Moulding, Extrusion, Floss and Three Dimensional Printing Technologies for Developing Fast Dissolving/Disintegrating Tablets

Abstract

This chapter describes various developments in the designing, fabrication and manufacturing of FDTs using various technologies based on moulding, extrusion, floss, and three dimensional printing (3DP). Moulding has evolved from conventional moulding/tablet triturates to heat moulding, moulding methods involving use of compressed gases or low boiling point solvents, microwave drying, vacuum drying and compression of wet granules in especially designed moulding machine. Extrusion is not yet fully explored for developing FDTs. Floss techniques has moved ahead from Shearform® floss through liquiflash to creation of microparticulates. Rapid prototyping techniques, especially three dimensional printing (3DP), have enabled the use of computer aided designing (CAD) possibilities in manufacturing of highly porous dosage form offering immediate and complex drug release characteristics, tablets of any shape and dosage forms which can flash into a matter of seconds.

Keywords: 3DPTM, Compaction, Compression, Computer aided design, Cotton candy, EMP®, FlashDose®, Floss, Formulation, Free form fabrication, Heat moulding, Microwave drying, Press through package, Rapid prototyping, Shearform®, Tablet, TheriFlash®, TheriForm®, Vacuum drying, Wet compression.