A fully perforated pan coater uses a drum perforated across its entire cylindrical shell, enclosed in a sealed cabinet with dedicated inlet and exhaust plenums. Process air enters above the bed and is drawn through the tablets across the full pan length, giving the highest drying capacity per kg of any pan design. Covering 10–1,000 kg, it suits high-throughput aqueous coating with short cycle times and high spray rates.
The inlet plenum directs heated air (50–85°C) onto the bed while an exhaust shoe positioned under the bed pulls air through the tablets and the perforated wall, drying the full bed depth. Multi-gun spray bars on a retractable arm atomize suspension at 1.5–3.0 bar. The drum rotates at 2–21 RPM with mixing baffles, and the cabinet runs at negative pressure. Rotary wash nozzles clean drum and plenums, and reverse rotation discharges the batch.
Challenges
High Air Load on Fragile Cores
Through-bed air velocity abrades soft or friable tablets.
Plenum Fouling
Overspray deposits in the exhaust shoe restrict airflow and risk cross-contamination.
Cabinet Sealing
Leaks around the rotating drum allow dust escape and unfiltered air ingress.
Bed Temperature Gradients
Uneven airflow along long pans causes local over-drying and over-wetting.
Cleaning Complexity
Fully perforated shell and plenums present large hidden surface areas.
Solutions
- Adjustable Exhaust Shoe: Shoe position and damper control tune through-bed velocity for each product.
- Automated WIP Nozzle Network: Rotary spray heads clean drum, plenums, and ducts with validated wash cycles.
- Inflatable Seal Assembly: Pneumatic seals isolate the cabinet and hold −20 to −50 Pa containment.
- Segmented Air Distribution: Guide vanes and multi-point probes equalize bed temperature along the pan length.
- Hygienic Removable Panels: Tool-free plenum panels and drainable design give full inspection access.
Applications
- Pharmaceutical: High-volume generic film coating, enteric and moisture-barrier coats.
- Nutraceuticals: Large-batch vitamin, mineral, and botanical tablet coating.
- Food & Confectionery: Sugar-free film coated mints and compressed confectionery.
- Chemical: Coated detergent, dishwasher, and water-treatment tablets.
Models & Capacities: Laboratory to Large Production
| Model | Scale | Pan Ø [mm] | Batch Size [kg] | Brim Vol. [L] | Pan Speed [RPM] | Spray Guns | Inlet Air [CMH] | Heater [kW] | Overall L×W×H [mm] | Weight [kg] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FPC-010 | Lab | 540 | 6.5–10 | 19 | 4–21 | 1 | 450 | 9 | 1550×1200×1650 | 520 |
| FPC-025 | Pilot | 700 | 16–25 | 50 | 4–18 | 2 | 890 | 18 | 1800×1400×1800 | 890 |
| FPC-050 | Production | 840 | 30–50 | 95 | 3–16 | 3 | 1,500 | 30 | 2050×1550×1950 | 1,300 |
| FPC-075 | Production | 950 | 45–75 | 140 | 3–15 | 4 | 2,050 | 40 | 2200×1650×2050 | 1,700 |
| FPC-100 | Production | 1,020 | 65–100 | 190 | 3–15 | 4 | 2,550 | 50 | 2350×1700×2100 | 1,950 |
| FPC-150 | Production | 1,150 | 95–150 | 290 | 3–14 | 6 | 3,450 | 70 | 2550×1850×2250 | 2,550 |
| FPC-200 | Production | 1,240 | 130–200 | 380 | 3–14 | 6 | 4,250 | 85 | 2700×1950×2350 | 2,950 |
| FPC-250 | Production | 1,320 | 160–250 | 480 | 3–13 | 8 | 5,050 | 100 | 2800×2050×2400 | 3,400 |
| FPC-300 | Production | 1,390 | 190–300 | 580 | 3–13 | 8 | 5,750 | 120 | 2900×2100×2500 | 3,800 |
| FPC-400 | Large Prod | 1,510 | 250–400 | 770 | 2–12 | 10 | 7,150 | 140 | 3100×2250×2600 | 4,500 |
| FPC-500 | Large Prod | 1,610 | 310–500 | 960 | 2–12 | 12 | 8,450 | 170 | 3300×2350×2700 | 5,150 |
| FPC-600 | Large Prod | 1,690 | 380–600 | 1,150 | 2–12 | 12 | 9,700 | 190 | 3400×2400×2800 | 5,700 |
| FPC-750 | Large Prod | 1,800 | 470–750 | 1,450 | 2–11 | 14 | 11,500 | 230 | 3600×2550×2900 | 6,500 |
| FPC-1000 | Large Prod | 1,950 | 630–1,000 | 1,900 | 2–11 | 16 | 14,200 | 280 | 3800×2700×3050 | 7,700 |