---
title: How Do Film Coating Materials Change Your Coating Process?
date: 2026-08-21T06:10:43Z
modified: 2026-08-31T07:10:44Z
permalink: "https://www.chinacanaan.com/blog/coating/film-coating-materials-process/"
type: post
status: publish
excerpt: ""
wpid: 6634
categories:
  - Coating
featured_image: "https://www.chinacanaan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/423312.webp"
featured_image_alt: Film coating materials and their impact on pharmaceutical coating equipment selection
timestamp: 2026-08-31T07:10:44Z
tags:
  - Coating
---

## **Quick Answer**

Film coating materials affect spray viscosity, drying speed, airflow, and other process settings. These requirements help determine the coating equipment and controls needed for consistent application. Canaan’s coating machines use adjustable spray configurations and airflow controls for standard, enteric, and controlled-release tablet coating applications.

## **What Role Do Film Coating Materials Play In The Process?**

Pharmaceutical film coating materials are not interchangeable inputs poured into the same machine settings, and they are only one of the [three types of pharmaceutical coating](https://www.chinacanaan.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/3-types-of-pharmaceutical-coating-sugar-film-and-enteric.md) a formulator might choose between. Each coating polymer pharmaceutical teams select, whether a ready-made premix like Opadry II or a pH-dependent Eudragit grade, has its own solubility profile, spray viscosity, and film-forming behavior, which changes how the coating machine needs to run.

A material that dissolves at a specific pH, rather than by simple erosion, needs tighter control over film thickness and uniformity, and that control comes from the machine’s spray pattern, drum rotation speed, and airflow.

### **What Polymer Fits Which Coating Goal?**

Different coating goals commonly use different polymer systems. Once the material is selected, its drying, viscosity, and solvent characteristics determine the machine settings and equipment features required.



| **Coating Goal** | **Common Polymer(s)** |
| --- | --- |
| Immediate release / aesthetic finish | HPMC coating systems, Opadry |
| Enteric protection | Eudragit L100, Eudragit S100 |
| Sustained release | Eudragit RS/RL, Kollicoat SR |
| Moisture protection | Opadry AMB |

Eudragit L100 and Eudragit S100 are the two enteric grades worth knowing apart: L100 dissolves at a lower pH than S100, so it releases earlier in the gastrointestinal tract. Eudragit RS/RL and Kollicoat SR work differently, slowing release over time rather than triggering at a set pH, which usually means a longer cycle time on the same equipment rather than a different machine.

![Eudragit L100 vs S100 comparison for enteric tablet film coating](https://www.chinacanaan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/4124.webp)

## **What Equipment Requirements Does Each Material Type Create?**

Equipment requirements follow directly from how a material behaves in the drum, not from its brand name. Five things tend to matter most once the polymer is chosen.



| **Material Or Line Behavior** | **Equipment Requirement** |
| --- | --- |
| Water-based HPMC coating | High inlet air temperature (roughly 60–80°C), strong moisture exhaust capacity, moderate spray rate |
| Organic solvent-based coating systems | Explosion-proof design, solvent handling, lower processing temperature where required |
| High-viscosity polymers (e.g., Eudragit vs. lower-viscosity Opadry) | Large-bore spray nozzles, higher atomization pressure |
| Aqueous vs. organic solvent systems | Interchangeable coating pan configured for the solvent system in use |
| Multi-product shared lines | WIP/CIP automatic cleaning to prevent cross-contamination between materials |

### **Why Inlet And Exhaust Air Temperature Control Matters**

Aqueous HPMC coating systems need high inlet air temperature and strong exhaust airflow to drive off water fast enough to keep the process on schedule. Organic-solvent-based Eudragit systems require appropriate solvent handling, ventilation, and explosion-protection measures, with process temperature and airflow selected according to the formulation and solvent properties.

### **Why Spray Gun Adjustment Needs To Happen Without Stopping The Line**

![Atomization spray nozzle showing droplet distribution for uniform pharmaceutical film coating](https://www.chinacanaan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/14124.webp)

Viscosity swings sharply between a low-viscosity Opadry solution and a higher-viscosity Eudragit dispersion, which means atomization pressure and nozzle orifice size both need to change between batches. A spray gun that adjusts remotely, without opening the drum or halting the run, keeps that changeover from becoming downtime. Canaan’s explainer on [how a coating machine works](https://www.chinacanaan.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/how-does-a-coating-machine-work.md) walks through the spray gun, drum, and airflow components in more detail.

### **Why Pan Design And Cleaning Follow The Solvent System**

An aqueous film coating run and an organic solvent run don’t always suit the same coating pan configuration, which is why an interchangeable pan option matters on a shared line. Between batches, WIP or CIP automatic cleaning removes residue from the prior material before the next one goes in, which is what actually prevents cross-contamination on a multi-product line.

So, after selecting the right material, choosing the right equipment is essential for a successful coating process.

## **How Does Canaan’s BGX Series Support Material-Driven Coating Decisions?**

Canaan is the first company in solid dosage equipment manufacturing to be listed on the A-share market, with decades of engineering work behind its coating machine range. The BGX Series spans five drum sizes, from BGX75 to BGX600, with PLC-controlled inlet air temperature, remote [spray gun](https://www.chinacanaan.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/how-to-use-the-spray-gun-of-the-fluid-bed-dryer-correctly.md) adjustment, a no-dead-angle CIP system, and an optional [interchangeable coating pan](https://www.chinacanaan.com/products/bgx-series-coater-interchangeble-coating-pan/), covering the equipment needs each material type creates above.

Explore Canaan’s [BGX Series coater](https://www.chinacanaan.com/products/bgx-series-coater/) to see how its coating controls and configurations fit different production requirements.

 Hero Product Highlight [ ![BGX Series Coater – Automatic Spray Gun Adjustment](https://canaan.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/d199139dd4fc85cbe0f5.png)

BGX Series Coater – Automatic Spray Gun Adjustment

 **Core Advantages:** Easy and safe to operate, intelligent and convenient use, stable process, and high production efficiency. 

 View Product 

 ](https://www.chinacanaan.com/products/bgx-series-coater/#pmain)## **Frequently Asked Questions**

### **Does the type of film coating material really change the equipment needed?**

Yes. Spray viscosity, drying speed, and film-forming behavior all vary by material, which affects spray gun settings, drum airflow, and cycle time on the coating machine.

### **What is the main functional difference between Eudragit L100 and S100?**

Both are pH-dependent enteric polymers, but they dissolve at different pH thresholds, which changes where in the digestive tract the coating releases the drug.

### **Why does an organic-solvent-based Eudragit coating need different equipment than a water-based HPMC coating?**

Organic solvents require explosion-proof design and solvent recovery at lower processing temperatures, while water-based systems need stronger moisture exhaust and higher inlet air temperature to dry effectively.

### **Why does spray gun adjustment matter between batches of different viscosity?**

A low-viscosity material and a high-viscosity material need different atomization pressure and nozzle orifice settings. Remote adjustment lets a line change between them without stopping the machine.

[Get Free Quote](https://www.chinacanaan.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/page/contact.md)



[ Hello, and welcome to Canaan. 

 This article comes from the **Canaan Team**, a pharmaceutical equipment manufacturer with decades of experience serving the global pharma industry. 

 Looking for a practical answer for your production process? **We’re happy to help.** 

 Talk with the Canaan Team **→** 

 

 ![Canaan pharmaceutical equipment manufacturer](https://canaan.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/475cff2e2a9300c54760-scaled-e1720060479383.jpg) ](https://www.chinacanaan.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/page/contact.md)