Have you ever wondered how they fill medicine capsules? This process is referred to as encapsulation and refers to a wide range of techniques that are used to enclose medicines into a stable shell, generally referred to as a capsule, that can be used orally or as a suppository.

There are two piece gelatin capsules and soft gels. Two piece gelatin capsules are more commonly used with powders and pellet medications while soft gels are more commonly used for liquid medications.

Many Pharmaceutical companies specialize in formulating different medicines and providing the medications in pill or capsule form. When capsules are used the pharmaceutical company generally uses an automated capsule-filler machine for efficiency and accuracy. 

Capsule filling relies on accurate formulations and precise measurements.  Capsule fillers significantly speed up the process and they can be counted on to dispense accurate dosages for every capsule produced.

Soft gels use a special rotating die process but soft gels are quickly being replaced by liquid filled hard gel capsules with special band sealing that not only protects against leakage but also provides a visible sign to alert someone to tampering attempts.

New processes and formulations now make hard capsule liquids a preference over soft gel formulations because they provide several benefits over the soft gel process and they are easier to fill. 

Some of the benefits of hard capsule liquid medications include the fact they are heat resistant, and don’t require additives. Hard caps also allow for step by step filling which makes it possible to have both a short and long release formulation in the same capsule.

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