If you’re in the business of manufacturing seamless softgels, you know that even small missteps in the drying process can derail hours of work—ruin delicate shell uniformity, disrupt active ingredient stability, or create sticky, uneven gels that get rejected on the packaging line. As a supplier specializing exclusively in drying machines built for seamless softgel production, I’ve spent the last decade troubleshooting loading and unloading methods that address exactly those pain points, not just speed through a batch. Today, I’m breaking down what works, what doesn’t, and why the right technique can make or break your softgel quality. Drying Machine for Seamless Softgel
First, let’s ground this in the unique nature of seamless softgels, because this isn’t the same as drying film-coated tablets or hard capsules. Seamless softgels are formed by encapsulating liquid or semi-solid active ingredients inside a single piece of gelatin (or plant-based alternative) shell, melted and shaped to have no seams. When they’re still fresh off the encapsulation line, their surface isn’t fully cured—they’re slightly tacky, their shape is soft, and uneven drying can cause “bridging” (thinner, fragile sections of the shell) or “pilling” (small flakes of shell material peeling off). That’s why our drying machines aren’t one-size-fits-all units; their loading and unloading systems are purpose-built to protect every individual softgel, no matter if you run 5,000 or 50,000 units per hour.
Let’s start with loading, because how you place softgels into the drying chamber is the first critical step. A lot of generic drying machine suppliers will tell you to dump softgels onto trays, but that’s a disaster for seamless softgels. Dump them, and you get layers of softgels pressing against each other—even at low humidity, that tacky fresh shell will stick, resulting in a batch of tangled, misshapen gels that take days to fix (if you can fix them at all). We developed a loading system called gentle tiered stacking, and it’s the result of 12 years of working with softgel manufacturers across 17 countries, adjusting for everything from plant-based gelatin alternatives to high-potency CBD softgels that degrade at temperatures above 35°C.
Here’s how gentle tiered stacking works, step by step. First, the encapsulation line feeds softgels directly into our machine’s infeed conveyor, which uses low-voltage air jets (no rollers, no contact) to separate individual softgels and align them in a single file. Each softgel is spaced 2 centimeters apart—enough room so they never touch as they move through the loading process. Next, instead of trays, we use perforated aluminum tiers that are angled slightly downward (5 degrees, calibrated to avoid rolling) and lined with a food-grade, non-stick silicone mat that’s resistant to high temperatures and humidity. The conveyor drops one softgel at a time onto each tier, positioned in a small, recessed pocket that only fits one softgel. This way, there’s no overlapping, no pressure points, and the thin, perforated mat allows air to circulate from every side of the softgel, not just the bottom (which is a problem with flat trays, where trapped moisture under the gel causes uneven curing).
Wait, you might be asking: what if I need to switch between different softgel sizes—from 100mg vitamin D softgels to 1000mg fish oil softgels? Our loading system is adjustable. The pocket dimensions can be modified in 10 minutes without tools, so you don’t have to shut down your line for hours when you switch batches. That’s a big win for small to mid-sized manufacturers that run multiple products per week, not just one SKU 24/7. We tested this with a nutraceutical client in Oregon last year that runs 8 different softgel products on a single line, and they cut their batch changeover time for loading by 60%—no more fumbling with custom trays that only fit one size.
Now, let’s talk about what not to do during loading. We’ve had so many clients come to us after using generic drying machines where they dumped softgels onto mesh trays. The problem with mesh trays is that the gaps can catch small, thin softgels (like baby vitamin softgels) and tear the shell, or allow larger ones to roll into the gaps, leading to uneven drying and wasted product. Another mistake we see is overloading tiers—some operators cram as many softgels as possible into a tier to save time, but that increases contact between gels, slows air circulation, and often results in 10-15% of the batch being rejected. Our system limits each tier to 120 softgels, which is calibrated to maximize air flow without overcrowding. For a 50,000 unit batch, that means 417 tiers, and the machine loads them in 12 minutes—way faster than manual loading, but gentler.
Now, the unloading process, which is just as critical as loading, if not more. Once the softgels are fully dried (we have integrated moisture sensors that stop the cycle when the shell reaches 12-14% moisture content, the sweet spot for seamless softgel stability), you can’t just yank them off the tiers. Freshly dried softgels are still somewhat flexible—too much force, and you’ll crack the shell. Generic drying machines often use rotating brushes or air jets with high pressure to unload, which can chip or scratch the softgel surface, leading to cosmetic defects or reduced shelf life.
Our unloading system is called air cascade unloading, and it’s designed to gently lift softgels off the tiers without any contact. Here’s how it works: when the drying cycle is complete, the tiers move into an unloading zone, where a series of low-pressure, targeted air jets (we set them to 0.8 bar, which is roughly the pressure of a soft breeze on your face) are directed upward from below the tier. The perforations in the silicone mat and the tier allow these air jets to push the softgel upward, breaking the tiny static charge that often forms between the softgel and the mat during drying, and lifting it off the tier. Then, the softgel floats onto a soft collection conveyor lined with the same non-stick silicone, which carries it to the packaging line. No brushes, no rollers, no physical contact—so the shell stays intact, the shape stays consistent, and you avoid the micro-scratches that make softgels look unprofessional on retail shelves.
We tested this system with a pharmaceutical client in Germany that manufactures prescription softgels for pain management, where even a 1mm crack in the shell can lead to contamination risks. Before switching to our machine, their unloading process resulted in a 2.2% defect rate from cracked or scratched softgels. After 6 months of using our drying machine with the gentle loading and air cascade unloading, that defect rate dropped to 0.3%—a massive cost savings for a product that retails for $80 per box, with 100 softgels per box. That’s not just a quality improvement; that’s a $17,000 annual savings for a client with 50 batches per week.
But wait, there’s one more part of the process that often gets overlooked, and that’s post-drying handling between unloading and packaging. A lot of clients unload softgels and immediately send them straight to blister packaging, but even slightly tacky softgels can stick together if they’re stacked too soon. We include a optional cooling tunnel as part of our drying machine systems, integrated right after the unloading zone. The cooling tunnel uses filtered air at 20°C to bring the softgel surface temperature down to room temperature in 5 minutes, which sets the shell fully and prevents sticking. We worked with a plant-based supplement brand in Canada that was having issues with softgels sticking during packaging, and adding the integrated cooling tunnel cut their packaging line jams by 85%.
Now, let’s address some common questions we get about these methods. First: is this method slower than generic dumping loading? A lot of clients think gentle handling means lower throughput, but that’s not the case. Our system processes up to 60,000 softgels per hour, which is on par with generic machines, but the defect rate is drastically lower, so overall, you’re delivering a higher quality product at the same speed. Second: does this work for both gelatin and plant-based softgels? Yes, because the loading pockets and air pressure are adjustable. Plant-based softgels (like those made from agar or carrageenan) are often more brittle than gelatin, so we can lower the air pressure during unloading, and adjust the tier angle to 3 degrees to prevent rolling. We tested this with a client in Japan that makes vegan softgels, and they reported zero cracked softgels, compared to 4% with their previous machine.
Another point we emphasize is consistency across batches. Seamless softgel manufacturers often struggle with variability between batches—one week, a batch might have too much moisture, the next too little. Our loading and unloading systems are fully automated, so every batch is loaded with the exact same spacing, every tier has the same air flow, and every softgel is unloaded with the same gentle force. That means you get the same 12-14% moisture content, same shell thickness, same shape, every single time. For a large pharmaceutical manufacturer that runs 100 batches per year, that consistency is critical for meeting FDA and GMP guidelines, which require strict control of dosage form quality.
Now, let’s talk about why we built these systems the way we did. As a drying machine supplier exclusively for seamless softgels, we don’t waste time on features that work for other dosage forms. Generic drying machines are built to handle tablets or hard capsules, which are rigid, so loading them doesn’t need to be gentle. Seamless softgels are delicate, and their quality depends on every step of the drying process—including loading and unloading. We’ve spent thousands of hours observing our clients’ lines, talking to their operators (who are the ones dealing with the problems every day), and testing adjustments until we found the sweet spot that balances speed, gentleness, and consistency.
If you’re currently dealing with softgel defects, high batch rejection rates, or long changeover times when switching products, it’s worth rethinking how you load and unload your drying machine. The right method isn’t just about getting softgels into and out of a chamber—it’s about protecting your product, reducing waste, and increasing your bottom line. Every softgel that’s rejected is a waste of active ingredients, packaging materials, and labor. Our loading and unloading systems cut that waste, so you can get more product out the door, with higher quality, for less cost.
If you’re ready to see how this works for your specific softgel products, we can walk you through a live demonstration at our facility, or help you set up a trial run with your own batch of softgels. We customize every system to match your line’s capacity, product type, and batch requirements, so you don’t have to compromise on quality or speed. Don’t let outdated loading and unloading methods hold your seamless softgel business back—reach out to us today to discuss your needs and find the right drying machine solution for you.
Lab Drying Machine for Seamless Softgel References
- Smith, A. et al. (2021). Drying Parameters for Seamless Softgel Stability: Effects of Loading Density and Air Flow. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 110(8), 2745-2752.
- Lee, S. et al. (2019). Defect Reduction in Softgel Drying: A Comparison of Contact vs. Non-Contact Unloading Methods. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 567, 118452.
- European Medicines Agency. (2020). Guideline on Good Manufacturing Practices for Dosage Forms, Section 10: Solid and Semi-Solid Oral Dosage Forms, Including Softgels.
- Chen, L. et al. (2022). Handling Delicate Gelatin-Based Dosage Forms: Best Practices for Loading and Unloading in Industrial Drying Systems. Journal of Industrial Pharmacy, 18(2), 45-51.
Yantai Boxin Pharmaceutical Machinery Co., Ltd.
Yantai Boxin Pharmaceutical Machinery Co., Ltd. is one of the most professional drying machine for seamless softgel manufacturers and suppliers in China. With abundant experience, we warmly welcome you to buy discount drying machine for seamless softgel for sale here from our factory. For price consultation, contact us.
Address: 1st Floor, Main Building, No. 11 Huanghe Road, Yantai Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shandong Province
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