The Fourteen Root Causes of Tablet Sticking and Picking | Tablet & Sterilization Machines - Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Equipment | Yenchen

Sticking and Picking | Yenchen Machinery Co., Ltd. has been specializing in manufacturing Pharmaceutical Machine for 60 years.

Sticking and Picking

The Fourteen Root Causes of Tablet Sticking and Picking

Source : Yenchen Technical Process Consultant, Dr. Fred Rowley


1. The powder blend is too wet or there are residual pockets of moisture.

2. The active ingredient (API) attracts moisture: hygroscopic or highly water soluble.
• The active ingredient attracts moisture from the excipients then changes.

3. The punches have not completely dried after cleaning.

4. The punch surface is too porous for the material you are compressing.

5. One or more of the components in the formula have melted.
• Low glass transition temperature

6. The powder blend (API) attacks the punch tip.

7. Insufficient lubrication in the formula

8. The lubricant was poorly blended, poorly screened or both.

9. Tooling issues:
• Poor maintenance and preparation
• Punch Tip Cup (lack of Bakelite relief?)
• Cup or logo depth (letters/numbers too narrow and/or too deep)
• Punch Head Design
• Uneven coating on the tip

10. Ejection issue disguised as a picking issue.

11. Heated punches (poor oil lubrication/tooling tolerances/seals/pins)

12. Inappropriate pre-compression setting

13. Wrong press speed

14. Room conditions


If you have any technical questions, please contact with Grace Chiang Email:grace.chiang@yenchen.com.tw

Photo Gallerys

The Fourteen Root Causes of Tablet Sticking and Picking | Tablet & Sterilization Machines - Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Equipment | Yenchen

Located in Taiwan since 1967, YENCHEN MACHINERY CO., LTD. has been a pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment supplier in pharmaceutical industry. Their main manufacturing and processing equipment include, hot air sterilizers, extrusion machines, tablet coating and compression machines, pellet making machines and oral solid dosage manufacturing equipment, which are sold to over 70 countries meeting international standards.

Yenchen was established in 1967, our products and services are widely used in the pharmaceutical, food, biotechnology, chemical, and cosmetic fields, which include solid dosage line, pellet machine production line, syrup line, injection line, ointment line, extraction & concentration turnkey equipments.

Yenchen has been offering customers high-quality pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment since 1967, both with advanced technology and 57 years of experience, Yenchen ensures each customer's demands are met.