Capsules are one of the most common solid dosage forms. Their standard cylindrical profile and smooth surface make them well-suited for blister feeding, with feeder selection depending mainly on output requirements.
This feeder uses brushes to sweep capsules into the blister pockets. The brushes are easy to disassemble, making routine cleaning very convenient, and no format parts are required when switching between different product varieties.
Capacity Reference: Paired with a standard flat-plate blister machine using a PVC width of 260mm and a plate size of 57×80mm (punching 4 plates per cycle), the normal running speed is 40–50 cycles/min, yielding an approximate capacity of 160–200 blister plates/min.
Limitations:
Not suitable for cold-formed blister packaging because the cold-formed pocket size is much larger than the capsule, which may cause two or more capsules to fall into a single pocket.
Brush agitation can generate static electricity; when capsule sizes are too small or fills are too light, static adsorption may make it difficult for capsules to drop into the pockets.
2. Medium-Capacity Option: Vibratory & Rolling Drum Feeders
Because capsules do not easily jam in drop channels, this feeder is exceptionally well-suited for capsule packaging. Capsules are first guided by a vibratory bowl into vertical drop channels, where moving webbing conveys them to the bottom to drop into the pockets.
Capacity Reference:
Paired with a high-speed blister machine (PVC width 270mm, plate size 57×80mm, punching 3 plates per cycle [actual plate quantity depends on plate dimensions; smaller plate sizes allow more plates per unit area, and vice versa]): Runs at approximately 150 cycles/min with a capacity of 450 blister plates/min.
Using a PVC width of 390mm and a plate size of 57×70mm (punching 5 plates per cycle), capacity reaches 750 plates/min.
Technical Features: Configured with multiple internal feed tubes, with each tube corresponding to a specific blister pocket. A single drop covers a large web area of cavities below. The cylindrical nature of capsules allows smooth feeding through the tubes, enabling high-capacity operation on high-speed blister machines. This feeder is compatible with both flat intermittent and rotary continuous blister machines, and suits both thermoformed and cold-formed blister packaging.
Capacity Reference: Under conditions of smooth feeding for flat or shallow concave products, a 260mm width machine model (pocket grid size 80mm×45mm, punching 3 plates per cycle) can achieve capacities up to 600 plates/min.
Limitations: High equipment investment and, due to the large number of internal feed tubes, routine cleaning is relatively complex.
To accommodate diverse production scales—from laboratory testing to ultra-high-volume industrial manufacturing—we provide a comprehensive machine matrix. (Note: All capacity references below are based on the smooth feeding of standard hard capsules, such as size #0, and a 57×80mm blister card, unless otherwise specified.)
1. Agile & Multi-Product Production (Small to Medium Batches) Recommended Series: BMP Platen Blister Machines The BMP series utilizes a cGMP-compliant balcony structure, ensuring effortless daily cleaning and highly efficient format changeovers when switching between different capsule sizes.
Medium Capacity (BMP270): Maximum web width of 270mm. Output up to 200 blisters/min.
Compact Footprint (BMP180): Maximum web width of 180mm. Output up to 150 blisters/min.
Laboratory Scale (BMP100): Maximum web width of 100mm. Output up to 25 blisters/min.
2. High Capacity & Flexibility (Medium to Large Batches) Recommended Series: BMR Rotary Blister Machines Engineered with a fully servo-driven architecture, the BMR series perfectly balances high-speed rotary continuous sealing with production flexibility for capsule packaging.
Flagship Model (BMR270): Maximum web width of 270mm. Output up to 600 blisters/min.
Standard Model (BMR180): Output up to 400 blisters/min.
3. Ultra-High Volume Industrial Production Recommended Model: DPH390 Rotary Blister Machine Designed for maximum output, featuring a massive 390mm web width. Output reaches up to 800 blisters/min (based on a 57×90mm blister size). It offers two configurations: a full servo-driven setup for peak operational flexibility, and a mechanical transmission setup for budget-conscious procurement.
4. Budget-Friendly & Space-Saving Operations Recommended Series: DPP Traditional Platen Machines This series adopts a traditional top-to-bottom layout (non-balcony). Its compact machine width provides an excellent space-saving advantage while remaining highly economical for standard capsule packaging.
Top Recommendation (DPP260): Output up to 200 blisters/min. (Models DPP350 and DPP500 are also available for higher capacities with web widths of 350mm and 500mm, respectively).
Compact Model (DPP150): Web width of 150mm. Output up to 100 blisters/min.
* Capacity Disclaimer: Actual production capacity is directly influenced by capsule dimensions (e.g., size #00 vs. size #4) and feeding efficiency. Additionally, for a given web width, smaller blister card dimensions allow more cards to be punched per cycle, thereby increasing the unit-time output.
* Capacity Disclaimer: Actual production capacity is influenced by multiple factors beyond mechanical speed. These include capsule dimensions (e.g., size #00 vs. size #4) and weight—extremely small or lightweight capsules are susceptible to static electricity, causing them to float and resist dropping smoothly into the pockets. Furthermore, the blister card layout design significantly impacts feeding efficiency, including the number of capsules per card and their orientation relative to the web indexing direction (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal). Additionally, for a given web width, smaller blister card dimensions allow more cards to be punched per cycle, thereby increasing the unit-time output.
