Knowledge Center
Technical and regulatory guidance for capsule buyers
Practical, in-depth articles for the QA, production, and procurement teams that specify and buy empty capsules — written to be useful on the line and in an audit, not to sell.
Capsule sizes, volumes, and fill weights
Pick a capsule size from your dose and powder density. Size charts, dimensions, worked examples, and a calculator for the machine you use.
Gelatin vs HPMC capsules. Which to use, and why
Compare gelatin and HPMC, from moisture and disintegration to shell cost, dietary requirements, and the questions to ask your supplier.
Capsule fill weight from bulk and tapped density, and what tamping actually adds
Understand the five powder densities, measure the range your filler can reach, and work out which capsule fits your blend on your machine.
Capsule filling machine troubleshooting. Common faults, their causes, and what to check first
Find the causes of capsule cracking, sticking, separation and fill-weight drift, with checks for hand plates, bench-top fillers, dosators and tamping-pin machines.
What a certificate of analysis and a specification contain, and how to check one against the other
Read an empty capsule specification and certificate of analysis side by side, and work through the checks to make before accepting a lot.
How to qualify an empty capsule supplier
Work through supplier approval, documentation, questionnaires, change control, and the evidence to request before buying empty capsules.
Capsule colors, opacity, and titanium dioxide free. How a capsule gets its color, and how to specify one
Understand capsule colors, opacity, titanium dioxide alternatives, and the details to put in your capsule specification.
Capsule moisture, storage, and shelf life. What humidity does to gelatin and HPMC
Understand how temperature and humidity affect gelatin and HPMC capsules, with practical guidance on storage, opened cartons, and shelf life.
Buying empty capsules. Price per 1,000, MOQ, and lead time
Compare price per 1,000, box and pallet quantities, lead times, and order patterns for your capsule supply.
Switching capsule supplier without stopping the line. The four gates, the trial box, and the paperwork
Plan a supplier change through documentation, dimensional checks, a trial box, and production qualification.
Capsules for compounding. Size for the dose, weights that pass, and the paperwork behind the shell
Work through capsule sizing, plate technique, fill-weight checks, material choice, and the paperwork behind the empty shell.
Capsules for clinical trials. Placebo, over-encapsulation, blinding sizes, and the paperwork
Compare placebo and over-encapsulation requirements, blinding sizes, capsule fit, and the documentation needed for clinical supply.
Vegan, halal, kosher, and allergen claims for capsules. What the paperwork has to say before you print it
Understand the evidence behind vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher, and allergen claims before choosing wording for a product label.
How empty capsules are made, and where they come from
Follow how empty capsules are manufactured and trace their origin, with a dated introduction to importing and landed-cost calculations.
Capsule machine compatibility. Which capsule runs on which encapsulator, and what changes with size
Compare capsule dimensions and change parts, check machine fit, and plan a trial before changing size, material, or supplier.
Hygroscopic, oily, and low-moisture fills. Which capsule material, and why
Screen hygroscopic, oily, reactive, and low-moisture fills for shell compatibility, sealing needs, and practical trial work.