Full Factorial Experimental Design Research Articles

Prediction and optimization of the mechanical properties of polyamide6/polyolefin elastomer nanocomposites reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes by using a full factorial experiment

In this research, the mechanical properties of polyamide 6/polyolefin elastomer (PA6/POE) blends reinforced with carbon nanotubes have been studied. Nanocomposites consisted of 10 and 20 wt% polyolefin elastomer, 0, 1, 2, and 3 wt% carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and 5 and 10 wt% maleic anhydride (POE-gMA as coupling agent) were made by an internal mixer based on the full factorial design of experiment. Tensile and impact tests were performed to extract mechanical properties including tensile strength, elastic modulus, and impact strength. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to observe the dispersion and distribution quality of MWCNT in the matrix. SEM images showed an acceptable distribution of carbon nanotubes up to 2 wt% in both polyamide matrices with 10 and 20 wt%, while adding 3 wt% of nanotubes in both matrices was associated with nanotubes accumulation. The test results showed that the addition of 2 wt% of carbon nanotubes improved the tensile strength and elastic modulus of the compounds by 21% and 23%, respectively. Also, the presence of up to 20 wt% of polyolefin and 10 wt% of the compatibilizer has increased the impact strength of the compounds. Finally, the R-squared above 92% for all mechanical properties showed that there is a good agreement between the experimental results and the extracted regression models.

Are Intrusiveness and Sexual Images Effective in Advertisements? The Influence of Ad Format and Sexually Appealing Content on Mobile News Consumers

We examined the association of intrusive and sexually appealing advertisements in a mobile news environment with audiences’ perceptions of the content and reactive behaviors. Based on the psychological reactance theory, we conducted a 2 × 2 (sexual ad versus nonsexual ad × highly intrusive ad versus low intrusive ad) full factorial experimental design measuring associations with behavioral ad avoidance and ad memory (recall and recognition). The results indicate that users were more concerned to avoid pop-up ads than banner ads. Also, we observed significant main effects of intrusiveness and sexual appeals in advertisements on audiences’ recall of ads. Our findings call into question the effectiveness of advertising that relies on intrusive exposure and sexual images.

Encapsulation of Coconut Oil Using Ethyl Cellulose as Coating Shell for Thermoregulating Response of Cotton

ABSTRACT Phase change material (PCM) with its heat storing and releasing ability provides a thermoregulating effect. For thermoregulation, different kinds of PCMs are used among which the paraffins are widely used due to their high enthalpy values. Here, coconut oil was used as PCM in the core by encapsulating cellulose-based shell. Mostly, melamine formaldehyde-based shells are used for encapsulation due to their ease in formation and have toxic effect on humans and environment, so bio-degradable solution is provided using cellulose based shell with coconut oil as core PCM. Ethyl cellulose with its outstanding properties and biocompatible nature provides eco-friendly nanoencapsulation. This research work reports the development of nanocapsules of ethyl cellulose as shell and coconut oil as core PCM via solvent evaporation technique and its application on cotton fabric through coating. The encapsulation was performed using general full factorial design of experiment containing three factors and three levels of each factor except the first factor (type of solvent). The resultant capsules and fabric were characterized using Zeta Sizer, Differential Scanning Calorimeter, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, and Infrared thermography. Different combination of factors used in experimentation resulted in the investigation of effect of solvents, emulsifiers, etc. on particle size.

Patent Blue V Dye Adsorption by Fresh and Calcined Zn/Al LDH: Effect of Process Parameters and Experimental Design Optimization

This work focuses on the adsorptive removal of patent blue V (PBV) dye from aqueous solution by Zn/Al layered double hydroxide in fresh (LDH) and calcined (CLDH) forms. The material was synthesized via coprecipitation and samples were characterized by XRD, FTIR and TGA-DTA. Dye retention was evaluated under different experimental conditions of contact time, pH, adsorbent dosage, temperature and initial dye concentration. Experimental results show that highest adsorption capacity occurred at acidic medium. Kinetics data were properly fitted with the pseudo-second-order model. Equilibrium data were best correlated to Langmuir model with maximum monolayer adsorption capacities of 185.40 and 344.37 mg/g, respectively, for LDH and CLDH. The process was endothermic and spontaneous in nature. Based on the preliminary study, full factorial experimental design (24) was used for the optimization of the effect of solution pH, adsorbent dose, initial dye concentration and the calcination. Thus, the optimal conditions to reach high equilibrium adsorption capacity were achieved at pH of 5, adsorbent dosage of 0.1 g/L, and initial dye concentration of 15 mg/L by CLDH.

Photo-Fenton degradation of sulfamethoxazole using MIL-53(Fe) under UVA LED irradiation and natural sunlight

The MOF MIL-53(Fe) was synthesized, activated and evaluated in photo-Fenton reactions assisted by UVA LED irradiation and natural sunlight using the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (SMX) as a degradation target molecule. A 23 full factorial design of experiments was carried out in order to determine the effects of several parameters' influence on the degradation of SMX. The effect of different operational parameters such as pH, hydrogen peroxide and catalyst concentration was analyzed, and tests of reuse of the catalyst were performed. Likewise, the dissolved organic carbon (DOC), iron leached from the MIL-53(Fe) structure and H2O2 consumption were monitored, and the degradation products of the reaction were identified. The use of MIL-53(Fe) as a heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalyst using natural sunlight as an irradiation source allowed the degradation of 96% of the SMX in solution in just 120 min under near-neutral conditions. Likewise, removal of 30% of the DOC in solution was achieved, being the leached iron concentration less than 0.20 mg L−1, a value within the quality standard of water intended for human consumption imposed by the European Union (Directive 98/83/CE). Efficiency and stability after multiple cycles postulate the MOF MIL-53(Fe) as a potential heterogeneous catalyst to be considered in the development of alternative water purification systems based on the photo-Fenton process. An appropriate combination of solid-state characterization and chemical analysis techniques were applied, including PXRD, DRS, ZP, SEM, FTIR, HPLC-DAD, HPLC-MS/MS, and UV-Vis, which provided the experimental evidence that supports this study.

Impact behaviour of dissimilar AA2024-T351/7075-T651 FSWed butt-joints: effects of Al2O3-SiC particles addition

Dissimilar friction stir welding joints are widely employed in the industrial field due to the excellent microstructural and mechanical properties of the resulting joints. Nevertheless, to further enhance the weld properties, the addition of reinforcement particles on the joint-line during the process has been proven effective for increasing its mechanical performance. In the present investigation, the microstructure and the impact behaviour of FSWed joints between AA2024-T351 and AA7075-T651 aluminium plates were investigated, considering the effect of different process parameters selected through a full factorial 2k design of experiments: both the rotational and translational speed of the tool, as well as the addition of Al2O3-SiC microparticles, were considered as input parameters. Unnotched 10 x 5 x 55 mm impact specimens were tested through an instrumented 50 J Charpy pendulum: total impact energy, the two complementary initiation and propagation energies as well as the peak force were correlated to the adopted process parameters. From the performed analyses, it was found that joints with reinforcing particles are prone to form wormhole defects across the stir zone that not only affect the microstructural development, but also the impact behaviour since they require less energy at break in comparison with joints fabricated without particles addition.

Optimization of loading protocols for tissue engineering experiments

Tissue engineering (TE) combines cells and biomaterials to treat orthopedic pathologies. Maturation of de novo tissue is highly dependent on local mechanical environments. Mechanical stimulation influences stem cell differentiation, however, the role of various mechanical loads remains unclear. While bioreactors simplify the complexity of the human body, the potential combination of mechanical loads that can be applied make it difficult to assess how different factors interact. Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells were seeded within a fibrin-polyurethane scaffold and exposed to joint-mimicking motion. We applied a full factorial design of experiment to investigate the effect that the interaction between different mechanical loading parameters has on biological markers. Additionally, we employed planned contrasts to analyze differences between loading protocols and a linear mixed model with donor as random effect. Our approach enables screening of multiple mechanical loading combinations and identification of significant interactions that could not have been studied using classical mechanobiology studies. This is useful to screen the effect of various loading protocols and could also be used for TE experiments with small sample sizes and further combinatorial medication studies.

Fused-Filament Fabrication of Short Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polyamide: Parameter Optimization for Improved Performance under Uniaxial Tensile Loading.

This study intends to contribute to the state of the art of Fused-Filament Fabrication (FFF) of short-fiber-reinforced polyamides by optimizing process parameters to improve the performance of printed parts under uniaxial tensile loading. This was performed using two different approaches: a more traditional 2k full factorial design of experiments (DoE) and multiple polynomial regression using an algorithm implementing machine learning (ML) principles such as train-test split and cross-validation. Evaluated parameters included extrusion and printing bed temperatures, layer height and printing speed. It was concluded that when exposed to new observations, the ML-based model predicted the response with higher accuracy. However, the DoE fared slightly better at predicting observations where higher response values were expected, including the optimal solution, which reached an UTS of 117.1 ± 5.7 MPa. Moreover, there was an important correlation between process parameters and the response. Layer height and printing bed temperatures were considered the most influential parameters, while extrusion temperature and printing speed had a lower influence on the outcome. The general influence of parameters on the response was correlated with the degree of interlayer cohesion, which in turn affected the mechanical performance of the 3D-printed specimens.

Analysing the impact of production control policies on the dynamics of a two-product supply chain with capacity constraints

In this paper, we investigate the impact in terms of Fill Rate of production control policies in a two-product, two-echelon supply chain dynamic problem with production capacity. The factory node is subject to two different disruptive occurrences (i.e. failure events and changeovers) that can cause unforeseen problems in the supply chain. To control these adverse events, the factory can adopt different production control policies. We compare the well-known Hedging Corridor Policy with two variants, namely Modified Hedging Corridor Policy and Improved Modified Hedging Corridor Policy, and Demand-Driven Material Requirements Planning policy. Firstly, we use the Response Surface Methodology to calibrate the endogenous factors for each strategy. Then, through an extended full-factorial Design Of Experiments, we evaluate the effectiveness of the production control policies for several operational and market scenarios defined by varying exogenous factors. Interestingly, our study reveals that the Hedging Corridor Policy represents the best rule to increase the Fill Rate. The policies have been compared also in terms of indicators related to the factory inventory level. The results seem to point out that efficient production control policies (measured in terms of operational efficiency) do not necessarily yield the best results when measured in terms of supply chain efficiency.

Dry Dosage Forms of Add-Value Bioactive Phenolic Compounds by Supercritical CO2-Assisted Spray-Drying.

Every year, grapevine pruning produces huge amounts of residue, 90% of which are from vine shoots. These are a rich source of natural antioxidants, mostly phenolic compounds, which, when properly extracted, can give rise to added-value products. However, their lack of solubility in aqueous media and high susceptibility to thermal and oxidative degradation highly limit their bioavailability. Encapsulation in suitable carriers may have a positive impact on their bioavailability and bioactivity. Previous data on vine-shoot extraction have identified gallic acid (GA) and resveratrol (RSV) as the main phenolic compounds. In this work, model dry powder formulations (DPFs) of GA and RSV using hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) as carriers were developed using Supercritical CO2-Assisted Spray Drying (SASD). A 32 full factorial Design of Experiments investigated the solid and ethanol contents to ascertain process yield, particle size, span, and encapsulation efficiency. Amorphous powder yields above 60%, and encapsulation efficiencies up to 100% were achieved, representing excellent performances. SASD has proven to be an efficient encapsulation technique for these phenolic compounds, preserving their antioxidation potential after three months in storage with average EC50 values of 30.6 µg/mL for GA–DPFs and 149.4 µg/mL for RSV–DPF as assessed by the scavenging capacity of the DPPH radical.

Optimization of an O2-balanced bioartificial pancreas for type 1 diabetes using statistical design of experiment

A bioartificial pancreas (BAP) encapsulating high pancreatic islets concentration is a promising alternative for type 1 diabetes therapy. However, the main limitation of this approach is O2 supply, especially until graft neovascularization. Here, we described a methodology to design an optimal O2-balanced BAP using statistical design of experiment (DoE). A full factorial DoE was first performed to screen two O2-technologies on their ability to preserve pseudo-islet viability and function under hypoxia and normoxia. Then, response surface methodology was used to define the optimal O2-carrier and islet seeding concentrations to maximize the number of viable pseudo-islets in the BAP containing an O2-generator under hypoxia. Monitoring of viability, function and maturation of neonatal pig islets for 15 days in vitro demonstrated the efficiency of the optimal O2-balanced BAP. The findings should allow the design of a more realistic BAP for humans with high islets concentration by maintaining the O2 balance in the device.

Parametric Optimization for Quality of Electric Discharge Machined Profile by Using Multi-Shape Electrode.

The electrical discharge machining (EDM) process is one of the most efficient non-conventional precise material removal processes. It is a smart process used to intricately shape hard metals by creating spark erosion in electroconductive materials. Sparking occurs in the gap between the tool and workpiece. This erosion removes the material from the workpiece by melting and vaporizing the metal in the presence of dielectric fluid. In recent years, EDM has evolved widely on the basis of its electrical and non-electrical parameters. Recent research has sought to investigate the optimal machining parameters for EDM in order to make intricate shapes with greater accuracy and better finishes. Every method employed in the EDM process has intended to enhance the capability of machining performance by adopting better working conditions and developing techniques to machine new materials with more refinement. This new research aims to optimize EDM’s electrical parameters on the basis of multi-shaped electrodes in order to obtain a good surface finish and high dimensional accuracy and to improve the post-machining hardness in order to improve the overall quality of the machined profile. The optimization of electrical parameters, i.e., spark voltage, current, pulse-on time and depth of cut, has been achieved by conducting the experimentation on die steel D2 with a specifically designed multi-shaped copper electrode. An experimental design is generated using a statistical tool, and actual machining is performed to observe the surface roughness, variations on the surface hardness and dimensional stability. A full factorial design of experiment (DOE) approach has been followed (as there are more than two process parameters) to prepare the samples via EDM. Regression analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) for the interpretation and optimization of results has been carried out using Minitab as a statistical tool. The validation of experimental findings with statistical ones confirms the significance of each operating parameter on the output parameters. Hence, the most optimized relationships were found and presented in the current study.

Mechanical Analysis of Parameter Variations in Large-Scale Extrusion Additive Manufacturing of Thermoplastic Composites

Large structural parts manufactured by Extrusion Additive Manufacturing (EAM) are limited by strong anisotropy due to insufficient bond formation and reduced molecular entanglement along the layer interface. To understand the correlation between process and material parameters and to enable digital modeling of EAM, the effect of different substrate temperatures and layer heights on tensile strength was investigated. A simple testing methodology for pelletized carbon fiber-filled polyamide 6 was developed. Tensile tests were performed in a full factorial Design of Experiments (DoE) to determine the tensile properties. For bulk simulation, the nominal strength and modulus were also determined based on contact width obtained by optical microscopy. The results demonstrated high anisotropy, with the maximum transverse tensile strength reaching only 27% of the corresponding longitudinal results and the transverse tensile modulus reaching only 20% of its longitudinal value. The effects of varying layer height were less significant than varying substrate temperature. The results support the hypothesis that sufficient transverse tensile strength is achieved between the extrapolated crystallization onset and melt temperature. The methodology of this study can be used as a benchmark method to qualify new thermoplastic polymers for EAM processes and to determine optimal process parameters for improved fusion bonding.

Experimental Design Analysis of Murexide Dye Removal by Carbon Produced from Waste Biomass Material

The aim of this work is to investigate the adsorption of an anionic dye, the Murexide (MX) present in aqueous solution, on activated carbon, derived from prickly pear seed cake biomass after bio-oil extraction. The obtained adsorbent used was characterized by Bohem titration, pH of point of zero charge (pHPZC), FTIR spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area (SBET), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The different experimental parameters of the adsorption process, such as temperature, contact time, initial dye concentration, and adsorbent dose, were studied. For the optimization of the process, the effects of these parameters were investigated using the full factorial experimental design methodology. Design Expert 11.1.2.0 Trial software was used for generating the statistical experimental design and analysing the observed data. Langmuir and Freundlich’s adsorption models were employed to provide a description of the equilibrium isotherm. The adsorption process was found to obey Langmuir, which indicates that the Murexide had formed a monolayer onto activated carbon. Furthermore, according to the regression coefficients, it was observed that the kinetic adsorption data can fit better by the pseudo-second-order model compared to the first-order Lagergren’s model. The thermodynamic studies indicated that the adsorption of Murexide occurs in a spontaneous and exothermic process. The regeneration process of the exhausted adsorbent was studied to assess the economic and operational feasibility. According to the obtained findings, it is proposed that the activated carbon prepared from prickly pear seed cake retains a high potential for Murexide removal and is suitable for repetitive usage.

Optimization of process parameters for rectangular cup deep drawing by the Taguchi method and genetic algorithm

Abstract This article presents the optimization of process parameters in reducing the risk of failure due to wrinkling and fracture in deep drawing of a rectangular cup. Blank holder force, friction coefficient, punch radius and initial blank shape were chosen as design parameters. Wrinkling and fracture criteria were used as objective functions. Two-stage optimization approach was used. In the first stage optimization, optimum blank shape was determined using the Taguchi optimization method. In the second stage optimization, optimum parameter values were determined for the selected blank shape by the first stage optimization using genetic algorithm. In the second stage of optimization, response surface models based on 3-level full factorial design of experiments were constructed. Finite element simulation results were used for creating response surface models. Parameters obtained from optimization study were confirmed by conducting deep drawing simulations using commercial code DYNAFORM 5.9.2. Optimum results showed that proposed optimization methodology can solve wrinkling and fracture problems in the sheet metal forming process.

Implementation of sonicated continuous plug flow crystallization technology for processing of acetylsalicylic acid reaction mixture

An effective way to ensure proper mixing and thereby realize maintenance-free operation of the clogging-sensitive continuous tubular crystallizers is the utilization of ultrasound-irradiation. Considering this, our research aimed to develop an ultrasonicated plug flow crystallization process to separate and purify a multicomponent acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) flow reaction mixture with antisolvent and combined cooling-antisolvent method. The influence of process parameters – temperature, antisolvent to ASA solution ratio, mean residence time – on purity, yield, productivity, product size, and size distribution was investigated applying a 23 full factorial experimental design. In further analysis, the alteration of product quality and quantity was studied by reducing the ultrasonicated tubing length and increasing the feeding rate, which could be important for industrial applicability. It was found that ultrasonication results in robustness against process parameter modification regarding product quality producing purified, small (<50 μm), consistent quality product while enabling to reach 89% yield even with 30 s residence time.

Solar heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of phenol on TiO2/quartz and TiO2/calcite: a statistical and kinetic approach on comparative efficiencies towards a TiO2/glass system.

Phenol is a widely used synthetic organic compound, which according to global estimations, is discharged into the environment at a rate of 10 tons/year through industrial waste. Phenol is a recalcitrant pollutant, and human exposure to water containing phenolic substances can lead to health issues. It has been found both in drinking water and wastewater. Solar heterogeneous photocatalytic phenol degradation, measured through chemical oxygen demand, was performed on a thin film tilted plate reactor with TiO2 immobilized onto different support materials. A full factorial experimental design (4 × 3 × 3) was carried out to statistically evaluate if the independent variables' effects were significant. Four advanced oxidation processes (photolysis, photolysis + H2O2, heterogeneous photocatalysis, and heterogeneous photocatalysis + H2O2), three support materials (quartz, calcite, and glass), and three pH levels (3, 5.4, and 9) were evaluated. Reaction kinetics were fitted to the pseudo-first-order reaction rate and data was analyzed with an ANCOVA and means test, considering solar light intensity as a covariate. Photolysis/calcite at pH 5.4 and heterogeneous photocatalysis + H2O2/glass plate at pH 3 gave the best results, with a reaction rate constant kph = 3.047 × 10-3min-1 and kphC = 4.498 × 10-3min-1, respectively. The three independent variables and their interactions had a significant effect in the phenol degradation (p < 0.05).

Cyclodextrin Stabilized Freeze-Dried Silica/Chitosan Nanoparticles for Improved Terconazole Ocular Bioavailability

This research assesses the beneficial effects of loading terconazole, a poorly water-soluble antifungal drug in silica/chitosan nanoparticles (SCNs) for ocular delivery. Nanoparticles were fabricated by the simple mixing of tetraethyl ortho silicate (TEOS) and chitosan HCl as sources of silica and nitrogen, respectively, along with alcoholic drug solution in different concentrations. Freeze-dried nanoparticles were fabricated using cyclodextrins as cryoprotectants. SCNs were assessed for their particle size, PDI, yield, drug loading and in vitro release studies. A 23.31 full factorial experimental design was constructed to optimize the prepared SCNs. DSC, XRD, FTIR, in addition to morphological scanning were performed on the optimized nanoparticles followed by an investigation of their pharmacokinetic parameters after topical ocular application in male Albino rabbits. The results reveal that increasing the water content in the preparations causes an increase in the yield and size of nanoparticles. On the other hand, increasing the TEOS content in the preparations, caused a decrease in the yield and size of nanoparticles. The optimized formulation possessed excellent mucoadhesive properties with potential safety concerning the investigated rabbit eye tissues. The higher Cmax and AUC0–24 values coupled with a longer tmax value compared to the drug suspension in the rabbits’ eyes indicated the potential of SCNs as promising ocular carriers for poorly water-soluble drugs, such as terconazole.

Characterization of power demand and energy consumption for fused filament fabrication using CFR-PEEK

PurposeThis study aims to model power demand and energy consumption of fused filament fabrication (FFF) for carbon fiber-reinforced polyether-ether-ketone (CFR-PEEK) based on a material addition rate (MAR), which is affected by process parameter changes in an FFF machine. Moreover, a virtual additive manufacturing (AM) plant handling multiple FFF machines and part designs is simulated to compare the energy and production dynamics of operational strategies that treat part orders differently based on their inherent MAR.Design/methodology/approachA full-factorial design of experiments considering major FFF parameters (i.e., layer thickness and printing speed) is planned to fabricate CFR-PEEK samples for each process parameter combination. Then, the MAR of each process parameter combination is calculated to derive regression models for average power demand and total energy consumption. Furthermore, a discrete-event simulation model for a virtual AM system of aircraft parts is built to analyze changes in power demand and energy consumption along with order lead time and production volume under three operational strategies (i.e., higher MAR first-out, first-in-first-out, and lower MAR first-out).FindingsThe MAR of FFF for CFR-PEEK plays a key role in energy dynamics in which a decrease in energy consumption dominates over an increase in power demand as the MAR increases. Furthermore, preferentially processing parts with a higher MAR in the AM system is the most beneficial strategy in both energy consumption and productivity.Originality/valueThe findings from this study show that the energy performance of CFR-PEEK applications in FFF should be understood with the MAR of an AM system because the impact of AM complexity on energy performance can be operationally controlled by managing the MAR of part orders for the entire AM system.

Formulation Optimization of an Improved Traditional Medicine from the Stem Bark Extract of Mangifera indica L. using Design of Experiments (DOE) Strategy

Introduction: Improved Traditional Medicines (ITMs), a recent concept by the World Health Organization (WHO) was introduced to promote the rational use of herbal medicine for primary health care in developing countries. The ITM by WHO andAIPO have categorized into 4 categories with respect to the quality of the active ingredient. However, this category needs more research in finding a greater variety of acceptable dosage forms. There is a need to account for formulation and process variables in these dosage forms to maintain product properties hence performance of plant extract, ensuring consistent quality. One of the methods to account for formulation and process variables is by using the Design of Experiments (DoE) approach.&#x0D; Objective: The main objective of this work was to optimize the formulation of a category 2 Improved Traditional Medicine containing Mangifera indica L. stem bark aqueous extract using Design of Experiments.&#x0D; Methods: Mangifera indica L. stem bark was collected and identified at the National herbarium. It was dried, ground and the powder used for extraction using digestion method using water as solvent (at 70°C). Phytochemical screening was done on the extract. The extract then proceeded unto pharmaceutical development. The formulation optimization of Mangifera indica aqueous stem bark extract (MIABE) started with the definition of the Quality Target Product Profile (QTPP) that was expected for the final product; which is an orodispersible tablet that will facilitate patient compliance and promote a rapid disintegration. These QTPPs formed the basis of the Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) which were identified (as hardness, disintegration time and mass uniformity) and used for all experiments. The experimental part was divided into 2 main manufacturing processes; direct compression and wet granulation techniques. Each process was investigated for drug product optimization. &#x0D; A risk assessment was undertaken to identify the formulation variables that impact product quality.&#x0D; For direct compression, a 32 full factorial Design of Experiment (DoE) was used to investigate the effect of superdisintegrant (25%) and lubricant level (0.25-5%) on powder flow characteristics. For wet granulation, a 22 full factorial DoE was used to investigate the effect of superdisintegrant (2-5%) and binder (5-10%) on flow properties and tablet properties.&#x0D; Results: The design and evaluation of the formulations in this study resulted in successful formulation optimization of an Improved Traditional Medicine. DoE proved to be an excellent method to optimize formulations of ITMs, providing several tools that increase a much better understanding of the formulation and manufacturing process. Further studies on this formulation DoE are needed to evaluate the effect of more process variables (compression force and speed) and more formulation variables such as palatability.&#x0D; Conclusion: Optimization models were developed for the various responses (disintegration time, wetting time and hardness) showing the influence of formulation variables on these responses. Therefore, the formulation optimization of a category 2 ITM containing Mangifera indica L. stem extract using Design of Experiment is a suitable approach to save time, money and improve drug product understanding.