The distribution of Drucker-Prager Cap model parameters for pharmaceutical materials

Abstract

A model of the compaction process that has come into increasing use with the pharmaceutical industry is the Drucker-Prager Cap model (DPC). It has long been used in conjunction with the finite element methods to simulate the density and stress distributions in compacts. More recently the calibrated parameters that make up the model have been used to characterize the material properties of many compounds. This work will summarize the findings from the collection of DPC parameters from 60 materials. From this dataset several important conclusions can be drawn about typical and extreme behaviors of formulations and excipients. From these findings key signals of program risk can be determined and utilized early in the formulation development process to avoid costly manufacturing and scale-up issues.