Problem & answerB-04
Weight Variation
Also covers: Inconsistent fill weight between capsules
Likely causes
- Poor powder flow or bridging
- Powder segregation
- Variable hopper level
- Incorrect or worn dosing plate / powder bed setting
- Uneven tamping; tamping stations not on a common reference plane
- Worn dosing disc or tamping pins
- Machine speed too high
- Machine vibration
How to fix it
- 1Check powder level, moisture and density.
- 2Maintain a consistent hopper level and re-level the powder bed.
- 3Reduce machine speed.
- 4Recalibrate powder bed height and dosing plate clearance (see B-07).
- 5Set all tamping stations to a consistent reference plane; adjust tamping depth.
- 6Replace worn dosing disc or tamping pins.
- 7Reduce machine vibration.
- 8Confirm the powder’s flow and compressibility suit tamping-pin dosing.
- 9
It is fixed when
20 consecutive capsules within the weight specification (typical machine capability ±3.5%).
Stop it coming back
- Weight check every 30 minutes.
- Clean the dosing unit every batch.
Did this solve the problem?