Scale-Up in Pharmaceuticals, Nutrition & Cosmetics
From lab to production in solids and liquid processing
Seamlessly integrated solutions for R&D and
pilot-scale applications
Scaling-up is the critical bridge between product development and industrial manufacturing. In pharmaceutical, nutritional, and cosmetic industries, it ensures that formulations developed in the lab can be produced consistently, efficiently, and at high quality on a larger scale.
Whether producing powders, granules, pellets, ointments, creams, lotions, emulsions, and other liquid mixtures within the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic industries, scale-up requires a deep understanding of formulation behavior, process parameters, and equipment interactions.
Today’s manufacturers must:
- Maintain consistent product quality
- Accelerate time-to-market
- Ensure regulatory compliance
A successful scale-up is therefore not just a technical task – it is a key driver of manufacturing excellence and competitiveness.
Scale-up in solids processing
Granulation, powders & particle engineering
Granulation and mixing are core processes in pharmaceutical tablets, nutraceuticals, and powder-based cosmetics manufacturing. However, scaling-up solids processes is significantly more complex due to variability in raw materials and process dynamics
How to scale-up granulation processes?
Scale-up in granulation describes the transfer of a process from laboratory mixers to pilot and production systems, while maintaining quality, yield, and reproducibility.
Key challenges in solids scal-up
- Consistent quality of the raw materials
- Reproducible conditions (i.e. room humidity, room temperature)
- Geometric, kinematic, and dynamic similarities
- Process inconsistencies that only appear at larger scale
- Even small changes can disrupt a validated process
Critical process parameters
- Raw material properties: particle size, density, and solubility
- Moisture content: directly affects agglomeration
- Liquid addition: spray vs manual dosing, feed rate
- Mixing dynamics: impeller and chopper speed
- Energy input: influences granule growth and structure
Practical rules for scaling up
- Scale step wise (maximum factor)
- Maintain dimensionless parameters
Practical rules for scaling up
- Control environmental conditions
- Use process monitoring and data logging
A structured approach ensures robust, efficient, and reproducible production.
Whitepaper: Scale-up in granulation
Master solids scale-up with proven strategies.
Learn how to optimize granulation processes, improve product quality, and accelerate time-to-market with practical insights and real-world examples.
Scale-up in liquid processing
Mixing make-up, creams & ointments
Liquid processing is essential across cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and nutritional applications, including: Creams and lotions, oils and serums, and ointments and gels.
What makes scaling up liquids processing complex?
Liquid processes depend heavily on fluid dynamics, shear forces, and mixing performance, making scale-up particularly sensitive. Lab success does not automatically translate to production without careful adaptation.
Key success factors in liquid scale-up
Realistic lab conditions
- Align lab parameters with industrial capabilities
- Avoid unrealistic mixing speeds or shear rates
Key success factors in liquid scale-up
Similarity principles
- Geometric similarity: consistent tank and mixer design
- Kinematic similarity: constant tip speed for mixing and emulsification
- Dynamic similarity: matching power density and flow conditions
Managing scale-up trade-offs
Liquid scale-up requires balancing
- Flow behavior
- Gravitational vs inertial forces
Managing scale-up trade-offs
Liquid scale-up requires balancing
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- Energy input and product stability
This makes scale-up a carefully engineered compromise between competing factors.
Webinar: Liquid processing scale-up
Unlock expert knowledge on scaling mixing and emulsification processes.
Understand key principles, avoid common pitfalls, and optimize your transition from lab to production.
Frequently asked questions
Scale-up is the process of transferring formulations from laboratory to industrial production while maintaining consistency, efficiency, and product quality.
Scale-up ensures reproducibility, minimizes production risks, and enables faster commercialization of new products.
Geometry relations, kinematic, mixing dynamics, consistency in manufacturing surroundings, and consistency of raw material properties (e.g. sensitivity to moisture).
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