From Full-Width to Stripe Coating: Scaling ODF Yield

Oral dissolvable films (ODFs) are moving beyond early “single-formula, single-flavour” concepts toward more complex, market-oriented products: fixed-dose combinations, multi-vitamin blends, multi-flavour and multi-colour layouts, functional zones and even shared platforms with transdermal patches.

At this stage, the core challenge is no longer merely “can we make an ODF?”, but: can we scale it in a way that is stable, verifiable, repeatable and cost-controlled?

Once an ODF project enters pilot and commercial scale, production teams repeatedly face the same questions:

• Is material utilisation (yield) under control?
• Can multi-formula or multi-flavour concepts run in a continuous mode instead of many separate batch steps?
• Can drying meet quality requirements while keeping energy consumption reasonable?
• When customers request dual-layer or parallel production, can the line be upgraded modularly, not by simply adding more hardware and power?

HUANGHAI’s approach to ODF coating and drying focuses on two key technologies designed around exactly these scale-up pain points: multi-formula stripe coating (up to two formulas per layer) and hot-air drying with optional far-infrared enhancement. These concepts are described in more detail on our ODF patented solution page and within our broader pharma-grade ODF solutions .

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Pain Points in Scaling ODF Production

Pain Point 1: Fixed Losses from Full-Width Coating Make Yield Hard to Improve

Traditional full-width coating covers the entire web and then relies on downstream slitting to define the final strip size. Even when the process is stable, edge trim, side waste and unusable regions create a structural loss. If thickness variation or local drying issues occur, problems such as sticking, film cracking or other defects further erode yield.

For commercial ODF projects, yield is not a “nice to have” – it is a hard parameter that directly shapes unit cost and profitability.

Pain Point 2: Multi-Formula / Multi-Flavour Demand, But Multi-Layer Batch Processes

As demand for multi-formula, multi-flavour and multi-colour films grows, many setups still rely on sequential multi-layer coating: coat one layer, dry it, then coat the next. This can deliver functional stacking, but it usually results in:

• lower throughput and more complex scheduling,
• higher validation and cleaning costs,
• greater risk that small variations in R&D become stability issues at production scale.

In our benchmarking, typical competitor concepts support more “manual multi-layer” approaches where each layer must be fully dried before the next formula can be applied.

Pain Point 3: “More Power” Used to Chase Drying Speed – But OPEX Becomes a Long-Term Burden

Drying is the main energy consumer in an ODF line. To push apparent capacity, some designs favour higher installed power and more aggressive heating. The problem is:

• greater power does not automatically deliver lower energy consumption per unit output (kWh per film),
• a harsher thermal history can create additional challenges for thermally sensitive APIs and excipients.

In commercial operation, this turns into long-term OPEX pressure rather than a one-off design choice.

Pain Point 4: Growing Requests for Dual-Layer and Parallel Production, But Traditional Path = More Lines

When customers want dual-layer structures or the ability to run both ODFs and transdermal patches on the same platform, the traditional answer is often: build another line. That means higher CAPEX, more floor space and a much larger validation workload.

By contrast, HUANGHAI offers next-generation ODF platforms that can be configured as dual-application systems for ODFs and transdermal patches, sharing core modules and using change parts instead of entirely separate lines.

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HUANGHAI’s Approach

Solution A: Multi-Formula Stripe Coating – Minimising Ineffective Coated Area

HUANGHAI’s multi-formula stripe coating technology is designed around material utilisation. Within a single coating layer, the system can apply up to two different formulas in parallel stripes with adjustable proportions. If more than two formulas are needed, additional layers can be added after drying.

For production, this delivers two key benefits:

• Clearer yield path: stripe coating reduces unnecessary coated area from the outset, creating a structural opportunity for higher material utilisation.
• Continuous processing for complex products: “multi-formula” can become a single-pass process option instead of a long chain of separate steps.

For a deeper technical explanation of this concept, see our multi-formula stripe coating patented solution .

Solution B: Hot-Air Drying with Gradient Temperature – Focusing on Energy Utilisation, Not Just Installed Power

Our comparison data contrasts typical “oven-style upper and lower heating plates” with HUANGHAI’s hot-air drying tunnel. For ODF drying, we emphasise a “hot-to-milder” gradient along the tunnel: hot air is far better suited to a smooth temperature profile than stepwise plate heating, which often requires heavy manual tuning.

On top of this, HUANGHAI can optionally integrate far-infrared heating. Internal studies indicate that this can improve drying efficiency by approximately 20–30%, further increasing line capacity at a given level of power input.

Translated into customer language:

• We aim for better energy utilisation per unit output, not simply higher installed power.
• For a given throughput target, the closer the drying profile follows the actual solvent removal path, the easier it is to maintain quality while reducing long-term electricity costs.
• Whether “saving tens of thousands in electricity per year” is realistic depends on local tariffs, annual operating hours, solvent system, target residual moisture and capacity. We recommend using a transparent calculation: (energy-per-unit difference × annual output × electricity price), supported by operating assumptions.

Solution C: Matching Coating and Cutting/Packaging – Building Practical Lines Across Capacity Levels

HUANGHAI’s documentation lists key equipment and indicative capacities:

• MJ150 ODF coating line: around 20,000 films per hour
• MJ150-L ODF coating line: around 8,000–10,000 films per hour
• MJF180 automatic cutting and packaging: around 11,900 films per hour
• EZ320 semi-automatic cutting and packaging: around 9,000 films per hour

This allows two clear pathways from trial to commercial scale:

• R&D and small-scale pilot: MJ150-L + EZ320 – prioritising flexibility, learning and lower initial investment.
• High-volume commercial production: MJ150 + MJF180 – prioritising throughput, automation and overall equipment effectiveness.

These configurations are part of HUANGHAI’s broader pharmaceutical film manufacturing solutions , which cover liquid preparation, coating, drying, cutting and packaging as an integrated chain.

Solution D: Dual-Application Platform for ODFs and Transdermal Patches

HUANGHAI can provide an integrated platform that supports both ODFs and transdermal patches. Core modules are shared; product change-over is achieved with two sets of partial change parts, and typical change-over time is around two working days.

Beyond equipment, HUANGHAI works with national-level pharmaceutical engineering teams in China to support formulation R&D for transdermal delivery systems and to deliver end-to-end solutions from development to production.

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Conclusion: A More Robust Engineering Route for Scalable ODF Manufacturing

Once an ODF project moves into scale-up and commercial production, a route built around stripe coating, multi-formula capability, high-efficiency drying and modular expansion becomes a more robust engineering choice:

• Yield: structurally reduced ineffective coated area creates room for higher material utilisation.
• Complex products, continuous flow: multi-formula products can move from many batch steps to single-pass options.
• Energy: long-term OPEX is optimised through drying-path design and energy utilisation, not only by increasing installed power.
• Platform reuse: ODFs and transdermal patches can share a common platform, avoiding duplicated investment and validation effort.

If you are evaluating a scalable ODF line, it is helpful to prepare six key input parameters:

• solvent system, solids content and viscosity,
• target film thickness and residual moisture,
• final strip size,
• target throughput,
• whether multi-formula or dual-layer capability is required,
• whether you plan to reuse the platform for transdermal patches.

Based on this information, HUANGHAI can propose an initial configuration and a framework for estimating yield and energy consumption across realistic operating conditions.

To discuss your specific ODF or transdermal project, please contact HUANGHAI .