Cameron Rambone | Global Product Specialist

Performance of Tablet Splitters, Crushers, and Grinders in Relation to Personalized Medication with Tablets

Published in: Pharmaceutics (2022)

In personalized medicine—particularly for pediatric, geriatric, or dysphagic patients—modifying solid oral dosage forms like tablets is often necessary to ensure accurate dosing and ease of administration. This overview evaluates the performance of various commercially available devices used to split, crush, or grind tablets, helping healthcare professionals and caregivers select the most suitable tool based on particle size, ease of use, residue loss, and suitability for feeding tubes or capsule preparation.

Methodology:

1. Devices tested : Tablet splitters, screwcap crushers, manual grinders, and electric grinders.
2. Tablet types : Varied by diameter (9 mm, 13 mm) and hardness (100–220 N).
3. Measurements included :

Accuracy of splitting
Crushing/grinding time
Residue loss
Particle size distribution (important for feeding tube use or capsule making)

Comparison: IKA Tube Mill control vs. other devices

Feature	IKA Tube Mill control	Severo (electric)	Manual Grinders	Screwcap Crushers
Particle Size (d90)	As low as 55 µm (with 1–3 min grind time)	45–60 µm	80–95 µm on average	>600 µm (mostly too coarse)
Capacity	Up to 10 tablets at once	Only 1 tablet at a time	1 tablet at a time	1 tablet at a time
Speed (Time Efficiency)	1–3 min grinding time	Multiple 8s pulses (up to 40s)	10–90 sec depending on tablet hardness	Often 90–180 sec (harder tablets difficult)
Residue Loss	Low (1–5%) when grinding multiple tablets	Low (2–5%)	Variable (some up to 15%)	Variable (1–7%)
Ease of Use	Very easy, automated	Moderate (automated but slower)	Requires moderate manual effort	Labor-intensive
Suitability for feeding tubes or capsules	Excellent – fine and homogeneous powder	Good	Variable – some large chunks	Poor – powder often too coarse
Cleaning / Contamination Risk	Disposable tubes avoid cross-contamination	Uses plastic separators (rondels)	Requires manual cleaning	Risk of plastic wear (e.g., Vitility)

Conclusion: IKA Tube Mill control

Best suited for professional settings where frequent, high-precision tablet pulverization is needed (e.g., for capsules or enteral feeding).
Advantages: High efficiency, fine powder quality, consistent particle size, ability to process multiple tablets, and disposable attachments reduce contamination risk.
Trade-off: Enhanced performance with the convenience of disposable parts, though with a higher cost and environmental consideration.