OUR CUSTOMERSIn this study, the use of PharmaCote ‘RS’ extended tooling life by 93%
I Holland works closely with a manufacturer of one of
the world’s favourite range of multi-vitamins, to resolve
a highly abrasive issue.

The Challenge

presented an ideal opportunity to trial the highly
wear resistant PharmaCote RS.

In January 2008 a leading nutraceuticalmanufacturer was experiencing serious issues The Trial
with a particularly abrasive formulation of part A compression trial was set up at the customersof their range of Vitamins.
premises and I Holland despatched sets of
the new RS coated punches for trial along
Many nutraceutical products can be abrasive with one of their iNSPECT camera systems.
in nature, but this particular compound was Photographs were taken for record and storedcausing extreme difficulty. Only 22 million to enable comparisons to be made during thetablets were able to be compressed before the trial.
tooling was worn to such an extent that it wasdeemed to be unserviceable.
The goal of this trial was to see just how far
the useful life of the tooling could be extended
This not only necessitated the purchase of new by the use of a coating. The RS coating
punches but also incurred the associated down was tested with the same abrasive formula
time inherent with replacing and setting up 37 against the extremely tough HPG-P andstations of tooling. I Holland, along with its against a competitor’s super lattice coating.
local agent Vis Viva were challenged to find a Representatives from Vis Viva andsolution to extend the life of this tooling.
I Holland kept in close contact with thetrial, visiting on a regular basis to check
PharmaCote RS - (graph shows hardness in Vickers) progress. When the results started to takeshape RS emerged as a clear winner.

The Benefits
These spectacular results translate into valuable Since these trials PharmaCote RS coatedcost savings and productivity increases for tooling is now being used successfully at 3other locations manufacturing for the samethe customer.
range of nutracueticals and I Holland has
This coated tooling now lasts nearly twice as released PharmaCote RS to assist customers
long before it requires replacement, with longer in combating abrasion worldwide.
run-time and less need for costly downtime due
to tooling replacement. In addition product yield
has also increased as the presses need to be
set up fewer times.

Uncoated premium grade steel
after 16,300,000 tablets
Removed from service after production of22,820,000 tablets

Hardness

3500
3000
2500

The competitor’s coating was shown to failbetween 19.5-21.1 million tablets, the premium
steel was withdrawn between 21.1-22.8
million tablets but the PharmaCote ‘RS’ wasstill serviceable at an astonishing 44,010,000
Through
it’scontinualresearchand tablets.
development programme I Holland were in thefinal stages of developing a highly promising This represents an approximate 93% increase
new anti-abrasive coating RS. This formulation in the life span of the tooling when compressing
this formulation.

PharmaCote ‘RS’after 16,300,000 tablets

2000
1500
1000
5000

PharmaCote RS8

PharmaCote TN

PharmaCote DN

PharmaCote CN

PharmaCote CN+

PharmaCote CC

PharmaCote HC

PharmaCote HC+

Still serviceable after
production of 44,010,000 tablets

In our tests, PharmaCote ‘RS’ proved approximately
5 times harder than even the extremely tough HPG-P9