortest process times, ensure best production results, and offer the best combination on the market.

The BFC autocoater is the high-end version of all tablet coaters and impresses with its high efficiency, optimum performance and lowest spray losses. With the BFC, process time can be reduced by approximately 30 percent while maintaining the best coating uniformity. The integrated high-pressure cleaning system guarantees cleaning-in-place (CIP) with first-class results. The coater can handle batch sizes from 50 to 980 litres.

The BTC coater stands for economic tablet coating. The main advantages of the BTC are its space-saving design and integrated control cabinet. With the BTC, Bohle offers a cost-saving system for more efficient and longer running processes in pharmaceutical production.

L.B. Bohle also has the optimal solution for research and development. The BFC 5 laboratory coater is designed as a stand-alone unit. The entire air technology as well as the electrical and control technology are integrated in the unit. Commissioning is quick and easy as only an electrical connection and a compressed air supply are required. The BFC 5 can handle batch sizes from 2 to 13 litres.

Containment – no problem!

For many years, L.B. Bohle has been known as a supplier of complete solutions. L.B. Bohle offers premium technology not only for standard machines, but especially for complex containment applications with a high degree of individuality – for handling systems and process machines for OEB classes 1-5.

Continuous manufacturing

In the field of continuous manufacturing, L.B. Bohle offers not only the QbCon® production system, but also stand-alone systems for twin-screw granulation, dry granulation, drying and tablet coating. The modular QbCon® production line realizes the continuous production of pharmaceutical solids from powder to coated tablets via direct compression, dry or wet granulation.

Continuous production for development

With QbCon® 1 Bohle offers the optimal entry into continuous production. The truly continuous wet granulator and dryer for R&D guarantees improved product quality while increasing flexibility and operator safety. It also reduces costs by using fewer resources and shortens development cycles using PAT. Unlike competing systems, QbCon® 1 enables a permanent, truly continuous process without the formation of sub-batches and blocked filters.

L.B. Bohle in India

L.B. Bohle has been active in India with its own subsidiary since 2009. Starting in Goa, the company moved via Mumbai and Ahmedabad to Hyderabad.
In Hyderabad, L.B. Bohle operates the Innovation Centre together with Korsch AG (tablet presses).
The Innovation Centre in Hyderabad offers a wide range of equipment and services, including product formulation and optimization, training, tablet production trials and factory acceptance testing.
The following equipment is available for trials and process optimization:
– PM 600 Container Blender – available for tests at mid of November.
– LM 40 Laboratory Blender, executed with 10l, 20l and 40l bins.
– BTS 200 conical sieve with the option of a centrifugal sieve for breaking and sieving metformin lumps.
– BFC5 Ex laboratory autocoater for performing tablet coating operations for difficult formulations such as delayed release, sustained release and API coating.
– BRC 25 roller compactor – available for trials close after PMEC 2024.

Contact: Parag Radia, Director, L.B. Bohle India.
Email: p.radia@lbbohle.com.
Mobile: +91 987 959 8784.

Exclusive

Interview with Mr. Rajmal L. Mehta, Founder and Chairman, Parle Global Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

Interview with Mr. Mahendra R. Mehta, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Parle Global Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

A Lean Approach,
by Navdeep Singh Kathuria

Articles

A Lean Approach, by Navdeep Singh Kathuria

To mitigate Regulatory Challenges in Aseptic Manufacturing By Dr. Subrata Chakraborty

Thoughts on Sustainability Drives by Prabir K Das

Event

Infocus

Reviews