Application of Model Based Predictive Control for a Rotary Tablet Press

Recently, the pharmaceutical manufacturing is going through a transition from classic batch manufacturing to continuous manufacturing, that is a faster as well as a more effective approach. The presented work establishes the foundation for cutting-edge advanced Quality-by-Control model-based predictive control strategies applied on a continuous manufacturing rotary tablet press process. Advanced model predictive control strategies are capable in facilitating the switch to Industry 4.0 by assuring a Quality-by-Control approach. To control the continuous manufacturing of solid dosage forms within the pharma industry different advanced model based predictive control strategies including unconstrained as well as constrained MPC are developed and implemented. The model that is used to design the control strategies is calibrated and validated by using actual data taken from a pilot plant. The results present good performances of the developed controllers: increased efficiency of the process as well as flexibility, a decrease in the environmental impact even when accounting for uncertainties in the process, measurement sensor noise as well as disturbances