Systems, methods and apparatuses for manufacturing dosage forms

A method of making dosage forms, comprising the steps of:

• a) compressing a first powder into a compressed dosage form in a first compression module;
• b) transferring said compressed dosage form to a thermal cycle molding module;
• c) molding a flowable material around said compressed dosage form in said thermal cycle molding module;
• d) hardening said flowable material so as to form a coating over said compressed dosage form;
• e) transferring said coated compressed dosage form to a second compression module;
• and
• f) compressing a second powder around said coated compressed dosage form in said second compression module to form a compressed, coated, compressed dosage form;
• wherein steps (a) through (f) are linked together such that essentially no interruption occurs between said steps.

A method of making a dosage form, comprising the steps of:

• a) forming an insert;
• b) transferring said insert to a thermal cycle molding module;
• c) molding a flowable material around said insert in said thermal cycle molding module;
• and
• d) hardening said flowable material so as to form a coating over said insert;
• wherein steps (a) through (d) are linked together such that essentially no interruption occurs between said steps.

A method of making a dosage form, comprising the steps of:

• a) forming at least two inserts;
• b) transferring said inserts to a thermal cycle molding module;
• c) molding a flowable material around said inserts in said thermal cycle molding module;
• and
• d) hardening said flowable material so as to form a coating over said inserts to form a dosage form comprising at least two inserts surrounded by a coating;
• wherein steps (a) through (d) are linked together such that essentially no interruption occurs between said steps.

A method of making dosage forms, comprising the steps of:

• a) forming an insert;
• b) transferring said insert to a compression module;
• c) compressing a powder around said insert into a compressed dosage form in a compression module;
• wherein steps (a) through (c) are linked together such that essentially no interruption occurs between said steps.

A linked apparatus for making dosage forms containing a medicant, comprising:

• a) a compression module having means for forming compressed dosage forms by compressing a powder containing said medicant;
• b) a transfer device having means for continuously transferring said compressed dosage forms from said compression module to a thermal cycle molding module;
• and
• c) a thermal cycle molding module having means for continuously molding a coating of flowable material over said compressed dosage forms.

An apparatus for making dosage forms containing a medicant, comprising:

• a) a first rotor comprising a plurality of die cavities disposed around the circumference thereof so as to be carried around a first circular path by said rotor, each of said die cavities having an opening for receiving powder and at least one punch mounted for displacement into said die cavity, whereby displacement of said punch into said die cavity compresses powder contained in said die cavity into a compressed dosage form;
• b) a second rotor comprising a plurality of mold cavities disposed around the circumference thereof so as to be carried around a second circular path by said second rotor, each of said mold cavities capable of enclosing at least a portion of a compressed dosage form and capable of receiving flowable material so as to coat said portion of said compressed dosage form enclosed by said mold cavity;
• and
• e) a transfer device for transferring compressed dosage forms from said first rotor to said second rotor, said transfer device comprising a plurality of transfer units guided around a third path, a first portion of said third path being coincident with said first circular path and a second portion of said third path being coincident with said second circular path.