New in our portfolio: micro pelletizing systems for pharma & food

To produce homogenous, consistent micro pellets ≥ 0.3 mm

Suurmond have added a new product range to their portfolio for the food and pharma industries; the MAAG PFS series for hot-melt extrusion and micro pelletizing. With the advanced technologies by MAAG, a new era has begun when it comes to making high quality solid dosage forms for pharmaceutical and food applications.

MAAG’s technologies produce homogenous, consistent micro pellet sizes, ensure continuous manufacturing in simplified processes, avoids the creation of dust during the process and require no grinding! The complete PFS range complies with pharma and food directives!

The use of micro pellets

Pellets are neither powder nor granules; they are characterized by a defined shape and a very narrow particle size distribution. This allows a very wide range of applications that integrate active substances such as tableting, and capsule filling in the pharmaceutical industry, and sweetener and gum base in the food industry. Since no grinding is used in the process, the structure and the effectiveness of active substances remain unaffected.

The PFS range consist of:

• Extrusion pumps for hot-melt extrusion
• Strand Belt-Cooling Pelletizing Systems
• Drop pelletizing systems
• Closed under water systems (melt die face pelletizer)
• Dry-cut strand pelletizers
• Strand cooling belt
• Die head

HME and micro pelletizing process

Hot-melt extrusion

Hot-melt extrusion (HME) has been revealed as a successful technology for a large spectrum of applications in the pharmaceutical industry, with proven robustness for numerous drug delivery systems. With HME, even the processing of poorly soluble carrier/active substance combinations, no longer poses a major problem in the pharmaceutical industry.

Some of the most well-known applications are for taste-masking of drugs, solubility enhancement of poorly water-soluble compounds, controlled, extended, sustained and targeted drug delivery.

The MAAG extrex® PFS gear pumps are specially designed for applications in the pharmaceutical industries. Such applications require specific design characteristics: high discharge pressure capability, constant throughput, gentle conveying, and narrow temperature ranges. In such an environment, the proven extrex® gear pumps unfold their full potential.

Micro pelletizing

MAAG offer different types of micro pelletizers, meeting precisely the demands of the pharmaceutical industry with its specially developed pelletizing systems. The innovative pelletizing technology results in particles of uniform shape and size for optimal direct further processing.

The various types of pelletizing systems are all dedicated to a certain type of formulation or process such as:

• Strand Belt-Cooling Pelletizing System for water soluble and brittle formulations
• Drop pelletizing system for low-viscosity melts and fluids with viscosity less than 500mPas
• Closed under water system for carrier/agent combinations in hot-melt extrusion processes

Check the video!