ACG successfully outfits capsule filler for precision capsule-in-capsule production

Modified AF 40T Capsule Filler. Image courtesy of ACG

ACG (Piscataway, NJ) has new case study for the flexibility of its capsule-in-capsule technology after helping an India-based probiotics manufacturer produce a vitamin C-infused, powder-based dietary supplement with incompatible ingredients. This was a challenge because vitamin C is chemically unstable, and it easily decomposes when exposed to heat, moisture, or the types of microorganisms inherent in probiotics. Capsule-in-capsule overcomes many of the limitations of incompatible ingredients by housing one ingredient inside the other, effectively segregating and protecting sensitive elements.

“This project showcases both the flexibility of our standard capsule fillers and the ACG team’s ability to customize our equipment—in this case, via a precision partial filling mechanism that accomplished the tricky process without wasting powder product or, even worse, underfilling,” said John Carey, vice president of sales for ACG Engineering, in a press release. “The dietary supplements landscape in particular features an abundance of ingredients combinations that don’t always play well together, meaning smart segregation solutions like capsule-in-capsule filling will become increasingly sought after.”

Although capsule-in-capsule often requires costly equipment modifications, the project avoided costly infrastructure investment through a cost-effective customized upgrade approach. Because the company wanted to manufacture the product on an AF 40T Capsule Filler and the formulation called for a powder-based probiotic to be housed in a larger capsule containing powder-based ascorbic acid, ACG’s team of customized oral-dosage encapsulation experts upgraded the AF 40T with a special inner-into-outer capsule filling attachment.

The attachment operates by loading capsules into hoppers that flow into reservoirs and are guided with baffle plates to a soft gel magazine. The magazine then releases the capsules using a specially designed mechanism to fingers in the upper and lower stage that alternate between holding and releasing the capsules into sliding plates. These sliding plates then transfer the capsules into the diverter block, which directs the smaller capsules into the larger ones.

The outfitted capsule filler successfully met the new needs without sacrificing satisfactory throughput. The module is capable of manufacturing upwards of 14,000 capsule-in-capsule products per hour.