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Roller compaction (also referred to as ribbon mixing) is a relatively simpler, more efficient and cheaper form of dry granulation. It is a process in which the formulation material is continuously passed between two counter-rotating rollers where it is condensed and consolidated into a sheet of solid mass. Depending on the type of roller used, the feed material may be compressed into dense ribbon-like material known as flakes (smooth rolls) or dense briquettes (nut or stick-shaped) if the rollers have grooved or engraved surfaces. The compacted materials are further milled, shaped, lubricated and compressed into tablets.
Roller compaction offers distinct advantages over wet granulation, especially for moisture-, solvent-, or heat-sensitive composition materials. In the pharmaceutical industry, it is an attractive granular alternative because it offers substantial cost savings due to high production throughput (up to 100,000 kg/h), short cycle times and fewer processing steps. Furthermore, the elimination of a drying step reduces production and development times as well as facilitates scale-up.
