LFA TDP 6s User manual

We don’t just sell machines—
we provide service.
TDP 6s®Tablet Press User Manual

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Copyright Notice
© LFA Machines Oxford Limited, published in 2020 by LFA Machines Oxford Limited 2019.
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 Die with powder by hand.
• Inserting Tooling that is too big for the
machine.
• Not properly mounting the machine.
• Using powders that could explode under
pressure.
• Using wet or damp material.
Personal Protection
For personal protection while transporting the
TDP 6s®, abide by these actions:
• Use an engine hoist 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
TDP 6s®, 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
• 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 damaged,
pinched, or frayed 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 secured to a workbench to
prevent from falling.
• 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.
• Turn off and unplug the machine before
conducting cleaning and maintenance.
• Do not modify the machine in any way.

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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
In the case of an emergency during manual operation, immediately stop turning the Hand Wheel
and remove yourself from the TDP 6s®.
In the case of an emergency during motor operation, immediately press the red OFF button (see
below) and unplug.
CAUTION
This signals potential risk for damage to the
machine or other parts.

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Installation and Safety Assessment
Due to the nature and design of this machine and its intended use in an industrial environment,
it is important that before use it is installed in a cage with a mode of stopping on the outside of
the cage. LFA Machines has decided that we can not possibly foresee all of the environments
or situations in which this machine could be used or installed and therefore have determined
that the end user must install the machine in a way that is appropriate and safe for its use.
Once the machine has been installed, it is critical that you conduct a safety assessment to
ensure that it complies with all local and industry accepted safety regulations.
If you require guidance on the installation of the machine or conducting a safety assessment,
please contact LFA Machines.
This machine is sold as an Unfinished Machine under the Machinery Directive (2006/42 / EC)
Article 13.
Important Safety Information
READ THIS BEFORE OPERATING MACHINE

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Table of Contents
Copyright Notice 2
Important Safety Information 3
Intended Use 3
Personal Protection 3
General Hazards 3
Important Safety Information 4
Symbols 4
Modes for Stopping 4
TDP 6s®Parts List 7
Preface 8
Training 9
On-Site/Off-Site Training 9
Training via Video Chat/Phone 9
LFA Articles 9
LFA Videos 9
Installation 10
Tools and Materials Needed 10
The Appropriate Workstation for the Machine 10
Assembly 13
Mounting the TDP 6s® 14
Manual and Electrical Controls 16
Settings and Adjustment 19
Maintenance 25
General Maintenance Prescriptions 25
Lubrication 25
Dismantling for Repair and Replacement 28
Wear Parts and Causes of Damage 28
Tooling 29
Boot Timing Bar 35
Boot 37
V Belts 39
Troubleshooting 41
Common Machine/Part Issues 41
Common Tablet Issues 43
De-Jamming the TDP 6s® 44
Cleaning 46
Storing the TDP 6s® 51
Appendix 53
Glossary 53
Description of TDP 6s®Parts 54
Material of Contact Parts 62
Technical Specifications 62
Maintenance Checklist 63
Resources 67

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TDP 6s®Parts List
1. Lower Drift Pin Assembly Timing Cam (#AFC0052)
2. Top Cam Drive Shaft (#AFC0037)
3. Eccentric Sheave/Pressure Adjustment (#AFC0004)
4. Hand Wheel (under safety cover) (#AFC0058)
5. Boot Timing Cam (#AFC0038)
6. Boot Timing Bar (#AFC0018)
7. Boot (#AEC0036)
8. Boot Bolt and Spring (#AEC0051)
9. Electric Motor (#AFC0042)
10. Lower Drift Pin Assembly (#AEC0011)
11. Lower Drift Pin Assembly Locking Bar (#AEC0013)
12. Base Plate (#AFC0008)
13. Ejection Tray (#AEC0049)
14. Hopper (#AEC0030)
15. Cam Drive Cog (#AFC0050)
16. Lower Drift Pin Assembly Cogs (#AEC0012)
17. Lower Assembly Timing Rod (#AFC0014)
18. Upper Drift Pin Assembly (#AFC0002)

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Preface
The TDP 6s®Tablet Press has the ability to press tablets in a wide variety of sizes from a powder
formulated with dry granular materials and an excipient. By generating up to 60 kN of pressure
with either electrical or manual power, the TDP 6s®can produce up to 3,000 tablets an hour with
interchangeable dies. This machine can create most types of tablets, including irregularly shaped
pills, up to 25 mm in diameter and 6 mm thick. Useful for work in the field and on location, the TDP
6s®is popular with a range of industries such as hospitals, research facilities, and laboratories in
the pharmaceutical, food, and chemical industries.
The purpose of this document is to support your understanding of the TDP 6s®’s components,
features, functions, and design. With this manual, you will be able to successfully operate and
maintain your TDP 6s®machine.
The user manual’s content includes:
• Important safety information
• TDP 6s®installation instructions
• Description of the TDP 6s®’s operation
• TDP 6s®maintenance information
• Appendix with supplemental information

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Training
TDP 6s®training is essential for the machine’s successful operation and your personal safety.
There are several methods to prepare you for working with the TDP 6s®.
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, USA, and Taiwan 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 desktop 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 TDP 6s®and other desktop tablet presses. To access
the videos, go to https://www.lfatabletpresses.com/videos or https://www.youtube.com/user/
TabletPilPress

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Installation
Tools and Materials Needed
Before you install and operate the TDP 6s®, it is best to have the following tools and materials on
hand for general operation and maintenance:
• Engine hoist or lift and lifting strap
• Mounting materials such as:
• Non-slip pad (such as a yoga mat cut to fit the machine's base) OR anti-vibration pads
• Power drill
• Hammer
• Gear puller
• Rubber mallet
• Metric wrench set
• Pliers/grippers
• Flathead screwdriver
• Set of metric Allen keys with ball ends
• Long wire pipe cleaner
• Lubricant (NSF approved for food grade products)
• Grease gun
• Toothbrush
• Bagless vacuum
• Sanitizer (e.g. Maker's Mark Commercial Sanitizer)
• Cleaning brush set
• Plastic sheet or something similar to cover machine
• 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 stable workspace surface that supports the TDP 6s®’s 160 kg (about 352 lbs) weight, such
as a wooden bench (use stainless steel if for food grade industry). Another important thing to
consider is to find a bench that has a suitable working height for you.
Environmental Conditions
It is important that the environment in which you operate and store the TDP 6s®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
TDP 6s®°C °F 20-80% RH
0-40 32-104

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The shipping crate will contain the following:
1. The assembled TDP 6s®
2. The Tooling (already installed)

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Tools Needed
• Flathead screwdriver
• Hammer
• 17 mm wrench
Instructions
1. Pry open each of the clips on the shipping container with a flathead screwdriver.
1.1 Note: Hammer the clips even further down to aid in removing the shipping container
from the base.
2. Lift the top of the shipping container from its base, which is bolted to the TDP 6s®.
3. Remove the plastic wrapping.
3.1 Note: Save the wrapping for future transport and/or storage.
4. Remove the bolts from the shipping container's base with a wrench.
4.1 Note: Keep the bolts and the shipping container’s base in case you need to move or
relocate the TDP 6s®.
Unpacking the TDP 6s®
Watch a video of a TDP 6s®unboxing at https://www.lfatabletpresses.com/videos/tdp-5-
unboxing-setup

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Assembly
The TDP 6s®comes fully assembled.

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Mounting the TDP 6s®
WARNING: To prevent personal injury, wear steel toe boots and heavy duty grip
gloves while transporting the TDP 6s®.
LFA does NOT recommend carrying the machine manually but rather with
an engine hoist. At least two people should be involved (one operating the
engine hoist and one stabilizing the machine) in removing the machine from the
shipping container and placing it in the workspace.
Transporting the TDP 6s®
Tools and Materials Needed
• Engine hoist and lifting strap
Instructions
1. Secure the engine hoist onto the eyelet bolt attached to the top of the TDP 6s®Base.
2. Wrap the lifting strap to support both the bottom and top of the TDP 6s®.
3. Carefully transport the machine to the desired workspace.

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Bolting the TDP 6s®
The TDP 6s®Base comes with four bolts and four bolt holes. Because the machine’s movement
could cause it to fall off the workspace surface during operation, which creates potential for
injury to self and to the machine, it is important to ensure that it will not move by bolting down the
TDP 6s®. There are other options as well that can prevent the TDP 6s®from moving, which are
described below:
Non-Slip Pad
Placing a pad or mat that grips the surface underneath the TDP 6s®will stabilize any movement.
What works well is anything similar to a yoga mat. Simply cut the pad to a size that is slightly
bigger than the TDP 6s®’s base, and then bolt the base through the mat and into the workspace
surface.
Anti-Vibration Pads
Anti-vibration pads underneath the TDP 6s®’s base not only absorb noises and vibrations, but also
reduce the machine’s movement. Similar to using a non-slip pad, the anti-vibration pads also need
to be bolted through into the workplace surface.
WARNING: Anti-vibration pads with feet indentations, such as those used
for washing machines, are not suitable for the TDP 6s®. They may cause the
machine to lose its balance and fall off the workspace surface, potentially
resulting in personal injury.
Note: Before bolting the machine to the workspace surface, ensure that an appropriate electrical
outlet (240 v/110 v) is nearby.
Once you have determined where the bolts will be, drill four holes into the workspace surface.
Then, insert the bolts through the TDP 6s®’s base and the workspace surface and tighten them as
necessary.

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Manual and Electrical Controls
Basic Components
A description of the principal components follows:
• The Hand Wheel can be turned to start the cam track's direction.
• The Top Cam Drive Shaft guides the punches’ movement.
• The Hopper holds the dry materials that will be compressed.
• The Boot moves the materials from the Hopper to the Tooling and ejects the tablets.
• The Die defines or molds the size and shape of the powder.
• The Upper Punch and Lower Punch compress the materials within the Die.

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TDP 6s®Process
The basic mechanism of the TDP 6s®involves filling the Tooling (Die, Upper Punch, and Lower
Punch) with powder, compressing the powder, and ejecting the tablet.
Filling the Tooling with Powder
The dry materials are poured into the Hopper, which funnels the powder into the Boot. As the
Hand Wheel is manually operated, the Top Cam Drive Shaft withdraws the Upper Punch from the
Die and moves up the Lower Punch to the Die.
When the machine is operated by the motor, the Drive Belt Pulley and V Belts initiate the movement
of the Cam Drive Cog, which moves the Top Cam Drive Shaft to withdraw the Upper Punch from
the Die and pushes up the Lower Punch.
Compressing the Powder
After the powder is filled in the Tooling, the Top Cam Drive Shaft drives the Upper Punch into the
Die, and the Lower Punch is then raised by the Top Cam Drive Shaft. Both punches then move
together to compress the powder under high pressure.
Ejecting the Tablet
After both punches compress the powder into a tablet, the Top Cam Drive Shaft withdraws the
Upper Punch while the Lower Punch is pushed upward to expel the tablet. The tablet is then
pushed out of the way by the Boot to prepare for the next tablet compression.

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How to Create Tablets with the TDP 6s®
Tools and Materials Needed
• Raw material formulation
• TDP 6s®
• 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 TDP 6s®, 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. Pour the dry materials into the Hopper.
1.1 Note: Ensure that the TDP 6s®is unplugged from the electrical outlet.
2. Loosen the locks on the upper section of the Hand Wheel cover and pull down the cover.
3. Rotate the Hand Wheel in the direction indicated by the arrow located on the Cam Drive Cog
Safety Cover.
3.1 Note: Always manually operate the TDP 6s®for one rotation to ensure that it is operating
correctly.
4. Plug in the TDP 6s®to an electrical outlet.
5. Press the green button (ON) to start to start the machine, and the red button (OFF) to turn off
the machine.

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Tools and Materials Needed
• Set of metric Allen keys with ball ends
• Crosshead screwdriver
• 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)
Settings and Adjustment
The TDP 6s®’s settings can be adjusted. Tuning the Tooling can help with changing the tablets’
characteristics and how they are ejected from the machine.
Ejection Height
When the Upper Punch is fully lifted, the Lower Punch in its highest position should be flush with
the Die:
If the Lower Punch is above or below the Die’s face, it will affect how smoothly the tablet is ejected.
Adjusting the ejection height will help with this and can vary with different forms of Tooling.
WARNING: To prevent any potential personal injury, unplug the TDP 6s®from
the electrical outlet
Instructions
Note: Wear latex/rubber gloves (and appropriate food grade attire if applicable) during this
process.
1. Produce a test tablet to determine how the Tooling should be adjusted.
2. Rotate the machine until the Lower Drift Pin Assembly is at its highest position and the Boot is at
the position to eject the tablet.
3. Remove the Ejection Tray with a crosshead screwdriver.