LFA PharmaCap User manual

We don’t just sell machines—
we provide service.
PharmaCap™Manual Capsule Filler
User Manual

2
Copyright Notice
© LFA Machines Oxford Limited, published in 2021 by LFA Machines Oxford Limited 2021.
Registered in England and Wales, company number 08428898, registered office for service
Demar House 14 Church Road East Wittering, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 8PS.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or
by any means, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without prior permission, except
for fair dealing under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or in accordance with the
terms of license issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency in respect of photocopying and/or
reprographic reproduction. Application for permission for other use of the copyright material
including permission to reproduce extracts in other published works shall be made to the
publisher. Full acknowledgment or author, publisher and source must be given.
All trade marks are acknowledged and are owned by their respective owners.

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Important Safety Information
READ THIS BEFORE OPERATING MACHINE
Intended Use
The intended use of this machine is to fill empty
capsules with dry raw materials.
Potential misuse of this machine includes:
• Using any capsules that deviate from the
standard two-piece design.
• Using softgel capsules.
• Spreading powder over the capsule bodies
with the machine's cleaning brush instead of
the formulation scraper.
• Using powders that could explode under
pressure.
• Using wet or damp material.
Personal Protection
For personal protection while operating the
PharmaCap™Capsule Filler, abide by these
actions:
• Avoid wearing loose jewelry to prevent
entanglement.
• Contain long hair to prevent entanglement.
• Wear safety goggles.
• Wear disposable latex/rubber gloves.
• Wear a hairnet (food grade products only).
• Wear a beard net if needed (food grade
products only).
General Hazards
• Keep out of reach of children.
• Keep fingers away from all moving parts.
• Inspect the manual capsule filler before use.
• Use this manual capsule filler only for its
intended use as described in this manual.
• Do not modify the machine in any way.

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WARNING
This signals potential risk for personal injury.
Modes for Stopping
Symbols
Important Safety Information
READ THIS BEFORE OPERATING MACHINE
In the case of an emergency, immediately stop operating and remove yourself from the
PharmaCap™Capsule Filler.
CAUTION
This signals potential risk for damage to the
machine or other parts.
Prop. 65 Statement for CA Residents
Based on LFA's current level of knowledge of our machines, PharmaCap™Capsule Fillers do not
require a Proposition 65 warning label.
This machine is not explosion proof. LFA recommends that you test your materials' explosivity
before running them through this machine. If your materials are indeed explosive, do not use
them with this machine.
Warning for Explosive Material

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Table of Contents
Copyright Notice 2
Important Safety Information 3
Intended Use 3
Personal Protection 3
General Hazards 3
Symbols 4
Modes for Stopping 4
Prop. 65 Statement for CA Residents 4
Warning for Explosive Material 4
PharmaCap™Capsule Filler Parts List 6
Preface 7
Training 8
Off-Site Training 8
Training via Video Chat/Phone 8
LFA Articles 8
LFA Videos 8
Installation 9
Tools and Materials Needed 9
The Appropriate Workstation for the Machine 9
Settings and Adjustment 22
Maintenance 25
General Maintenance Prescriptions 25
Lubrication 25
Cleaning 29
Troubleshooting 35
Common Issues 35
Storing the PharmaCap™Capsule Filler 36
Appendix 37
Glossary 37
Material of Contact Parts 37
Technical Specifications 38
Bores per Plate 38
Maintenance Checklist 39
Diagrams 40
Resources 48

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PharmaCap™Capsule Filler Parts List
1. Cap Locking Plate
2. Tamping Plate
3. Capsule Body Plate
4. Eccentric Pin
5. Eccentric Pin Handle
6. Large Lever
7. Base
1
2
3
4
5
7
6

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Preface
The PharmaCap™is a compact and lightweight desktop capsule filler that is one of the fastest on the
market. With its mechanical tamping system to ensure consistent capsule weights, the PharmaCap™
is not only easy to operate and service but is also made from stainless steel, ensuring durability
and hygiene. With its speed at producing capsules and ability to quickly change between different
capsule sizes, the PharmaCap™is a versatile and affordable option for a capsule filler.
The purpose of this document is to support your understanding of the PharmaCap™Capsule Filler
components, features, functions, and design. With this manual, you will be able to successfully
operate and maintain your PharmaCap™Capsule Filler.
The user manual’s content includes:
• Important safety information
• PharmaCap™installation instructions
• Description of the PharmaCap™'s operation
• PharmaCap™maintenance information
• Appendix with supplemental information

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Training
Machine training can be beneficial for its successful operation and your personal safety. There are
several methods to prepare you for working with your capsule filler.
In-Person Training
LFA offers free training at our UK, USA, and Taiwan facilities for all our customers and their teams.
For more information, go to https://www.lfacapsulefillers.com/services
Training via Video Chat/Phone
Using an online video chat system, an LFA technician can interact face-to-face with you and assist
with your understanding of the machine. Or, if you prefer, LFA can provide training via phone for all
customers who call the office. To set up a training, call or email your local LFA office:
UK
Phone
[phone]
Email
[e-mail]
Taiwan
Phone
[phone]
Email
[e-mail]
USA
Phone
[phone]
Email
[e-mail]
LFA Articles
LFA writes informative articles about our machines, which includes instructions, procedures, and
guides. To access the articles, go to https://www.lfacapsulefillers.com/articles
LFA Videos
LFA has created several videos involving our machines. To access the videos, go to https://www.
lfacapsulefillers.com/videos or https://www.youtube.com/user/TabletPilPress

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Installation
Tools and Materials Needed
Before you install and operate the PharmaCap™Capsule Filler, it is best to have the following tools
and materials on hand for general operation and maintenance:
• Set of metric Allen keys with ball ends
• Set of metric wrenches
• Vise grip/pliers
• Rubber mallet
• Scoop/spoon for powder
• Lubricant (NSF approved for food grade products)
• Long wire pipe cleaner
• Toothbrush
• Cleaner (e.g. Member's Mark Commercial Lemon Fresh Disinfectant)
• Sanitizer (e.g. Member's Mark Commercial Sanitizer)
• Clean cloths
• Bagless vacuum
• Safety goggles
• Disposable latex/rubber gloves
• Hairnet and/or beard net (food grade products only)
• Sterile shoe covers (food grade products only)
The Appropriate Workstation for the Machine
Find a clean, stable, and level workspace that supports the PharmaCap™'s 40 kg (approximately 88
lbs) weight.
Environmental Conditions
It is important that the environment in which you operate and store the PharmaCap™Capsule Filler
has the appropriate temperature and relative humidity levels. These two environmental factors can
potentially cause the machine to rust and/or cause the capsules to have a lower quality. The table
below shows the acceptable temperature and relative humidity levels:
Machine Temperature Humidity
PharmaCap™Manual Capsule
Filler
°C °F 45-55% RH
18-24 64-75

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The shipment will contain the following:
1. The PharmaCap™Capsule Filler
2
4
2. Formulation Scraper
3. Tamping Tool
4. Cleaning Brush
5. Powder Guard
6. Capsule Holding Tray
3

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PharmaCap™Capsule Filler Process
The basic mechanism of the PharmaCap™involves separating the capsules, filling the capsules
with powder, and sealing the capsules.
Sorting the Capsules
The capsules are inserted into the holding tray and placed on the machine. After the front knob
is turned clockwise, the capsule bodies are secured by pulling forward the eccentric pin handle.
Once the knob is turned counterclockwise, the capsule caps are lifted from the tops of the
capsule bodies when the long lever is pulled down, and the capsule bodies fall into the filling
position.
Filling the Capsules with Powder
The powder guard is put on the machine and is filled with powder. The formulation scraper ensures
that the powder covers all of the capsule bodies. The powder is then compacted by the tamping
plate, and the excess powder is redistributed over the capsule bodies by the formulation scraper.
This process is repeated until the capsule bodies are full with powder.
Sealing the Capsules
Once the tray with the capsule caps is back on the machine, the cap locking plate is lowered
and secured into place. After that the knob is turned clockwise and the large lever is pulled
down, which seals the capsules. Then, the cap locking plate is lifted and the front knob is turned
counterclockwise. Once the lever is pulled down again, the holding tray can be removed along
with the filled capsules.

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How to Create Capsules with the PharmaCap™Capsule Filler
To watch a video on this process, go to https://www.lfacapsulefillers.com/using-your-pharmacap-
capsule-filler
Tools and Materials Needed
• Raw ingredients
• Empty capsules (purchase at https://www.lfacapsulefillers.com/products/empty-capsules)
• PharmaCap™Capsule Filler and accessories
• Scoop/spoon for powder
• Safety goggles
• Disposable latex/rubber gloves (for food grade products and to protect hands from grease)
• Hairnet and/or beard net (food grade products only)
• Sterile shoe covers (food grade products only)
WARNING: For personal protection while operating the PharmaCap™Capsule
Filler, contain long hair and do not wear loose jewelry.
Instructions
Note: Wear latex/rubber gloves (and appropriate food grade attire if applicable) during this
process.
1. Ensure that the eccentric pin handle is forward and that the front knob is turned
counterclockwise.

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2. Insert empty unseparated capsules into the holding tray.
2.1 Note: Ensure that the capsules are inserted body-side down.
3. Gently press down on the capsules with the tamping tool.
4. Place the holding tray with the empty capsules onto the PharmaCap™and turn the front knob
clockwise.

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5. Pull the eccentric pin handle towards you to secure the capsule bodies and turn the front knob
counterclockwise.
6. Push down the large lever to lift the capsule caps off the capsule bodies.
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5
6
7. Remove the holding tray with the caps and set aside.
7.1 Note: Ensure to remember the direction of the holding tray. It is important that the
separated caps are later sealed with their original bodies.

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8. Push back the eccentric pin handle to release the capsule bodies into the PharmaCap™.
9. Run the tamping tool over the PharmaCap™to ensure that the capsule bodies are fully inserted
and flush with the sliding sheet top section.
10. Place the powder guard onto the PharmaCap™.
11. Scoop powder onto the PharmaCap™with a spoon.

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12. Use the formulation scraper to spread the powder evenly over the capsule bodies inside the
PharmaCap™and push the excess powder towards the right reservoir.
12.1 Note: Do not use the cleaning brush provided with the machine to spread the powder
as it may cause weight variation in the capsules.
13. Carefully lift up the powder guard from the PharmaCap™.

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14. Lower the tamping plate carefully and lock it.
15. Rotate the handle clockwise to its limit.

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16. Loosen the handle by turning it counterclockwise and unlock and raise the tamping plate.
17. Place the powder guard back onto the PharmaCap™and redistribute the excess powder with
the formulation scraper into the capsule bodies.

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18. Repeat steps 14-16 until the capsule body is full with powder.
19. Place the holding tray with the capsule caps back onto the PharmaCap™and over the filled
capsule bodies.
19.1 Note: Ensure that the separated caps are aligned with their original bodies.
20. Lower the cap locking plate onto the holding tray and lock it into place.
21. Turn the front knob clockwise.
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21

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23. Raise the cap locking plate and turn the front knob counterclockwise.
22. Push down the lever 2-3 times to apply sufficient pressure to seal the capsules.