1.What Is Meant By Blending?

Different types of powder filled spoon with blending illustration- Picture Courtesy: the-unwinder.com

Blending simply refers to combine together the solid particles which can be powder, granules, or other objects to get a homogeneous mixture. It involves the mixing of solid-solid or solid with little amount of solvent combinations.

In pharmaceutical industry, blending is of prime importance to create uniform mixture of active ingredients and excipients. For instance, it is a must-have step to be carried out before going for granulation. Similarly, it is also widely employed for the formulations in cosmetic, food, and chemical industry.

2.Define Pharmaceutical Double Cone Blender?

Allpack- Model W Series Double Taper-shaped Mixer/ Blender

As pharmaceutical industry deals with the production and processing of solid dosage form such as capsules and tablets, accurate blending of their constituents is crucial to be done. In this way, a specific equipment is designed with food grade stainless steel and sophisticated technology to carry out this function which is known as Pharmaceutical Double Cone Blender.

The machine has special structure with double cones that facilitate the perfect blending of various solid materials for drugs manufacturing. It works on automatic principles where the constant rotation of double cone mixing tank leads to the even distribution of API and excipients. Moreover, pharmaceutical double cone blender is helpful for other tasks such as breaking down the powder lumps, mixing viscous substances, and adjusting the chemical reactions of particles.

3.Write Down The Advantages Of A Pharmaceutical Double Cone Blender?

Pharmaceutical double cone blender carries immeasurable benefits due to its advanced structure, innovative features, and automatic technology. Therefore, it holds multiple advantages for your business which you will explore in the upcoming paragraphs:

Advanced Construction

Advanced construction of a double cone blender- Picture Courtesy: okgemco.com

Pharmaceutical double cone blender is known for its innovative structure that consists of a long drum type container with angled corners; one for product inlet and another for outlet. Its construction is among one of its distinguishing features for blending myriad of solid particles along with solvent.

Output Precision

Different types of powders- Picture Courtesy: supergreentonik.com

Despite having variation in the amount of products being loaded, this pharmaceutical double cone blender is capable of producing a homogeneous and consistent output without any sort of irregularities.

High Protection

Enclosed vessel of pharmaceutical double cone blender- Picture Courtesy: whitesteel.de

The blender is a product of high-quality stainless steel body. Antibacterial and corrosion resistant material is used for parts which are in direct contact with material. In addition, the enclosed double cone tank enables the blender to process constituents effectively and without cross contamination due to separate inlets.

Multipurpose

Pharmaceutical double cone blender is multipurpose machine in a way that it offers you various choices to select for your material processing. For instance, it can be used for the blending of granules, mixing of powder with solvent, or reducing the amalgamation of materials.

Wide Application

Application of pharmaceutical double cone blender

The blender has wide applications due to its upgraded safety to process all kinds of powders and granules. Similarly, the design of pharmaceutical double cone blender makes it suitable for the processing of fragile and abrasive materials due to lower attrition level.

4.Explain The Working Principles Of A Pharmaceutical Double Cone Blender?

Pharmaceutical double cone blender follows an easy way for operation. Its execution may require you to take few steps and observe the process which are explained below:

Blender Setting

First, you need to set your blender and make sure it is in working condition. For this, undertake its structural adjustment like the fixation of outlet lid, tightening of valves, and screws etc. Then come towards its parameters setting which simply include the determination of rolling speed of the tank, amount of solvent to be added during tumbling, and movement of inside paddle.

Blender Feeding

Material feeding into blender- Picture Courtesy: permixmixers.com

Once the setting is done, just take your desired ingredients and pour them into the double cone tank from upside inlet. The loading of material into vessel can be done either manually or via vacuum system. However, it must be considered to leave the 1/3 place of chamber empty for uniform blending.

Material Blending

Material blending- Picture Courtesy: permixmixers.com

Upon loading, the blender starts functioning by adopting horizontal movement. Its continuous rotation keeps moving the powder through different sections which is often termed as the axial mixing of material present inside. In case of solvent addition, it is added in form of spray during the mixing.

This 360-degree rotational blending of the vessel typically goes on from 10 to 15 minutes depending upon the characteristics of material being used.

Material Discharging

Material discharging- Picture Courtesy: permixmixers.com

Finally, the formed mixture is meant to be discharged from the blender. For this, a separate discharge outlet is used to discharge the mixture which can be opened manually or automatically through pneumatic system.

5.Describe The Various Components Of A Pharmaceutical Double Cone Blender?

The structure of a pharmaceutical double cone blender is simple with several components. Each of its component play a crucial role by enabling it to carry out its function. These parts are described below:

Components of Model W Series Double Taper-shaped Mixer/ Blender- Allpack

Cover Assembly

Cover assembly is also referred to as feed inlet. It constitutes top side cone of the pharmaceutical double cone blender. This part of the blender is used to load the material into chamber. It can be manually locked for dust proof mixing of constituents.

Blending Vessel

It is another most significant part of the blender which is termed as blending or mixing vessel. Its structure is crafted from premium stainless steel to avoid cross contamination. The special double cone design is perfectly suitable to create homogeneous mixture of particles by following gravitational force.

Inside this vessel, a paddle or intensifier bar can be attached depending upon the characteristics of material for the elimination of lumps and breaking up large agglomerates.

Sprocket

It is a vessel driving sprocket that connect the rotating vessel to the two lateral supports. Similarly, it functions as a rotating connector and help the vessel keep moving.

Control Penal

Control penal function as a controlling unit of pharmaceutical double cone blender. It consists of several knobs for the blender operation such as power on/ off button, emergency stop, power indicator, and timer setting switch. By using it, operator can simply execute and control the equipment.

Electric Box

Pharmaceutical double cone blender is an automatic machine which runs on electricity. Therefore, it has an electric box where all the electrical connections can be found. Some of the main parts include:

Motor:Motor serve as the principal component for driving and energizing pharmaceutical double cone blender.

Gear Box:Gearbox is responsible for regulating the speed of tank rotation.

Wires:Electric system is set into the machine through wires which connect different parts.

Fuses:Fuses are also very important components which are integrated into the electric box to provide over current protection.

Butterfly Valve

The machine has an outlet station which is called butterfly valve. It is hermetically sealed area that is used for the discharging of finished mixture. Depending upon the type of machine being used, it can be regulated automatically or opened via hand.

Support Frame

Support frame refers to the main frame of pharmaceutical double cone blender which is made from durable stainless steel. It helps in the stable and smooth functioning of the equipment by keeping all the other parts united together.

6.Differentiate Between Pharmaceutical Double Cone Blender And Other Types Of Pharmaceutical Blenders?

There are other types of blenders available in market in contrast to pharmaceutical double cone blender. Therefore, we have differentiated between these types of blenders to enable you get the basic idea about each type and how they differ from one another:

Aspects	Pharmaceutical Double Cone Blender	V-Cone Blender	Ribbon Blender
Definition	Pharmaceutical double cone blender is an equipment used in pharmaceutical industry for uniform mixing of solid-solid or solid-liquid drugs substances.	V-Cone blender is v shaped blender which is utilized for homogeneous mixture of solid-solid combinations only.	Ribbon blender is a U-shaped blender with non-movable shell or mixing vessel. The ribbons located inside are used for mixing of solid particles.
Structure	The structure of blender is taper shaped which is connected to main frame on both sides. The paddle inside tank is connected to single side.	Its structure displays the joining of two shells at a single point which makes v shape. The inside agitator is horizontal.	Ribbon blender has a horizontal construction with two oppositely rotating ribbons.
Process	It works by rotating in 360-degree. Material inside gets mixed by the axial mixing caused by vessel shape.	It follows a distinct way for material blending where mixing occurs when different substances keep uniting and separating continuously due to the single cone and twin shells respectively.	Ribbon blender blend powders by rotating the ribbons in opposite directions. It does not move on its own rather the ribbons are responsible for homogeneous blending.
Best for	It is best for the solid-solid and solid-liquid mixing of fragile and abrasive materials.	It is good for the mixing of only solid particles such as powder and granules.	While as, ribbon blender is suitable for insensitive dry substances.
Drawbacks	It is not suitable for fine particulate system due to low shear application.	While as, V-Cone blender has limitations on its manual loading and unloading and the small size of shell.	On the other hand, ribbon blender is power consuming and perform only two dimensional mixing.
Picture	Pharmaceutical double cone blender- Picture Courtesy: ipharmachine.com	Allpack- VH-50 V type mixer	Allpack- WLDH- Horizontal ribbon Mixer

7.What Are The Applications Of A Pharmaceutical Double Cone Blender?

The application of a pharmaceutical double cone blender do not stick to the drugs manufacturing industry rather it is widespread and can be found in many other sectors such as:

Pharmaceutical Industry

Herbal powder capsules- Picture Courtesy: supergreentonik.com

The foremost importance of a pharmaceutical double cone blender can be realized in pharmaceutical industry where active pharmaceutical ingredients are mixed with excipients to make formulations for tablets and capsules. It is extremely useful for its controlling of chemical reactions between different ingredients by employing solvent spray, temperature, and moisture controlling techniques.

Food Industry

Various spices & condiments- Picture Courtesy: Shutterstock

It is also widely used in food industry where the production and processing of powders is a routine task. It can perfectly mix spices, add flavors, blend preservatives, and make baking mixtures. Moreover, the long placement of powdery materials often results in the creation of large dry lumps for which this pharmaceutical double cone blender can be utilized.

Cosmetic Industry

Various cosmetic powders- Picture Courtesy: wortheecosmetics.com

The use of powders is also prevalent in cosmetic industry in one way or another. Similarly, these powders whether compact face powders, eyeshades, hair dyes, or black powder require proper blending and mixing during production. Thus, a pharmaceutical double cone blender can be utilized to carry out this task without harming the properties of powders.

Chemical Industry

Detergent powder- Picture Courtesy: foodpanda.com

Pharmaceutical double cone blender is well-known for its capability to deal with sensitive and abrasive materials. That's why, most of the chemical industries are now employing it to blend their dry chemicals such as dry cleaning agents, pesticides, and fertilizers etc. In this way, it guarantee safety for both product as well as operator.

Pigment Industry

Various powder & compressed dry pigments- Picture Courtesy colorlex.com

Its use can also be found in dyes and pigments industry where colors are formed by combination of two or more colors. Similarly, it provides an enclosed environment and temperature which is greatly helpful in the processing of various colorants.

8.How To Check The Quality Of A Pharmaceutical Double Cone Blender?

Pharmaceutical double cone blender is an inevitable equipment that you will require for your business especially if it is related to drugs manufacturing. Similarly, it is supposed to be made from quality material and safe enough to deal with any kind of hard to sensitive materials. Therefore, safety regulation sector across the world has established certain quality standards to ensure the blender safety. These are as follows:

ISO certification stamp- Picture Courtesy: osscertification.com

ISO:International Organization for Standardization is a universal standard available for ensuring the quality of pharmaceutical double cone blender. So, your blender should comply its regulations.

FDA:Food and Drugs Administration is another USA based agency responsible for creating strict principles regarding the safety of machines that deals with food and drugs. As a critical machine being used for drugs, thus blender should be certified by FDA.

CE:CE is a certification mark accredited to all the goods and products which are either produced or sold in European Union countries. It represents the collective safety concerns by these states which must be met.

GMP:Good Manufacturing Practices is another significant quality standard that deals with the construction material of your pharmaceutical double cone blender. So, it must be complying the GMP's regulations.

9.What Are The Future Trends For A Pharmaceutical Double Cone Blender?

Solid dosage manufacturing is one of the most popular practices being carried out in pharmaceutical industry. In this way, powders are processed in different ways such as mixing, granulation, and compression. Similarly, all these steps require homogeneous mixture of API's and excipients for which pharmaceutical double cone blender is the key equipment.

Worker in pharmaceutical processing area- Picture Courtesy: yindamachinery.com

This machine is highly admired for its safe dealing of sensitive powders without affecting their quality. In addition to it, the automatic loading and unloading of materials further enhance its security against cross contamination. Together, these attributes have raised the demand of the blender in pharmaceutical industry along with other fields.

In such a scenario, there is a need to introduce new designs within pharmaceutical double cone blender such as the slant design double cone blender which is appealing to manufacturers for its customized construction to remove minor glitches. Moreover, adaptation to recent AI technology can further enhance its worth.

10.What Are The Cleaning And Maintenance Requirements Of A Pharmaceutical Double Cone Blender?

Regular use of a machine may lead to the accumulation of dirt, debris, and residues in different parts that may halt its performance level as well as working life. So, if you want to improve its efficiency and avoid the grim buildup of corrosion and rust, then make sure to conduct routine cleaning and maintenance for your pharmaceutical double cone blender. Few tips are given below for your help:

Operator inspecting a pharmaceutical blender- Picture Courtesy: yindamachinery.com

Cleaning

• Switch off the blender and disassemble parts by unscrewing of nuts.
• Remove the cover assembly and outlet tool and wash down these parts along with mixing vessel.
• Make sure to use non acidic water and recommended cleaning agents.
• For parts like control panel and external frame, use a tidy, soft cloth for wiping.
• Keep changing the lubrication oil to avoid dirt buildup.

Maintenance

• Regularly inspect your blender during operation for any abnormalities like noise and leakage etc.
• In case of parts wearing or damage, quickly replace them with new ones to avoid further damage.
• Check and adjust the parameters setting of the blender each time before starting operation.
• Structural adjustment of the pharmaceutical double cone blender is also very important which include the tightening of screws, placement of sprocket connectors, and attaching mixing vessel.

11.Troubleshoot The Common Pitfalls Of A Pharmaceutical Double Cone Blender?

As long as the machine is in use, it will keep showing minor faults. Similar is the case with pharmaceutical double cone blender. However, these issues are common, and can be easily tackled by finding the problem, understanding the reason, and taking relevant action. In the table below, you will be shown the troubleshooting of some common errors:

i. Powder leakage and dust
Powder leakage- Picture Courtesy: wordpress.com	Cause: The outlet valve is not tightly closed causing material to disseminate in dust form. The sealing ring of cover assembly and butterfly valve is ageing.	Solution: Check the outlet valve and tight it after accurate fixation. Replace the sealing rings.
ii. Mixing vessel is not moving
Power connection issue of pharmaceutical double cone blender- Picture Courtesy: m.trustar-pharma.com	Cause: There is power connection issue. The fixed rotating speed of vessel is false.	Solution: Check the power button, plug, and fuses for connection. Increase the rotation speed through control panel.
iii. Abnormal noise during operation
Screws of pharmaceutical double cone blender- Picture Courtesy: ipharmachine.com	Cause: It is caused by the vibration of uneven food pads. The screws or nuts joining the vessel to main frame are loose.	Solution: Place the machine to be level on even surface. Tight the screws and nuts.
Inconsistent Mixture
Marked blending paddle- Picture Courtesy: bulkinside.com	Cause: The mixing tank is overloaded. Time for mixing is insufficient. Paddle used in unsuitable. Slow speed of paddle.	Solution: Make sure to load the tank by 2/3 and left 1/3 area empty for homogeneous mixture. Increase the mixing time. Use the paddle in accordance with material characteristics. Adjust the paddle speed.

12.Factors To Consider When Buying A Pharmaceutical Double Cone Blender?

Although pharmaceutical double cone blender is itself a type of classification of blenders, but still there are several factors which you must consider to choose the right equipment. Some of the important factors are discussed below which will indeed save your money and time:

Blender Capacity

First, you should examine your current production volume which will help you to know your production requirement on daily basis. Similarly, this factor will directly be responsible for selecting the pharmaceutical double cone blender with compatible capacity as the mixing vessels come in different capacities.

Powder & Blender Specifications

The second most important thing is knowing the nature of powders or granules you are going to process with the equipment. For instance, the material you have in hand to process is friable, heat sensitive, or moisture sensitive. Similarly, it will help you to opt for the blender which possess all the features like type of paddle and agitator which should be used for particles.

Blending Accuracy

Blending accuracy indicators- Picture Courtesy: study.com

Almost all kinds of blenders in pharmaceutical industry are capable of producing homogeneous mixture. However, blending accuracy is something many of them lack. For this, you need to ask your vendor for pharmaceutical double cone blender which has special features for accurate end product and make sure to operate it before buying to check the final results.

Budget

Budget illustration- Picture Courtesy: profitbypakistantoday.com

Considering your current budget is a paramount factor to become a vigilant buyer. For this, you can estimate the overall expenditure of the blender along with installation, maintenance, and operation cost then choose the one that suits your financial status.

Conclusion

Let's wrap up this detailed buying guide about a Pharmaceutical Double Cone Blender! We hope you have got all of your answers which were wandering in your minds for so long. The importance of a pharmaceutical double cone blender is undeniable due to its astonishing features which start from its enclosed structure to multifunctional capabilities and easy handling. Moreover, you can have a customized solution according to your needs with one year of warranty. Thinking how? Just by clicking on the given link of Allpack! So, make sure to be among our valuable customers.