Continuous Film Coating System for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

GEA has released the ConsiGma FC Flex, a production-scale automated film coating system designed to apply ultra-thin, uniform protective or functional films to tablets, capsules, and pellets. This high-throughput technology transitions laboratory-developed continuous manufacturing processes to commercial volumes for the pharmaceutical, dietary supplement, and chemical industries without requiring process redevelopment.

Process Scaling and Mechanical Architecture
The system, which was exhibited at the CPHI Milan trade show from October 6 to 8, 2026, at Fiera Milano, relies on a modular mechanical architecture. To eliminate the need for additional optimization or operator training during commercial scale-up, the system features the exact drum diameter utilized in the laboratory-scale unit. Capacity increases are achieved strictly by modifying the wheel depth and the number of spray nozzles. This ensures operators can rely on consistent process behavior across all stages of production. The automated system processes small sub-batches of approximately nine kilograms in rapid six-minute cycles, which keeps work-in-process inventory low and maintains a smooth material workflow.

Containment and Material Efficiency
Safety containment is built directly into the system's design. Loading and unloading procedures occur through a BUCK split valve, preventing dust exposure and removing the need for specialized personal protective equipment. The standard unit complies with Occupational Exposure Band 4 (OEB4) standards, while an optional clean-in-place (CIP) upgrade featuring integrated wash nozzles enables compatibility with OEB5 and OEB6 requirements. The system employs a free-fall coating process that gently handles soft, friable, and irregularly shaped tablets while reducing coating solution consumption by approximately 33 percent. Furthermore, loading and unloading take place within the wall plate, and the shallow drum design minimizes the physical footprint on the production floor.

Mark Rowland, Strategic Business Director for Pharma Solid Dosage at GEA Pharma & Healthcare, explained the engineering rationale: "Our philosophy is scale out rather than scale up: the drum stays the same, so teams can move seamlessly from the laboratory bench to full-scale production without having to learn anything new. For operators, that means faster, cleaner, and more cost-effective development."

Additional Context
This section details technical specifications and competitive benchmarking not included in the original news release.

In the continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, automated film coating systems are primarily differentiated by their throughput mechanisms, drum geometry, and containment capabilities. Comparable commercial-scale continuous coaters include the Thomas Processing Flex CTC and the O'Hara Technologies Fastcoat Continuous (FCC) system.

Traditional continuous coaters utilize an elongated horizontal cylindrical pan divided into distinct heating, spraying, and drying zones. In these systems, tablets process as they continuously travel the length of the drum. This architectural approach often requires scaling up drum dimensions and adjusting thermodynamic profiles when transitioning from a laboratory scale to commercial production.

Conversely, the ConsiGma FC Flex utilizes a semi-continuous, sub-batch processing architecture. By processing sequential nine-kilogram sub-batches every six minutes in a drum with a fixed diameter—modifying only the wheel depth and nozzle count to increase capacity—the system bypasses the thermodynamic and mechanical scaling adjustments required by elongated continuous coaters. Additionally, while standard continuous coaters typically achieve OEB3 or OEB4 containment out-of-the-box, the integration of split-valve loading and automated clean-in-place capabilities allows the FC Flex to achieve an OEB6 containment rating, supporting the secure processing of highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Edited by Aishwarya Mambet, Induportals Editor, with AI assistance.

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