Aside from knowing what your objectives are, choosing the ideal capsule sizes for your capsule filling machine entails you likewise consider factors such as the production capacity, the capsule’s recommended dosage, how easy it is to swallow, your machine’s features, the costs, and of course, your target consumers.
In this guide, you’ll delve deeper into these, and learn the following:
Are You Looking For A Fully Automatic Capsule Filling Machine?
Firstly, capsules are usually cylindrical packaging for medicines, supplements, and vitamins, which you can swallow. If your medications are not in tablet form, they are in capsule form.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers that use capsule filling machines must have knowledge of the different capsule sizes, which are typically depending upon the dosage they are expecting to provide.
These capsule sizes are in systematic numerical format, too, so it’s easy to remember them. The biggest size is termed 000, while the smallest is 5. You will know more about these as you read on.
To better understand the eight different standard capsule sizes, start by checking out this capsule size chart:
| Size | Overall Capsule Length (inches) | Average mg Capacity | Volume Capacity |
| Size 000 capsules | 1.029 | 800 – 1,600 mg | 1.37 ml |
| Size 00 capsules | 0.921 | 600 – 1,100 mg | 1.00 ml |
| Size 0 capsules | 0.85 | 400 – 800 mg | 0.68 ml |
| Size 1 capsules | 0.764 | 300 – 600 mg | 0.48 ml |
| Size 2 capsules | 0.693 | 200 – 400 mg | 0.36 ml |
| Size 3 capsules | 0.618 | 162 – 324 mg | 0.27 ml |
| Size 4 capsules | 0.563 | 120 – 240 mg | 0.20 ml |
| Size 5 capsules | 0.406 | 60 – 100 mg | 0.13 ml |
Now that you’ve got the capsule sizes explained in the capsule size comparison chart above, let’s get to know more about this a little bit better.
Interestingly, to know your capsule size is to refer to a capsule size chart, such as what you saw above. From the biggest to the smallest, the sizes are named 000 to size 5. The size depends on where you wish your consumers to use your product.
For instance, 000 capsules are for those with higher dosages or several active ingredients, such as sports supplements.
Meanwhile, the size 1 capsules are intended for those with lower dosages, such as what you see with herbal supplements and multivitamins. The smallest capsules are size 5, suitable for smaller doses or those that children and pets take.
The formula for capsule measurements is as follows:
For the capsule’s volume, it is:
For the capsule’s surface area, follow this formula:
Capsule sizes 4 and 5 are the tiniest capsules. You can see their differences in overall capsule length, average capacity in milligrams, and volume capacity from the chart earlier.
In terms of use and purpose, size 4 capsules are rarely used beyond specialized medical applications, such as smart pills for diagnostic tracking. Instead, they’re used for supplements and specialty treatments.
Meanwhile, a size 5 capsule is primarily utilized in pharmaceuticals. Aside from pediatric and veterinary medicine, they are also for applications, such as low-dose hormone therapy, homeopathic remedies, and research purposes.
The size 00 is the most popular capsule size because of this 00 capsule capacity that could be higher than other capsule sizes, but in the right range. With these size 00 capsule dimensions, they are also very versatile and still easy to swallow despite their dosage.
Selecting the right capsule size is vital to ensure you are not choosing a smaller capsule size for a bigger purpose, or the conversely. This guarantees effective dosage and consumer compliance.
To choose the right size for the capsule you are manufacturing, following these steps:
By adhering to these pointers, you can ensure your consumers are always satisfied.
Before you determine what shape capsules will take, it is important to consider factors, starting with the required dosage. How much of the active ingredient is needed for your product to be effective. Aside from the dosage, the right ingredient mix in each capsule must also be taken into account.
This factor, on the other hand, also considers the active ingredient needed, but based on its volume this time. For example, larger capsules for plant powders and smaller ones for high-density formulations. This also ensures your products will perform at their best.
Children can’t readily swallow a large capsule. Matching swallowability with the size of the capsules you’re producing will ensure your consumers will keep trusting your products.
The type of capsule you’re making, such as gelatin or HMPC, also dictates the proper size.
Refer to this chart below to be guided:
| Capsule Type | 000 | 00 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Gelatin | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| HMPC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vegetable | X | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X | X | X |
Taking the route of not investing in such machines will hamper your production – slower production, lesser revenue, and higher risk of contamination for the capsules you make.
Also called capsule fillers or encapsulators, they are a kind of processing equipment that pharmaceutical manufacturing industries use to fill empty capsules with formulations, such as powder, granules, liquids, and even combinations of them. For instance, for making a soft capsule gelatin.
What are their importance? Basically, they accelerate the efficiency of producing higher-grade capsules in large-scale, capsules that are free from contamination before they are distributed to consumers.
They are also used so capsule-filling is more accurate, more capsules are produced in less time, and the quality of the capsules is preserved.
Aside from those advantages, choosing the right capsule filling machine also allows you to produce the correct capsule sizes. With the equipment’s design and features, especially its molds, you can ensure to produce the right capsule sizes efficiently and accurately for the specific needs of your consumers.
Selecting the right capsule size for your capsule filling machine must be accomplished with utmost care to ensure you offer the best-quality products and so as not to compromise the safety of your consumers.
Apart from choosing the proper capsule size, you must also understand the purposes and applications of each, the differences between each of those sizes including the measurement formula, and what you must consider, from the dosage pre-requisites to the particular type of capsule.
In addition, you must also know your capsule filling machine well. Without the appropriate equipment, you can’t produce quality capsules even if you’ve mastered their sizes well.
Get your capsule filling machines only from credible providers, such as Zhejiang Canaan Technology Limited. The capsule filling machines here are expertly designed and crafted to carry out fully automated encapsulation processes, from accurate capsule alignment to the proper ejection of completed capsules. Connect with them today.
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