The PERFORMA™ P, the newest addition to GEA Courtoy’s machine range, is a rotary tablet press with a conventional exchangeable turret, featuring an increased number of punch stations to achieve an exceptionally high machine output. Whereas the MODUL™ tablet presses with Exchangeable Compression Module (ECM) are the best choice for multiple product change-over tableting lines, the PERFORMA™ is ideal for tableting facilities where production is characterized by long runs and few product change-overs.
The design of the PERFORMA™ P includes two exclusive GEA Courtoy innovations: the Exchangeable Die Disc (EDD) and Die Shells (DS).
The exchangeable turret of the PERFORMA™ P is similar to most other turrets in that it consists of three sections: the upper and lower punch guiding modules and the middle section, which is a disc containing the dies. However, the turret is unique in that the central die disc can easily be detached from the upper and lower turret sections and can be exchanged as a separate unit – hence the term “Exchangeable Die Disc”. The same pending arm is used to either lift the entire turret from the machine, or just the upper punch guiding module, clearing the way for the light-weight EDD to be taken out manually. As the EDD eliminates the need to duplicate the punch guiding modules, it makes an economical alternative to a complete exchangeable turret, with very similar benefits. Both enable flexible exchange of compression tooling, while also allowing for a modest reduction in product change-over time (modest compared to MODUL technology).
The EDD is available with conventional dies or the innovative Die Shells (DS). The Die Shells, or thin-walled dies, offer numerous advantages, the most important of these being an increased number of stations – and hence increased machine output - and higher yield. Further benefits include a reduced tooling investment cost and reduced risk of tool damage.