The design and use of an instrumented mG2 capsule filling machine simulator.

The problems of instrumenting a continuous motion dosator nozzle capsule filling machine (mG2 type) are discussed and the construction of an mG2 simulator is described. A standard filling turret is employed with mechanical modification so that the dosator does not rotate. This allows instrumentation in the form of the strain dosator piston, to measure compression and ejection stresses during filling, as well as distance transducers, to measure the corresponding piston and dosator movements. An experimental method is described for using this machine to study the filling of lactose powders.