Coating pan (the perforated drum of a tablet coater: its baffles, perforation and the interchangeable drums that set the batch range)
Perforated coating drums for tablet coaters · fixed versus removable mixing baffles, minimum fill as a share of pan capacity, interchangeable drum sets, perforation and wedge-wire screens, drum material and polish
A coating pan here is the rotating perforated drum inside a tablet coater, with the mixing baffles welded or bolted to its wall, and the spare or alternative drums that let one coater run smaller or larger batches. Ask three things first: what share of the drum's capacity your smallest and largest batches fill, whether the baffles are welded or removable, and which perforation or screen suits your tablets, mini-tablets or pellets.
Perforated coating drums (pans) for pharmaceutical tablet coaters and their baffles, as fixed drums, exchangeable drum sets and replacement drums, including wedge-wire screen drums for pellets and mini-tablets. Complete pan coaters with air handling and spray rates are covered on the Pharmaceutical tablet coating machine (pan coater) page; automated control, closed handling and wash-in-place are covered on the Automated pharmaceutical tablet coating system page; spray gun manifolds on the Tablet coating spray system page; confectionery chocolate coating pans are outside this page.
CNFX editorial research · Sources checked October 12, 2026 · 4 sources
How low a fill the drum can coat: welded versus removable baffles
IMA describes PERFIMA as a perforated coating pan for film and sugar coating whose drum shape and mixing baffles in the central sector let one drum process "from 25% to 100% of pan capacity" in its Echo version with welded baffles; the Extra version has removable baffles that allow different configurations and "from 10% to 100% of pan capacity". Its table lists the 200 model at 30-120 litres (12-120 litres with removable baffles) in a 1,200 mm pan, up to the 800 model at 240-950 litres (95-950 litres) in a 1,985 mm pan. [1]
Editorial calculation from IMA's table: on the 200 model, 30 ÷ 120 = 25% and 12 ÷ 120 = 10%, so the removable-baffle drum takes batches 18 litres smaller than the welded one in the same pan. [1]
Syntegon's pilot-scale Sepion 75, as reported by Pharma Manufacturing, covers 10% to 100% of its maximum working volume and uses an automatically adjustable spray arm to hold the spray position at different filling levels. [3] Ask how the spray position is kept at your lowest fill.
Give the drum maker the coater model and drum mounting, smallest and largest batch volume, tablet size and shape (or pellets and mini-tablets), coating type (film or sugar), whether baffles must be removable, perforation or screen type, drum material and polish, cleaning method, and how many drums are needed.
02
Exchangeable drum sets: sizes, perforation, polish and material
ACG's QUEST TC III, an R&D-to-pilot coater, has "interchangeable and fully perforated drums (2, 9, 24 and 56 l)" with horizontal airflow. [2] IMA's PERFIMA LAB uses interchangeable drums of 3-70 litres, and its EDGE version replaces the perforated sheet with a wedge-wire screen drum for pellets, mini-tablets and tablets, whose wires form a semi-conical outer surface for removing coating residue. [1] Syntegon's Sepion 75 uses two interchangeable drum sizes to cover batch volumes from 8 to 75 litres. [3]
A Thomas Engineering patent on a production coater with exchangeable drums (US 8,671,872 B2, now assigned to IMA North America) describes a drum that "may be easily inserted and extracted from the machine" so that different products run in different drums by diameter, volume, material and perforation. It names stainless steel or HASTELLOY drums with "various levels of polishing, multiple perforation patterns, various perforation sizes and shapes and/or various types of mixing baffles and anti-slide bars", matched to substrate, process, wash and structural needs, and a spray bar whose movement envelope suits each drum size. [4]
Editorial check: ACG's four drums span 2 to 56 litres, a factor of 28 in volume on one machine. [2]
03
Drum shell, perforation or screen, baffles, anti-slide bars and mouth
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Compiled and source-reviewed by the CNFX editorial team.
Each manufacturer above links to the page on that company's own website where the product is listed, with the date we checked it. How we source and review
· Page last updated 13 October 2026
Buyer questions
How is a coating pan different from a complete coating machine?
This page covers the drum and its baffles, including interchangeable drums; complete pan coaters with air handling are on the Pharmaceutical tablet coating machine page. [1][4]
How small a batch can one drum coat?
IMA gives 25-100% of pan capacity with welded baffles and 10-100% with removable baffles. [1]
Why change drums instead of coaters?
Interchangeable drums cover different batch sizes on one machine: ACG offers 2, 9, 24 and 56 litre drums and Syntegon two sizes for 8 to 75 litres. [2][3]
What can differ between exchangeable drums?
A Thomas Engineering patent lists diameter, volume, material, polish, perforation pattern, size and shape, and baffle type. [4]
Sources and what still needs a direct check
Sources checked 2026-10-12. IMA and ACG publish their perforated drum coaters; Pharma Manufacturing reported Syntegon's Sepion 75; a Thomas Engineering patent describes exchangeable coating drums.
