Texture Analysis in Action: the Powder Compaction Rig

Powder Compaction Rigs:
Low Tolerance (left); High Tolerance (right)

The Stable Micro Systems POWDER COMPACTION RIG is available in two variants.

The High Tolerance Powder Compaction Rig (A/PCRS) is suited to high force applications where the punch/die clearance is critical; this fixture is auto-aligned using a universal adapter.

The Low Tolerance Powder Compaction Rig (A/PCR) is suited to other powder compaction applications such as assessing granule friability, where the punch/die clearance is less critical.

The use of Texture Analysis in Medical Device Development

Texture Analysis, which has long been used by the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic
industries, is now increasingly being used to evaluate properties of medical devices. 

Texture analysis refers to properties such as firmness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, tackiness, swelling/absorption, in addition to relaxation behaviour, fatigue and brittleness. For many of these tests, standard methods lag behind product development. 

Regulatory agencies including the FDA have used the TA.XTplus Texture Analyser to evaluate medical devices. In addition, the patent literature increasingly relies on texture analysis to validate claims. 

Read on for more examples of the application of texture analysis to the future of medical devices...