Microencapsulation is becoming increasingly important in pharmaceutical,
cosmetics, food and agricultural industries. New dosage forms are emerging and the efficacy
is increasing. Precise metering techniques in the low-volume range are a necessary
prerequisite for the production and processing of APIs. Metering pumps by HNP Mikrosysteme
are a suitable technical solution.
Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are the pharmacologically active substances of a
drug. The production of APIs is demanding. The substances, which range from aqueous to
oily, need to be processed gently. Microencapsulation is a suitable process to protect these
active substances from early release and to preserve bioactivity. The capsules consist of
polymeric or inorganic materials.
The capsule material usually has a viscosity of over 10,000 mPas. The volume flow rate is in
the range of a few microliters per minute up to 140 ml/min. The precision of the delivery is
essential for the quality of the capsules with tolerances ±1 %. Micro annular gear pumps by
HNP Mikrosysteme are well suited for this demanding task. Due to the high viscosity, high-
performance pumps such as mzr-6305 and mzr-11508 are used. Both pumps can be heated
or additionally equipped with a gearbox, for small quantities.