Evaluation of the vibratory feeder method for assessment of powder flow properties.

The flow properties of pharmaceutical powders and blends used in solid oral dosage forms are an important consideration during dosage form development. The vibratory feeder method, a flow measurement technique that quantifies avalanche flow, has been adapted for measurement of the flow properties of common pharmaceutical powders used in solid oral dosage forms. The flow properties of 17 different powders were measured with the instrument, and the results are reported as a powder flow index (PFI). The PFI trends of the powders correlate well with flow properties reported in the literature. The flow properties of the powders were also measured with a commercially available avalanche instrument, the Aero-Flow, and the results were reported as the mean time to avalanche (MTA). Since the two instruments analyze the avalanche by different algorithms, the results were compared with nonparametric statistical evaluation of ranked data, and they were found to be in excellent agreement. A recommended procedure for measurement of powder flow with the vibratory feeder is presented.