Case Study: Scaling Solid Dosage Tableting Capacity at BD Pharmaceuticals (Dhaka Plant)

Operating on ageing 16-station single rotary tablet presses, the facility faced:

• Average tablet weight relative standard deviation (RSD) exceeding 3.2%, leading to frequent manual weight adjustments and batch holds.
• Persistent tablet capping during monsoon months due to ambient cleanroom humidity fluctuations.
• Maximum plant throughput capped at 1.2 million tablets per 8-hour shift across three parallel lines.

The Engineering Solution

In collaboration with the plant engineering leadership, GentlemanPharmed deployed a turnkey tableting upgrade package:

1. Installation of Two RTP-35 Double Rotary Tablet Presses: Configured with Euro-B tooling (35 stations each), dual variable-speed force feeders, and integrated 20 kN pre-compression rollers.
2. Automated Mean Weight Control Loop: Real-time strain gauge load cells measuring individual punch compression forces, linked directly to automatic servo-driven dosing cam height adjustment.
3. Closed Contained Powder Loading: Pneumatic vacuum powder transfer systems conveying granules directly from intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) into the tablet press feed hoppers.

Quantitative Results Achieved

| Performance Metric | Baseline (Legacy Press) | Post-Upgrade (RTP-35 Lines) | Improvement | |---|---|---|---| | Shift Output (8 Hours) | 1.20 Million Tablets | 1.71 Million Tablets | + 42.5% | | Tablet Weight RSD | 3.2% | 1.08% | 66% Variance Reduction | | Capping / Defect Rejections | 1.8% of batch | < 0.05% | 97% Defect Reduction | | Cleanroom Tooling Changeover | 120 minutes | 45 minutes | 62% Faster Turnaround |

Client Testimonial

"The commissioning team from GentlemanPharmed executed our SAT and IQ/OQ protocols in under five days. The RTP-35 machines have been running two consecutive shifts daily with zero unpredicted downtime over the past 14 months." — Engr. Tariqul Islam, VP Manufacturing Operations, BD Pharmaceuticals