Whitepapers

Abstract

This white paper presents an overview of mixing technologiesimplemented across many of today's highly competitive pharmaceutical and medical industries, as well as new equipment designs that are increasingly being recognized as potential solutions to prevailing mixing challenges. Mixing applications falling within the broad spectrum of mass produced pharmaceutical goods and medical devices are too many and complex to discuss in detail hence this paper will touch on a few general classifications as well as a few examples within that mixing category. Phase and viscosity are used as bases for classification.

Introduction

Process equipment used in the healthcare industry follow rigid specifications for accuracy, consistency and cleanliness. These regulations ensure thatend products are safe, pure, and effective. In particular, mixing equipment employed in the production of pharmaceuticals and medical devices deal with a higher level of complexity because their use is more specialized. Not one design fits all.

Mixing fulfills many objectives beyond simple combination of raw ingredients. These include preparing fine emulsions, reducing particle size, carrying outchemical reactions, manipulating rheology, dissolving components, facilitating heat transf er, etc. So even within a single pharmaceutical product line, it is not uncommon to employ anumber of different style mixers to process raw ingredients, handle intermediates and prepare the finished product.

Moreover, most pharmaceuticals are highly process-dependent. Next to the chemistry of the formulation itself, the mixing operation has a decided influence on whether a drug will deliver the accurate dosage, have an acceptable appearance and texture, or be stable for the appropriate length of time. The importance of proper mixer selectionand optimal operation can hardly be over-estimated.