2. At last, the wait is over…
here is the benchtop coater you asked for!
Inspired by our customers, and driven by innovation, Thomas Engineering presents the FLEX 05 benchtop tablet coater!
FLEX 05 is more than just a film coater – it is a practical and highly functional coating platform for most processes including
those where high weight-gain drug layers and modified release coatings are essential.
The FLEX 05 coater includes computer-based controls, data acquisition and reporting functions in a compact package with
color touch screen HMI. Convenient and versatile, the FLEX 05 is sure to become your indispensable coater for rapid product
development, feasibility studies, and production of early stage clinical supplies – even with just a handful of tablets!
INNOVATION
• oat very small quantities of cores – as few as
C
100 tablets
• xchangeable coating unit with integrated coating
E
chamber, drum, plenum and front process port
• omplete separation of product contact area from
C
mechanical space
• ntegrated workspace for solution vessel, mixer
I
and scale
• losed transfers or off-bench loading/unloading
C
under containment
VERSATILITY
• queous film and solvent coating processes
A
• Functional and modified release coatings
• Coating with one or more drug layers
• Tablets, mini-tabs and softgels
• ptional execution for handling potent
O
compounds
FUNCTIONALITY
• ully perforated drum with anti-slide bars
F
• Schlick spray nozzle with anti-bearding cap
• Exhaust temperature set point control
• ndependent control of atomizing and pattern air
I
• xternal spray nozzle positioning with coater
E
door closed
• Drum capacity is 5 liters
USABILITY
• 4 x 36 inch footprint - fits neatly on standard
2
laboratory bench
• 10-inch color touch screen HMI
• Front access manual sampling
• Excellent visibility through front window
• asy disassembly for cleaning at the bench or
E
out-of-place
• Benchtop or cart-mounted for mobile applications
Patent Pending.
Choose the original…choose success! Illustrations, specifications
and technical data are subject
to change without notice.
Some features described in
this document are optional.
3. Just Plug ‘n
The FLEX 05 is an integrated table
Attention to Details
FLEX 05 is thoughtfully designed with
chamber with drum and exhaust ple
the user in mind
• ccurate and repeatable gun
A delivery and controls - in
positioning - no other manual
adjustments!
• ery few parts to handle during
V
cleanings and project transitions
• ool-less setups and changeovers
T
• onvenient work space for solution
C
vessel, mixer and scale
• ompelling aesthetics
C
Innovative Exchangeable Coating Unit (XCU)
• LEX 05 coating platform with
F
exchangeable coating units – drum,
chamber, plenum and process port
• CU is self-connecting to the inlet/
X
exhaust air ports and to drum drive
• asy removal and installation for fast
E
setups and changeovers without tools
• ntegrated exhaust plenum extracts
I
with the XCU for easy cleaning
• CUs are interchangeable – dedicate
X
coating units to drug compound
families, research departments and
formulation scientist groups
Operator Protection and Containment
• Coater operates under negative pressure
• Inflatable seal on front process port
• anitary flanges available for closed
S
loading and unloading
• anual sampling and spray nozzle
M
positioning with front process
port closed
• ully contained execution with safe
F
change filters
FLEX 05…becau
place on your b
4. n’ Process!
et coating system – Tablet coating
HMI and Controls
enum, process air handling, solution • rocess parameters are set using color
P
touch screen HMI
n a single benchtop unit! • MI-driven manual control of the
H
process with data capture
• inimum number of control screens
M
for ease of use
• eal time display of measured process
R
parameters
• eal time calculation and display
R
of Environmental Equivalency (EE)
Factor using proprietary TAAC process
modeling algorithm
Solution Delivery
• eristaltic pump with precise flow
P
control
• chlick® anti-bearding spray
S
nozzle (ABC technology) provides
performance matching nozzles on
production scale coaters
• ibration-dampened scale for
V
accurate flow rate measurement
• xternal manual positioning of spray
E
nozzle with coater door closed
• ozzle positioning mechanism
N
with graduated scale for repeatable
nozzle-to-bed distance and angle
settings
One Coating Platform
- Many Uses
• xchangeable Coating Units (XCUs)
E
permit the FLEX 05 to be easily
shared between multiple user groups
• LEX 05 is a cost effective alternative
F
to purchasing multiple conventional-
type lab coating systems
use tomorrow takes
benchtop today
Patent Pending.
Illustrations, specifications
and technical data are subject
to change without notice.
Some features described in
this document are optional.
5. FLEX 05 Specifications
Overall dimensions 24” x 36” x 30” high [610 mm x 815 mm x 760 mm]
Drum volume Up to 5 liters; ½ liter with divider plate
Drum diameter 12 in. [305 mm]
Drum speed 5 – 40 RPM
Air flow and temperature 20 – 100 CFM (45°C maximum bed temp) [35 – 170 m3/h]
Spray nozzle Schlick™ 970 ABC
Solution delivery Watson-Marlow peristaltic pump
Atomizing/Pattern air 20 – 30 psi at 4 SCFM [1.4 – 2.0 bar at 7 m3/h]
Controls PLC and touch panel HMI
Electrical 230 VAC, 60 Hz, single phase; 30 amps
Compressed air supply 80 - 100 psi [5.4 – 6.8 bar]
Weight 280 lbs. with Exchangeable Coating Unit [130 kg]
240 lbs without Exchangeable Coating Unit [110 kg]
Cleaning The Exchangeable Coating Unit can be removed from the coating platform to be cleaned
in a lab sink, in a parts washer or in a cleaning room
Features and Benefits
INTEGRATED COATING SYSTEM
• oating chamber with drum and exhaust plenum, process air handling, solution delivery and controls
C
in a single benchtop unit
• Minimum space requirement – fits on most existing laboratory benches
• Built-in work space for solution vessel and mixer
• Single-point connections for electric and compressed air utilities
USER FRIENDLY
• Simple touch screen graphics for intuitive reference to coating devices
• Single process control window for the parameters and measurements
• asy positioning of spray nozzle without tools and without opening
E
front process port
• Easy to use – reduces training time and expense
PROPRIETARY THOMAS TAAC PROGRAM
• Built into the coater for real-time assessment of drying conditions
• Provides assistance for process scale-up calculations
PROCESS VERSATILITY
• Provides “future safety” – helps accommodate new processes not yet in the development pipeline
Options
HEPA Filtration Instrumentation Containment Drums and XCUs
• nlet and exhaust,
I upgrade package •
Operator protection •
Additional drums and
remote • dditional instruments
A (inflatable seals) Exchangeable Coating
to measure inlet dew and fully contained Units (XCUs) are also
Solvent coating execution with safe available
point, bed temperature
• xecution for Class 1,
E change filters
and ΔP through bed Patent Pending.
Division 2 Illustrations, specifications
and technical data are subject
to change without notice.
Some features described in
this document are optional.
6. Capabilities
For more than 50 years, Thomas Engineering has been a partner in the solid dosage processing industry, helping customers
develop and manufacture pharmaceutical products in an efficient and cost effective manner.
With the Accela-Cota® FLEX 05, Thomas can help even more by offering an integrated tablet coating platform for small-scale
development of a range of coating processes. With the FLEX 05, our customers have an innovative tool to succeed in developing
coated products rapidly in response to market demands for new and improved drug therapies.
Our customers appreciate the value of a partnership with Thomas Engineering, the market leader dedicated to coating, tablet
compression and tablet press tooling. These customers know that their investment extends beyond a system of machines and
controls – they also benefit from our expertise and competency resulting from decades of experience with tablet coating systems
in the field. The dividend is their assurance that their TEI coating system will deliver reliable performance and consistently good
finished products for many years.
Choose the original…choose success…choose Thomas Engineering.
FLEX 500 Compu-Lab Continuous Tablet
Coater
Integrated tablet coating system High throughput continuous
for R&D, pilot plant, clinical supplies processing for tablets and softgels
and small batch manufacturing
Accela-Cota Tablet Press Tooling
Production class tablet coater with exchangeable
drums, optimized design for enhanced
cleanability and with features for manufacturing
flexibility and process versatility. FLEX 500 is a
winner of the prestigious iF Product Design Award
2010 for outstanding quality in design.
Spray technology
Production class tablet coater Leader in the design and
with more than 1,200 installations manufacture of punch and die
Innovative designs for process versatility world wide tooling.
Patent Pending.
Thomas Engineering Inc. Illustrations, specifications
575 West Central Road and technical data are subject
Hoffman Estates, IL 60192 to change without notice.
T. 847/358-5800 F. 847/358-5817 Some features described in
www.thomaseng.com this document are optional.
