I have visited several supplement factories in the United States and found an interesting phenomenon: Some of dietary supplement manufacturers actually weigh filled capsules by using a 100g by 0.01g (10mg) Electron balance, weighing 10 capsules and calculating the average mass.
However, in USP Chapter 41: “Balances”, it states the requirements of repeatability and accuracy for balances used for materials as follows:
- The repeatability is satisfactory if 2 × 0.41d, divided by the desired smallest weight does not exceed 0.10%.
- The accuracy of a balance is satisfactory if its weighing value, when tested with a suitable weight(s), is within 0.10% of the test weight value.
Based on the requirements and capsule weight unit“mg”, at least, a precision balance with accuracy of 0.001g (1mg) shall be used to weigh capsules.
Lefancaps believes accurate weight and scientific dose are significant for the effect of drugs and nutrition. If the weight is inaccurate, it will not only affect the therapy effect, hinder the disease from getting better, and bring sufferings to patients, but also cause medical malpractice, even cause death in patients. Scientific methods and appropriate measuring instruments are necessary to meet the requirements of accurate and reliable weighing. In that way, how to choose the appropriate balance to guarantee the accuracy of capsule dosage and weight variation?
- Electron Balance Classification
| Type | Electron Balance | Number of digits after decimal position (g) | Accuracy Class |
| 1 | Ultra-Micro Balance | 7 | I |
| 2 | Mirco Balance | 6 | I |
| 3 | Semi-micro Balance | 5 | I |
| 4 | Analytical Balance | 4 | I |
| 5 | Precision Balance | 3 | II |
| 6 | Technical Balance | 0 to 1 | III |
- Lefancaps Special Offering for Weight Variation Control
- Lefancaps provides stable capsule manufacturing technology to guarantee each capsule weight is precisely controlled within the specification range;
- Lefancaps has capsule inspection machines which position the capsules more accurately and auto wipe out the unqualified capsules beyond the weight range;
- Lefancaps provides full-auto weight screening machine to accurately weigh each capsule and automatically select the qualified capsules based on pre-set qualified weight range;
- Lefancaps provides electron balances with 1mg /0.1mg/0.01mg accuracy to satisfy consumers’customized weighing requirements.
- Drugs & Nutrition Application Guide on Weighing Accurately
- Drugs: Applicable to Narrow therapeutic index (NTI) drugs, rescue medicines, drugs for the following people: babies, children, pregnant or breast feeding women, people with chronic patients, etc.
- Nutrition: Applicable to western nutrition, including but not limited to diet caps, antidiabetic caps, anti-fatigue caps, immunotherapy caps, sleep aid caps hypotensive drugs.
