Name of Defect Illustration Definition Remedy

1. Chipping

Involves increase brittleness of
a tablet.
Caused by high degree of
attrition with the coating
process like: excessive use of
fillers and pigments, low
amount of polymers.
Increase hardness of
a film by increasing
the molecular weight
of polymer.
2. Sticking
and
picking

Sticking involves sticking of
the tablets with each other and
with pan walls.
Picking is the aftermath case of
sticking involves adhering of
some portion of coated layer to
pan or to another tablet at the
point of contact.
Caused by higher rate of
coating solution inefficient
drying.
Use optimum and
efficient drying
conditions.
Increase inlet air
temperature.
Decrease the rater of
application of
coating solution by
increasing the
viscosity of coating
solution.
3. Roughness

Involves presence dried sprayed
coating solution droplets onto
the core.
Cause/s:
Drying of solution before
reaching the surface of the
tablet during spraying.
Excessive pigments
concentration.

Moving the nozzle
closer enough.
Reducing the degree
of atomization.
4. Cracking

Happens when an internal stress
exceeds the tensile strength of
tablets.
Cause/s:
Absorption of moisture.
Internal stress relaxation after
compaction.
Excessive coating material
concentration.
Adjust the coating
solution
concentration.
5. Twinning

Two or more tablets sticking
together.
Cause/s:
Inefficient drying.
Higher rate of application of
coating solution.
Choosing
appropriate shaped
tablets.
Controlling the
drying and rate of
movement of pan.
Adjusting the
coating solution
concentration.
6. Blooming
or Hazing

The polish of the product to
take on a fogged appearance.
Cause/s:
High temperature during
formulation.
Exposure to high humidity
conditions.
Controlling humidity
conditions.
Formulation
temperature
monitoring.
7. Bridging
or Filling

Occurs in tablets consisting
monogram or bisection.
Bridging - coating shrinking or
pull away.
Filling too much filling or
thereby narrowing.
Cause/s:
Improper application of the
solution.
Poor design of the tablet
embossing.
High coating viscosity.
High percentage of the solids in
the solution.
Improper atomization pressure.
Control of spraying
of coating solution.
Soft edged font for
monogram.
Atomization control.
Concentration of
coating material.
8. Soft
tablets

The tablets are susceptible to
hydrolysis will develop soft
nature. Improper storage.
Mainly observed in
polymer/coated tablets.
Cause/s:
Lack of drying will enhance
the softness. Granulation
particles will completely free
from moisture by keeping to
drying condition properly.
Soft tablet will form
initiate/basis for sticking or
picking defects.
Use of lubricant that
impart waxy nature.
Application of low
compaction
pressure. The
strength of bond is
weakened across
granules.




9. Orange
peel effect

Coating texture that resembles
the surface of an orange.
Before drying causes a bumpy
or orange peel effect on the
coating.
Causes/s:
High atomization pressure in
combination with spray rates.
Too rapid drying.
High solution viscosity.
Thinning the
solution with
additional solvent.
Controlling the
drying procedures.
10. Color
variation

Variation in the proposed color
for coating.
Cause/s:
Improper mixing.
Uneven spray pattern.
Insufficient coating.
Unevenness of the surface of
the sub-coating.
Using lake dyes.
Go for geometric
mixing.
Use mild drying
conditions.
11. Lamination

Occur upon storage period,
or soon after compression.
Cause/s:
Air entrapment between
layers of tablet.
Low levels of binding agent.
Improving lubricant
concentration.
Change the method of
granulation.
By direct compression
technique it is prevented
to some extent.
Use always dry material
(feed).
12. Protracted
disintegrati
on

Disintegration time is
extended in tablet.
Cause/s:
Use of high compression on
punches.
Incorporation of lubricant in
excess quantity.
Overcome by using
proper suitable surfactant
concentration.
Addition of more
concentration of binding
agent.
Too low compression
also favors extend
disintegration time.