May. 06, 2024
Softgel is a type of sealed soft capsule available in different sizes and shapes by injecting oil, suspension, paste, or powder into the capsule shell.
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The softgel shell consists of gelatin, glycerin, or other suitable pharmaceutical excipients that give it certain strength and toughness.
Softgel
Softgels offer numerous benefits, developed and tested over the years. Below is a summary of these advantages.
Good protection for oral dosage potency and shelf-life.
Softgels have a sealed shell filled with oil or liquid, providing unique durability and protecting the inner material from oxidation, ensuring good potency and shelf-life.
Easier swallow.
Softgels can come in various shapes, colors, and sizes, suitable for all ages, making the dosage pill easier to swallow.
Convenient for transportation.
The sealing keeps softgels well-protected from light and oxygen, ensuring stable ingredients, better performance against heat and temperature changes, making them convenient for transport and storage.
Improved bioavailability.
Softgels filled with liquid offer enhanced bioavailability of poorly absorbed or soluble nutrients.
Easy and flexible formulation.
Softgels allow for flexible formulation of nutrients as filling materials, preferred by vegetarians using carrageenan, starch, or tapioca powder.
Yes, there are some drawbacks:
The gelatin can dissolve in aqueous or certain medicinal alcohol solutions, hence not suitable for some softgels.
They can decompose at high temperatures.
Both softgels and capsules have a gelatin-based shell containing a liquid filling. Softgels are easier to swallow than tablets and are ideal for oils and liquid ingredients.
Capsules can have shells from various gelatin sources.
Capsules
The following drugs can be made into softgel capsules:
1.Oily drugs or low melting point drugs, like VE and volatile components
VE softgel capsules
Such medicines are liquid or semi-solid at room temperature and don’t require absorbents, reducing dosage volume and avoiding drug loss.
2.Hydrophobic drugs with poor bioavailability, like NPE
Drugs like CPE that are poorly water soluble can have improved bioavailability when made into microemulsions and filled into softgels.
3.Drugs with bad smells and trace active drugs
Softgels can mask the bad smell of drugs. Trace active drugs like CAL should be made into softgel capsules.
4.Drugs susceptible to light, humidity, heat, and oxidation
Especially vitamins that are temperature and oxygen-sensitive. Wrapping with oil increases stability, and adding titanium dioxide to the shell prevents decomposition in light.
Vitamin
Traditional Chinese medicine can also be formulated into effective, minimal ingredient, softgel capsules.
You can create softgel capsules using two methods:
1.Pressing Method
First, prepare the gelatin solution by immersing gelatin in distilled water, dissolving it, and adding other materials for a uniform mix. Apply this mixture on a board for uniform thickness and heat it to form a tough, elastic film. Finally, press the softgel capsule by hand with a shot mold or via an automatic softgel encapsulation machine for large batches.
2.Dropping Method
This method uses a machine with double drippers to proportionately release gelatin and medicine liquid forming softgels that cool and solidify gradually upon dropping into an immiscible coolant.
A softgel encapsulation machine is equipment used to produce various softgel capsules. Also known as a soft gel capsule machine or softgel filling machine, it encapsulates liquid medicine into spherical or oval soft capsules.
AIPAK Softgel Encapsulation Machine
With the rapid development of softgel capsule technology, softgel encapsulation machines are increasingly popular. Below are industries widely using these machines:
Softgel encapsulation machines produce neat, appealing softgels with fast disintegration, high bioavailability, ease of swallowing, and storage benefits. They also mask unpleasant drug tastes and can produce quick-acting, sustained-release, and enteric-coated softgels.
As health consciousness rises, more foods are made into health care softgels promoting wellness, like propolis and deep-sea fish oil.
Fish oil softgel capsules
With their elegant and portable nature, softgels containing cosmetic ingredients are gaining popularity, increasing demand for softgel encapsulation machines in this industry.
In entertainment, these machines are used to produce paintballs, which create safe, fun, and strategic shooting games mimicking combat scenarios.
Food Industry
Softgel encapsulation machines are used in food industry for gel candies and other food products like dairy, peanut butter, and sauces.
Chemical Education Industry
In this industry, they produce pigments, oils, dyes, catalysts, and more, finding applications also in construction, paper, and plastics industries.
There are various types of softgel encapsulation machines based on production capacity, automation level, and final product type. They range from small, medium to large scale machines, semi-automatic to fully automatic machines, and specialized machines for different products like oil softgels or paintballs.
Production Capacity
You can choose according to:
Small scale softgel encapsulation machine
Medium scale softgel encapsulation machine
Large scale softgel encapsulation machine
Automation Level
Select based on production needs:
Semi-automatic softgel encapsulation machine
Full automatic softgel encapsulation machine
Final Product
Machines vary for different products or industries:
Oil softgel encapsulation machine
Paintball softgel encapsulation machine
A softgel encapsulation machine differs from a capsule filling machine in several ways. An automatic capsule filling machine fills empty capsules with powders, granules, and tablets, while a softgel encapsulation machine fills liquids, semi-liquids, or suspensions. Additionally, the former fills hard gelatin capsules, whereas the latter fills softgels. The cost of a softgel encapsulation machine is higher than that of an automatic capsule filling machine.
AIPAK Automatic capsule filling machine
Using the softgel encapsulation machine, you can create capsules of different shapes and sizes by adjusting the tooling system, including round, oval, tube, oblong, twist-off, and other customizable shapes. The sizes can vary from #000 to #5.
Various softgel shapes -Photo Credit:Nelsonpaintball
There are numerous reasons to invest in a softgel encapsulation machine, which provides the following benefits:
Softgel capsules produced are easier to swallow compared to hard gelatin capsules or tablets.
Ingredients are well preserved within the softgel capsules.
Allows customization of softgel capsule size, shape, or color and even printing logos.
High dosage accuracy and high productivity due to its fast working speed.
Fully automatic operation reduces labor costs.
Improved bioavailability of ingredients, enhancing consumer confidence.
Yes, some disadvantages include higher initial investment and installation costs compared to capsule filling machines. Skilled personnel are required for production and maintenance, and the machine's heavy weight and large volume make it challenging to move.
Softgel encapsulation machines produce softgel capsules and paintballs. Below are their major components and functions:
Understanding all parts helps you remain calm when ordering the machine.
1.Medicine Hopper
The medicine hopper, also called the medicine pump or material feeding pump, is made of robust stainless steel and is located on the machine's upper side. It holds the filling medicine in the capsules and maintains a stable temperature due to the hot water jacket. During the process, at least 5 kilograms of material should be loaded, and filtering is essential to prevent blockages.
2.Operation Panel
Most softgel encapsulation machines feature a touch screen and PLC system for easy manual setting and control.
3.Gel Box
The gel box holds the gelatin solution and performs heating and liquid level detection functions, ensuring appropriate ribbon thickness.
4.Die Roll Mold
Also known as softgel dies, these vital parts determine the softgel's shape, size, sealing, and cutting, affecting the final product appearance and quality.
5.Electric Cabinet
The stainless steel electric cabinet houses electrical components such as breakers, relays, contactors, fuses, and terminals. Maintenance should only be performed by electricians.
6.Cooling Drum
Located under the gelatin box, it spreads the gelatin solution and quickly cools it to form gel films.
7.Fan Blower
This component blows capsules up to cooling baskets, solving the height difference issue between the conveyor and tumbler dryer inlet.
8.Conveyor
It conveys capsules to the discharge part, controlled by PLC.
9.Tumble Dryer
Dries capsules after production and drives material to drying trays. The tumbler dryers can be customized according to machine size and power consumption.
Other parts include:
10.Air Compressor
Connected with gelatin melting and main machines, ensuring the speed consistency of gelatin and contents.
11.Gelatin Melting Tank
Blends all medicine materials making up gelatin shells, ensuring a homogeneous mixture.
12.Water Chiller
Maintains gelatin temperature during pressing and filling.
13.Lubrication System
Provides lubrication where needed, improve machine efficiency.
Understanding detailed parts helps in grasping the machine's operational steps. The process can be split into seven main steps:
Step 1: Softgel Gelatin Melting
Main ingredients include gelatin powder, water, and glycerin. Under 65-75°C, mix ingredients to gelatin melt, then transfer through a sieve to gelatin tanks.
Step 2: Filling Medicine Preparation
Prepare filling materials (liquids, semi-liquids, suspensions), placing them into the medicine hopper.
Step 3: Gelatin and Filling Medicine Holding Process
Transfer gelatin solution and filling medicine to the melting tank and the medicine hopper.
Step 4: Softgel Capsules Encapsulation Process
The ribbon forms and cools down, synchronizing material injection. Attention to lubrication and proper alignment ensures smooth operation.
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Step 5: Softgel Cooling
Capsules are still fragile; a tumbler dryer provides initial cooling by reducing moisture.
Step 6: Softgel Final Drying
Trays hold softgels for 1-2 days for complete drying based on material requirements.
Step 7: Further Treatment
Quality checks eliminate defective capsules, followed by surface cleaning and possible polishing.
Softgel encapsulation process requires ancillary equipment to form a complete production line:
1.Gelatin Melting
Mixes ingredients for softgel gelatin shell via stirring, heating, and melting.
2.Filling Material Tank
Prepares inner filling materials such as liquids, semi-liquids, suspensions, or solutions.
3.Gelatin/Medicine Service Tank
Optional heat-insulated tank for gelatin syrup.
4.PP Trays
Hold softgels before transferring to cooling tunnels or dryers.
5.Colloid Mill
Grinds substance or medicine ingredients.
6.Tumble Dryer
Removes excess moisture from softgels.
7.Softgel Polishing Machine
Pan Softgel Polisher-Photo credits:Secsoftgel
Removes debris, cleans, and sorts defective softgels.
8.Softgel Inspection Machine
Inspects finished softgels for standard compliance before packaging.
Support equipment includes hot water exchangers, vacuum pumps, water pumps, and valve systems to ensure quality softgels.
Production environment for softgel encapsulation requires:
Temperature-controlled air conditioning with constant humidity and temperature in production areas.
Gelatin mixing rooms at 20-28°C and RH60%.
Drying rooms with 24-30°C and RH below 40%.
Pill rooms with 21-24°C and RH 40-55%.
Pill picking workshops at 20-28°C and RH below 60%.
Operating a softgel encapsulation machine involves eight steps:
Empty capsule caps into the "capsule cap finishing plate" (~300 capsules each time). Ensure correct orientation.
Place empty capsule shell connecting plate in the square plate.
Excessive force is controlled by a positioning mechanism for appropriate pressure height.
Remove softgel capsule board and pour out formed capsules.
AIPAK Softgel encapsulation machine
When purchasing a softgel encapsulation machine, ensuring documents are provided is crucial for safety and performance. AIPAK provides:
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