What needs to change?
Identify poor flow, low bulk density, entrained air or inconsistent feeding. Record the current powder behavior and the downstream problem you want to solve.
DRY GRANULATION / PURCHASE GUIDE
Roller compactor
purchase guide
Start with your powder
Build the right process
Choose equipment around the granules you need, the output you can use and the trial that proves the fit.
WHAT YOU ARE BUYING
A controlled path
from powder to granules
Feeding, compaction and size reduction work together. Evaluate the finished granules in the process they will enter next.
01 / MATERIAL FIT
Define the problem
before choosing the machine
Bring a representative powder and a measurable objective.
Can the powder form a useful compact?
Review composition, moisture, particle-size distribution, bulk and tapped density, stickiness and handling sensitivities. Test ribbon formation, sticking and temperature rise with your actual formulation.
What must the granules do next?
For capsule filling, evaluate feeding and fill-weight consistency. For tableting, assess tablet strength, friability and the product tests your team requires. For sachets, assess dosing and segregation.
02 / REQUIRED OUTPUT
Size for accepted granules
at the end of your shift
Catalogue throughput starts the discussion. Net running time and the fraction accepted after the agreed checks determine how much feed capacity your process needs.
Required feed rate = accepted shift target ÷ net running hours ÷ accepted mass fraction. The estimate excludes recycle loops and does not calculate hopper volume, cooling duty or installed power.
03 / PROCESS CONTROLS
Ask how the settings
shape the product
Record the settings and the result together, so a trial can support a purchase decision.
- Feeding & deaeration
- Review feed consistency, bridging, powder leakage and trapped air. The confirmed GZL-150H layout uses a hollow vertical screw followed by horizontal screw precompression.
- Roll force, gap & speed
- Ask which settings are adjustable, which values are displayed and which are recorded. Compare ribbon continuity, thickness and density at the tested conditions.
- Roll surface & release
- Check the proposed surface, product-contact materials, sticking and access for inspection. Document the actual roll configuration used in the trial.
- Crushing & product recovery
- The confirmed GZL-150H configuration breaks the ribbon with a cutter-and-tooth crusher, then discharges the product. Define the particle-size test and any separate classification or reprocessing requirement.
04 / QUOTATION SCOPE
Compare the complete setup
Have each quotation mark equipment and services as included, optional or customer-supplied, with quantities and connection responsibilities.
Core process equipment
- Hopper, feeding arrangement and compaction rolls
- Crusher, discharge and collection interface
- Roll surfaces, contact parts and seals
- Controls, interlocks and supplied records
Material handling & utilities
- Loading or transfer equipment and containers
- Dust extraction and connection points
- Cooling-water supply and return, where required
- Separate sieving, collection or recycle equipment, if agreed
Delivery through startup
- FAT, samples and acceptance documentation
- Freight, customs, trucking and unloading responsibilities
- Installation, commissioning and operator training
- Wear parts, warranty scope and service arrangements
Confirm the supplied crusher, product collection and any separately quoted screening or material-return equipment.
05 / FACILITY & CHANGEOVER
Plan the space
around the process
Use a configuration-specific layout and utility schedule before placing the order.
Power & cooling
Use the U.S. configuration of 220 V, 3-phase, 60 Hz as the quotation basis; confirm the supplied machine and each auxiliary load. The GZL-150H manual describes water-cooled rolls: a dry product path can still require a separate cooling-water circuit.
Access & handling
Check doorways, shipping size, floor loading, operating clearance, service access and lifting arrangements. Agree on feed height, collection height and the route between containers and downstream equipment.
Cleaning & changeover
Review how screws, rolls, crusher parts and seals are accessed or removed. Agree on cleaning, drying and reassembly methods for your product; request a demonstrated changeover and the applicable instructions.
Dust & operating conditions
Share the material handling information and any combustible-dust or exposure requirements for configuration review. Identify extraction, grounding and room-condition responsibilities before finalizing the equipment scope.
06 / MATERIAL TRIAL & ACCEPTANCE
Prove the result
you will buy
Arrange a San Diego material trial by application. Confirm the available machine, sample quantity and test scope before sending material.
Discuss a material trial ↗- 01
Agree on representative material
Record formulation or sample identity, preconditioning, moisture, feed density, available quantity and handling instructions. Define the trial machine and configuration.
- 02
Run to a defined test plan
Agree on run duration, start and stop boundaries, sampling intervals and settings to record. Observe stable feeding, ribbon formation, buildup, leakage and product temperature.
- 03
Measure the whole mass balance
Weigh fresh feed, collected output, the accepted size fraction, fines, oversize and retained material as applicable. State the sieve apertures and test method; a mesh number alone does not fully define the target.
- 04
Test the next process and close the gaps
Check the agreed granule density, flow and downstream performance. Summarize results, open items and the FAT and site-acceptance responsibilities in writing.
07 / MACHINE REFERENCES
Start a shortlist
with your material requirements
Explore the current catalogue, then compare proposed models against the same powder, accepted output and equipment scope. Model numbers alone do not establish a capacity ranking.
GZL-150H
Explore the confirmed four-stage working illustration.
Explore GZL-150H ↗
GZL-200H
Review the proposed configuration against your material.
Explore GZL-200H ↗
GZL-1000
Discuss the process scope and required output.
Explore GZL-1000 ↗
GYC-80
Request a configuration and application review.
Explore GYC-80 ↗Photographs are catalogue references. Final capacity, power, dimensions, supplied configuration and performance conditions belong in your agreed quotation.
08 / REQUEST A QUOTATION
Send a brief
that makes comparison useful
Fill in what you know. Leave unknowns open for a technical review.
Download RFQ checklist ↗Editable TXT · No submission required
- MaterialFormulation, current particle size, moisture, density, compressibility and handling information.
- Target granulesSize limits, test method, density, accepted recovery and downstream use.
- ProductionAccepted lb/shift (kg/shift), net running hours, product mix and changeovers.
- InstallationLayout, power, cooling, extraction, loading, collection and access.
- Evidence & scopeTrial plan, included equipment, FAT, documents, delivery, training and service.
BEFORE YOU ORDER
Common buying questions
Can I select a machine from its quoted lb/hour or kg/hour?
Use catalogue output to begin a shortlist. Confirm the test powder, configuration, net running time and first-pass accepted recovery. Compare the output meeting your agreed granule requirements.
Does dry granulation mean the machine uses no water?
No liquid binder is added to the powder in the illustrated GZL-150H process. The manual describes separate cooling water for the rolls. Confirm the cooling circuit and site connections for your supplied configuration.
Are sieving and automatic fines return included?
Only if the quotation explicitly includes them. The confirmed GZL-150H working illustration shows screw feeding, compaction, a cutter-and-tooth crusher and discharge. Agree on any separate classification or return system.
Does a denser ribbon always produce better tablets?
Set the compaction conditions around the formulation and downstream product tests. Assess granule properties and tablet performance together; greater densification alone is not an acceptance criterion.
Can we test our own material in San Diego?
Discuss your application with Encap first. The team will confirm the suitable available equipment, material quantity, handling requirements and demonstration or trial scope before your visit.
What should the quotation say about support?
Define installation, commissioning, training, acceptance assistance, wear parts and warranty responsibilities. Encap maintains San Diego spare-parts inventory for equipment it supplies; confirm the specific parts and availability for your selected machine.
WE SPEAK THE LANGUAGE
Bring your powder
Let’s define the right process
Talk with our San Diego team about your material, required granules and complete equipment scope.
Technical references and scope of this guide
Machine-specific descriptions follow the GZL-150H operating manual and Encap’s confirmed four-stage configuration. Final requirements are reviewed for the equipment in your quotation.
General process and trial-planning references: Alexanderwerk: material trials, Fitzpatrick: roll compaction process variables, and Research on granule and tablet properties across roll compactors. These describe general selection considerations; other manufacturers’ features and performance are not Encap specifications.