LFA RTP 10i User manual

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We don’t just sell machines—
we provide service.
RTP 10i® Tablet Press User Manual

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Copyright Notice
© LFA Machines Oxford Limited, published in 2020 by LFA Machines Oxford Limited 2020.
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 press dry
raw materials into tablet form.
Potential misuse of this machine includes:
• Applying too much force to the powder.
• Trying to fill the Dies with powder by hand.
• Inserting Tooling that is too big for the
machine.
• Using powders that could explode under
pressure.
• Using wet or damp material.
Personal Protection
For personal protection while transporting the
RTP 10i®, abide by these actions:
• Use a forklift to lift the machine.
• Wear steel toe boots to prevent foot injury.
• Wear heavy duty grip gloves to ensure firm
grasp on machine.
• Wear back support belt to prevent injury if
needed.
For personal protection while operating the
RTP 10i®, abide by these actions:
• Avoid wearing loose jewelry to prevent
machine entanglement.
• Contain long hair to prevent machine
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
In the case of an emergency during
operation, immediately push the
Emergency Stop button.
• Be aware of risk of entanglement and pinch
point due to moving parts.
• Do not operate in a wet environment or with
wet hands due to risk of electrical shock or
burn.
• Do not operate if any wires are exposed
in cables due to risk of electrical shock or
burn.
• Keep out of reach of children.
• Keep fingers away from all moving parts.
• Ensure that it is securely against the
workspace surface.
• Inspect machine before use.
• Check that nuts and bolts are suitably
tightened.
• Use this machine only for its intended use
as described in this manual.
• Do not modify the machine in any way.
• Turn off and unplug the machine before
conducting cleaning and maintenance.

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WARNING
This signals potential risk for personal injury.
Modes for Stopping
WARNING
This signals potential risk for electrical shock.
Symbols
Important Safety Information
READ THIS BEFORE OPERATING MACHINE
CAUTION
This signals potential risk for damage to the
machine or other parts.
In the case of an emergency during automatic operation, immediately unplug the RTP 10i® and/
or push the Emergency Stop button:

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Table of Contents
Copyright Notice 2
Important Safety Information 3
Intended Use 3
Personal Protection 3
General Hazards 3
In the case of an emergency during operation, immediately push the Emergency Stop button. 3
Important Safety Information 4
Symbols 4
Modes for Stopping 4
RTP 10i® Components 6
RTP 10i® Electrical Components (front) 7
RTP 10i® Electrical Components (back) 8
Preface 9
Training 10
On-Site/Off-Site Training 10
Training via Video Chat/Phone 10
LFA Articles 10
LFA Videos 10
Installation 11
Tools and Materials Needed 11
The Appropriate Workstation for the Machine 11
Assembly 14
Positioning the RTP 10i® 14
Controls 15
Settings and Adjustment 19
Maintenance 27
General Maintenance Prescriptions 27
Lubrication 27
Dismantling for Repair and Replacement 31
Wear Parts and Causes of Damage 32
Tooling 33
Force Feeder Wear Plate 42
Take-Off Blade and Force Feeder Scraper 45
Adjustment Knobs 50
Troubleshooting 52
Common Machine/Part Issues 52
Common Tablet Issues 54
De-Jamming the RTP 10i® 55
Cleaning 56
Storing the RTP 10i® 61
Appendix 63
Glossary 63
Description of RTP 10i® Parts 64
Food Grade Point of Contact Parts 72
Technical Specifications 72
Maintenance Checklist 73
Diagrams 74
Resources 81

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RTP 10i® Components
1. Hopper
2. Upper Roller Cam
3. Upper Tracking Key
4. Main Turret
5. Lower Tracking
6. Lower Roller Cam
7. Machine Panel Door (Back)
8. Worm Gear
9. Electric Mounting Board
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RTP 10i® Electrical Components (front)
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1. Solenoid switches for Motor, Vacuum,
and Force Feeder
2. Programmable Logic Controller
(PLC) for Human Machine Interface
(HMI)
3. Force Feeder Controller
4. AC to 12 V DC power converter
WARNING
Only qualified electricians should work with these controls.

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RTP 10i® Electrical Components (back)
1. Breaker
2. Variable frequency drive (for motor
speed)
3. Solenoid switches for Vacuum and
Force Feeder
4. Fuses
WARNING
Only qualified electricians should work with these controls.
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Preface
The RTP 10i® is an intelligent rotary tablet press that uses a touch screen digital display and
control to efficiently and accurately produce high quality tablets. With a fast 2.2 kW motor and
ten sets of Tooling, the RTP 10i® has the ability to make up to 12,000 tablets an hour. Particularly
popular in the pharmaceutical, chemical, food, and electronic industries, the RTP 10i® has been
designed for fast production with an emphasis on safety and ease of use.
The purpose of this document is to support your understanding of the RTP 10i®’s components,
features, functions, and design. With this manual, you will be able to successfully operate and
maintain your RTP 10i® machine.
The user manual’s content includes:
• Important safety information
• RTP 10i® installation instructions
• Description of the RTP 10i®’s operation
• RTP 10i® maintenance information
• Appendix with supplemental information

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Training
RTP 10i® training is essential for the machine’s successful operation and your personal safety.
There are several methods to prepare you for working with the RTP 10i®.
On-Site/Off-Site Training
LFA technicians can travel and train you at your own facility with your own machines. LFA also
offers free training at our UK and USA facilities for all our customers and their teams.
For more information, go to https://www.lfatabletpresses.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
[email protected]
Taiwan
Phone
[phone]
Email
[e-mail]
USA
Phone
[phone]
Email
sales.us[email protected]
LFA Articles
LFA writes informative articles about tablet presses, which includes instructions, procedures, and
guides. To access the articles, go to https://www.lfatabletpresses.com/articles
LFA Videos
LFA has created several videos involving the RTP 10i® and other tablet presses. To access the
videos, go to https://www.lfatabletpresses.com/videos or https://www.youtube.com/channel/
UCwtbcwja77ai7vX2o34FUkQ

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Installation
Tools and Materials Needed
Before you install and operate the RTP 10i®, it is best to have the following tools and materials on
hand for general operation and maintenance:
• Forklift
• Lifting strap
• Level
• Crowbar
• Hammer
• Rubber mallet
• Metric wrench set
• Crosshead screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver
• Set of metric Allen keys with ball ends
• Long wire pipe cleaner
• Cleaner (e.g. Member's Mark Commercial Lemon Disinfectant)
• Sanitizer (e.g. Member's Mark Commercial Sanitizer)
• Lubricant (NSF approved type for food grade products)
• Grease gun
• Toothbrush
• Cleaning brush set
• Plastic sheet or something similar to cover machine
• Safety goggles
• Hairnet and/or beard net (food grade products only)
• Sterile shoe covers (food grade products only)
The Appropriate Workstation for the Machine
The floor on which the machine is to be placed must support the RTP 10i®’s 500 kg (about 1,100
lbs) weight. The static floor loading limit is 2.43 kN/m2.
Environmental Conditions
It is important that the environment in which you operate and store the RTP 10i® has the
appropriate temperature and relative humidity levels. These two environmental factors can
potentially cause the machine to rust and/or cause the tablets to have a lower quality. The table
below shows the acceptable temperature and relative humidity levels:
MACHINE TEMPERATURE HUMIDITY
RTP 10i® °C °F 20-80% RH
0-40 32-104

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The shipping crate will contain the following:
1. The assembled RTP 10i®
2. The Tooling (already installed)

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3. Toolkit including:
• Die Installation/Removal Bar
• Grease guns
• Crosshead screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver
• Wrenches
• Allen key set
Note: Door keys not needed for RTP 10i®.

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Tools Needed
• Crowbar
• Hammer
• Socket set or impact driver
Instructions
1. Remove the nuts and bolts from the shipping container's base with a socket set or impact driver.
1.1 Note: Keep the nuts, bolts, and the shipping container’s base in case you need to return
the RTP 10i®.
2. Pry apart the shipping container with a crowbar until the machine is accessible for a forklift.
Unpacking the RTP 10i®
Assembly
The RTP 10i® also comes with anti-vibration feet to insert underneath its base's four corners. The
anti-vibration feet not only absorb noise and vibrations, but also reduce the machine's movement.
The anti-vibration feet's assembly must be done while the machine is suspended in the air with a
forklift during its positioning.
Positioning the RTP 10i®
WARNING: To prevent personal injury, wear steel toe boots and heavy duty grip
gloves while transporting the RTP 10i®.
Because of its 500 kg (around 1,100 lbs) weight, LFA does NOT recommend
carrying the machine manually but rather with a forklift. At least two people
should be involved (one operating the forklift and one stabilizing the machine)
in removing the machine from the shipping container and placing it in the
workspace.
Moving the RTP 10i® with a Forklift
Tools Needed
• Forklift that is rated to lift at least 1,000 kg
• Lifting straps that are rated for at least 1,000 kg
• Heavy duty grip gloves
• Steel toe boots
Instructions
1. Insert the eyelet bolt into the top of the machine.
1.1 Note: Make sure that the eyelet bolt is securely tightened.
2. Feed the lifting straps through the eyelet bot.
3. Position the forks of a forklift truck over the top of the RTP 10i and securely attach the lifting
straps.
4. Unbolt the RTP 10i from the metal pallet.
5. Carefully lift the RTP 10i off the pallet and attach the anti-vibration feet.
6. Llower the machine so that it is no more than 2-3 cm off the floor.
7. Position the RTP 10i in the desired location and carefully lower the machine.

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Controls
Basic Components
A description of the principal components follows:
• The Hopper holds the dry materials that will be compressed.
• The Force Feeder distributes the dry materials into the Die bores and its Take-Off Blade
pushes tablets into the Tablet Chute (not pictured above).
• The Dies define the size and shape of the powder.
• The Upper Punches and Lower Punches compress the materials within the Dies.
• The Turret houses the Tooling.
• The Upper Pre-Pressure Roller Cam and Lower Pre-Pressure Roller Cam provide the initial
compression force onto the powder to remove any air within the Die bore or powder particles.
• The Upper Roller Cam and Lower Roller Cam compress the Upper Punches and Lower
Punches to create the tablet.
Hopper
Upper Pre-Pressure Roller Cam
Turret
Lower Pre-Pressure
Roller Cam
Upper Roller Cam
Lower Roller
Cam

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Control Console
1. Adjusts Turret speed.
2. Runs/jogs the Force Feeder and/or Vacuum.
3. Shows how long the machine has been running, how many tablets have been
produced, and the pressure levels during production.
4. Sets parameters for pressure, current, transmission ratio, and station quantity and also
shows the preset parameters that come with the machine.
5. Shows alarm warning messages.
6. Displays current settings for production.
7. Resets all adjustments.
8. Switches between Auto and Manual run.
9. Starts machine operation (Run), slowly operates machine (Jog), and cuts off operation
(Stop).
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To watch a video of of an introduction to the RTP 10i's digital screen controls, go to https://www.
lfatabletpresses.com/rtp10i-screen-introduction

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RTP 10i® Process
The basic mechanism of the RTP 10i® involves filling the Tooling (Dies, Upper Punches, and Lower
Punches) with powder, compressing the powder, and ejecting the tablets.
Filling the Tooling with Powder
The dry materials are poured into the Hopper and funneled into Force Feeder via the connecting
pipe. As the machine operates, the Turret moves, which causes the Upper Punches to withdraw
from the Dies. During this process, powder is fed by the Force Feeder into the moving Turret and
the Die bores.
Compressing the Powder
After the Die bore is filled with powder, the Upper Punch is driven into the Die. The Upper and
Lower Punches then compress the powder under high pressure.
Ejecting the Tablet
After both punches compress the powder into a tablet, the Upper Tooling is withdrawn and the
tablet is then pushed out of the Die bore by the Lower Punch. Once the tablet has been ejected
out of the Die bore, it is slid out of the way by the Force Feeder's Take-Off Blade to prepare for the
next tablet compression.

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How to Create Tablets with the RTP 10i®
Tools and Materials Needed
• Raw material formulation
• RTP 10i®
• 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: To prevent any potential personal injury, unplug the RTP 10i® from
the electrical outlet when manually operating the machine.
Instructions
Note: Wear latex/rubber gloves (and appropriate food grade attire if applicable) during this
process.
1. Pull off the upper righthand side panel door.
2. Pull out the handle on Hand Wheel.
3. Turn the Hand Wheel manually clockwise for one full Turret rotation to ensure proper machine
operation.
4. Pour the dry materials into the Hopper and manually press a tablet to avoid the chance of
jamming the machine.
5. Push in and lower the Handle in its previous position and reinsert the panel door.
6. Plug in the RTP 10i® to an outlet.
7. Start up the machine's digital touch screen by turning the key on the front console to the right.
8. Touch the Start button on the digital screen.
9. Choose your preferred language by pressing the relevant button.
10. Press the Run button on the digital screen to start tablet compression.
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Settings and Adjustment
The RTP 10i®’s settings can be adjusted. Tuning the machine can help with changing the tablets’
characteristics.
Fill Depth
At times, a tablet will be too small or too large, and its weight must change. This simple adjustment
determines the tablet’s weight.
Tools and Materials Needed
• 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)
Instructions
Note: Wear latex/rubber gloves (and appropriate food grade attire if applicable) during this process.
1. Produce test tablets to determine how the machine should be adjusted.
2. Turn the rightmost innerknob counterclockwise to unlock the fill depth adjustment knob.
3. Rotate the rightmost knob on the console to change the fill depth.
3.1 Note: To increase the weight rotate the knob counterclockwise (this lowers the Dosing
Cam). To decrease the weight rotate the knob clockwise (this raises the Dosing Cam).
4. Turn the rightmost innerknob clockwise to lock the fill depth adjustment knob.
WARNING: To prevent any potential personal injury, unplug the RTP 10i® from
the electrical outlet.
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Force Feeder Height
The size of granules in your powder can affect how smoothly dry materials are moved through the
Force Feeder, which can affect how much powder is wasted. Sometimes this requires the Force
Feeder's height to be adjusted.
To watch a video of Force Feeder calibration, go to https://www.lfatabletpresses.com/rtp10i-force-
feeder-calibration
Tools and Materials Needed
• Set of metric Allen keys
• Feeler gauge
• Wrench set
• Level
• 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)
Instructions
Note: Wear latex/rubber gloves (and appropriate food grade attire if applicable) during this process.
1. Raise each of the Perspex Casing's doors and lock them into an upward position.
2. Unscrew the Powder Shutoff Gate's bolt by hand and remove the Hopper and the Hopper to
Force Feeder Connecting Pipe from the RTP 10i®.
3. Loosen the Force Feeder's 17 mm bolts with a wrench and remove them.
4. Remove the Force Feeder from the RTP 10i®.
WARNING: To prevent any potential personal injury, unplug the RTP 10i® from
the electrical outlet.