KR19990066977A - Molding strip calendar - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing flat blanks, in particular tablets, from product materials containing active substances by melt calendering. For this purpose, the charging device conveys the product material to one or more pairs of rollers consisting of two calender rollers capable of rotation in the opposite direction. The apparatus includes a circulating molding strip that is guided between two rollers and includes a recess for receiving a product material on its surface.

Description

Molding strip calendar

The present invention relates to molding machines and methods for producing flat molded articles, in particular tablets, from product compositions containing the active ingredient.

A known method of making tablets is melt calendering. This type of method is described, for example, in DE-A 17 66 546 and US-A 4,880,585. The principle of this method is to embed the active ingredient in a carrier such as a fatty material or a melt of a water soluble, thermoplastic polymer. The melt is prepared, for example, by a mixture of the active ingredient, the polymer and, if appropriate, other auxiliaries which are melted in an extruder and molded into tablets in the downstream forming calender as a melt which is cured by cooling. The forming calendar comprises a pair of counterrotating forming rolls having engravings (depressions) corresponding to half the shape of the tablet required on its surface. Tablet molding occurs by combining the tablet composition in the depression of one roll with the tablet composition in the opposite depression of another roll in the contact area of the two rolls.

However, this method for preparing tablets has disadvantages. Thus, for example, the structure of the roll is very complicated. The depressions are cut into rolls and in most cases have to be subsequently polished to obtain the smoothest tablet surface. The production of such rolls is expensive because the depressions must be introduced very precisely. This is because the rolls must be adjusted so that the two depressions always oppose as accurately as possible. This condition is particularly difficult to achieve when the depression is very small.

In addition, such a molding machine is inflexible, for example, if it is desired to produce different tablet shapes and / or sizes with the same molding machine, since this is only possible by replacement and fine readjustment of the entire roll. However, great flexibility regarding different tablet sizes and shapes is required, in particular, for molding machines for tablet manufacture in the drug art.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a molding machine for tablet manufacture on the one hand, which is cheaper than known molding machines and on the other hand, provides greater flexibility. Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple and flexible method for the preparation of tablets.

The inventors have found that this object is passed between two rolls of one or more charging means for supplying a product composition containing the active ingredient, one or more rolls consisting of two counterrotating calender rolls and a pair of rolls and on its surface It has finally been found that this is achieved by a molding machine for producing a flat molded article from a product composition containing the active ingredient, including a circulating molded belt, preferably a continuous belt, with a recess in which the product composition is accommodated.

The roll is arranged to have a slit passage between its outer surfaces. In addition, the shortest distance between the outer surfaces of the roll pair actually corresponds to the thickness of the forming belt. The product composition is fed as a wide product ribbon, preferably parallel to the direction of movement of the forming belt relative to the trough hollow between the two rolls. The forming belt and product composition are also passed into the narrowing area between the calender rolls while the product composition is forced into depressions in the forming belt. Moreover, the spacing between the rolls effectively determines the pressure exerted on the product composition and thus the thickness of the molded article produced in this way.

The use of forming belts results in significantly greater flexibility in the manufacture of tablets. Different tablet shapes or sizes can now be produced by simply replacing the molding belt of the molding machine, while the same press roll can also be used for different tablet sizes. Moreover, the molding machine can now be made cheaper since only one depression per tablet is required so that the depression in the forming belt no longer needs to be introduced with high precision. Fine adjustment of the components movable in the opposite direction becomes unnecessary.

Molding belts made of plastic are economical, in particular, since it is possible to produce recesses in them by molding. In this case, it is of course necessary to pay attention to whether the plastic is dimensionally stable at the temperatures that occur during the manufacture of the tablets. The molded article produced in this way has a flat surface formed by the press roll, but the opposing surface is determined by the shape of the depression in the forming belt. In a particularly simple and economical embodiment, the depression is a continuous opening in the forming belt. In this embodiment, the opening is preferably created by perforation and it is possible to produce all the desired tablet forms depending on the perforator used. In this embodiment the product composition, which is forced into the mold during tablet manufacture, comes into contact with both outer surfaces of the calender roll pair, in which case the tablets produced have two flat surfaces.

It is apparent that depressions or openings in the forming belt are introduced in such a way that the product composition can be converted to a manufactured molded article with minimal loss.

Recesses or openings which are preferably used include those that are circular, elliptical or hexagonal when viewed from above.

The opening may also have a bar that is made, for example, by a corresponding notch in the perforation on its peripheral surface so that a tablet with a score can be made.

The forming belt may be made of any desired material, but may preferably be made of metal, particularly preferably of steel, plastic or rubber. If a forming belt of relatively hard material is used, the thickness of the belt actually corresponds to the desired thickness of the tablet. Thus, thicker tablets require thicker belts, which may be in the form of segmented belts, where appropriate to allow easier passage around the deflection rollers of the molding machine. However, it is also possible to use molded belts of flexible material, which may be thicker than the desired thickness of the tablet. In this case, the forming belt is especially thicker than the slit between the calender rolls. As the forming belt is introduced between the rolls, the forming belt is gradually compressed so that different pressures can be applied on the tablet molded article according to the discrete distance of the calender rolls.

The calender rolls preferably have a smooth outer surface. However, if a tablet molded article with increased surface area is desired, for example a calender roll with a specific roughness on the surface can be considered.

Temperature controlled calender rolls are advantageously used. This is because if a product composition is used that is plastic at high temperatures and becomes solid upon cooling, it would be desirable to use a cold calender roll. On the other hand, product compositions which are plastic in the wet state and solid in the dry state are known, in which case a heatable calender roll will preferably be used. Thus, rolls are used to cool or dry the product composition. The product composition is in thermal contact with these rolls for a different time depending on the diameter of the roll. Press rolls are preferably multi-purpose tools that are thermally conductive, stable to compressive forces, and inert to the materials used. The distance between the rolls can be adjusted to form different contact pressures.

In a simple embodiment, the molding machine has only one charging means for the product composition. However, it may also be desirable to prepare a multilayer tablet such that, for example, another embodiment may have a plurality of loading means for making a plurality of product ribbons. The product ribbon can be fed simultaneously to a pair of rolls. However, it is also possible for the forming belt to pass through a plurality of pairs of rolls, in which case different product ribbons are continuously fed to each roll pair. In this case, the distance between the roll pairs will preferably be adjusted such that the contact pressure is lowest for the first roll pair and highest for the final roll pair. In this case, the tablet produced in this way is a multilayer tablet.

However, it is also conceivable to coat the tablets with a protective thin film, for example a diffusion resistant polymer, to achieve a special release of the active ingredient. It is possible to produce a dissolving protective film which releases the active ingredient only under special environmental conditions (eg related to pH or temperature). The coating may also serve as a flavor mask or light stabilizer. If the tablets must all be coated with a protective film, this will generally be carried out in individual subsequent steps using known coating methods. However, it is also possible according to the invention to feed one or two film webs together with the melt into the roll batch in such a way that the melt is located between the two film webs. This appears as a tablet provided with a suitable protective film on its upper and / or lower surface. The upper and lower protective films need not be the same. In the case of multilayer tablets, the protective film can, for example, result in different releases of the active ingredient.

Extruders and / or heatable filling wedges are used as preferred charging means.

The molding machine according to the invention can be used to continuously manufacture tablet or pellet shaped articles. The molding machine is very versatile because the basic roll device remains unchanged and only the molding belt needs to be replaced. Depending on the molding belt used and the dimensions of the depressions or openings, the range of products that can be produced ranges from very small pelletized products to tablets of 1 g or more. The molded article has a corner angle of 90 ° or less, which facilitates, in particular, deflashing tablets using brittle product compositions. The openings in the forming belt are preferably discrete so that no paired tablets occur during manufacture. Thus, subsequent screening of the tablets is unnecessary.

Friction coupling with the press roll drive means that no separate drive of the forming belt is required. The length of the forming belt can vary within wide limits. It is proved particularly advantageous that this makes it possible to extend the residence time of the tablets in the mold as required so that the discharge of uncooled (uncured) tablets is suppressed.

After leaving the calender roll, removal of the product from the forming belt is possible in a simple manner through the deflection of the roller or, if appropriate, through the use of spike rolls. This is particularly true in the case of shaped belts with continuous openings in this case since the tablets are accessible from the top and bottom and can be easily pushed out of the belt.

Flat molded articles obtainable using shaped belt calenders are particularly suitable for use as tablets. In this regard, in particular, IR tablets, ie (rapid release) tablets which rapidly release the active ingredient, SR tablets, (released release) tablets which release the active ingredient slowly, delayed release tablets, ie delayed release of the active ingredient Tablets, sublingual tablets, pastilles or soluble tablets prepared to dissolve at the "under tongue" are suitable because the active ingredient is absorbed through the oral mucosa.

Tablets that can be produced in this way can of course be used in the drug or food sector (eg in the form of vitamin tablets), but crop protection and application in various industries are also contemplated.

The invention also allows a forming belt having depressions to pass between the counter-rotating rolls of a pair of calender rolls, wherein at least one product strand consisting of the product composition containing the active ingredient is preferably formed as a wide ribbon, which product strand Is fed into the roll pair and is forced into the depression as the product composition is introduced between the rolls of the roll pair, and the molded article is removed from the depression after passing through the roll pair, to produce a flat molded article from the product composition containing the active ingredient. It is about how to. The contact pressure required to compress the product composition is fixed in advance by adjusting the distance of the two discrete rolls. The discrete distance of the rolls, ie the shortest distance between their outer surfaces, should preferably not be larger than the thickness of the forming belt used. In particular in the case of forming belts which are elastic, it is possible for the slits between the rolls to be chosen clearly smaller than the thickness of the belt so that higher pressure can be applied to the product composition.

In another embodiment of the method according to the invention, the product ribbon passes through a plurality of continuous pairs of rolls. It is also possible to form a plurality of different product strands fed simultaneously to a pair of rolls or continuously fed to a plurality of pairs of rolls. As a variant of this embodiment, multilayered melts with the required layer order of later purification, even in the melt, can be produced by coextrusion.

The product composition is plastic when hot or wet, depending on the tablet required. Depending on the mode of manufacture, the roll pair will be heated or cooled to obtain a solid, dimensionally stable tablet.

Tablets are prepared from a mixture containing one or more pharmaceutically active ingredients and one or more conventional auxiliaries and which become extrudable because they become pastey or tacky due to melting or softening of one or more ingredients.

This is especially true for pharmacologically acceptable polymers (the glass transition temperature of the mixture is lower than the decomposition temperature of all components in the mixture), for example polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) Copolymer of vinyl acetate with vinyl acetate, copolymer of vinyl acetate with crotonic acid, partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer, polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate and acrylic acid Copolymers with cellulose esters, cellulose esters, cellulose ethers, polyethylene glycols or polyethylenes. The K value of the polymer (according to H. Fikentscher, Cellulose-Chemie 13 (1932), 58-64 and 71-74) is 10 to 100, preferably 12 to 70, in particular 12 to 35, of PVP In this case, it is preferably 12 to 35, in particular 12 to 17.

The polymeric binder must be softened or melted in the complete mixture of all the components at 50 to 180 ° C., preferably 60 to 130 ° C., so that the composition is extrudable. Therefore, the glass transition temperature of the mixture should be less than 180 ° C, preferably 130 ° C. If necessary, it is a common pharmacologically acceptable plastic aid, for example long chain alcohol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, trimethylolpropane, triethylene glycol, butanediol, pentanol, hexanol, polyethylene glycol, silicone, aromatic carboxyl Acid esters (eg, dialkyl phthalates, trimellitic acid esters, benzoic acid esters, terephthalic acid esters) or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid esters (eg, dialkyl adipates, sebacic acid esters, azelaic acid esters, citric acid esters) And tartaric acid esters) or fatty acid esters.

Examples of conventional pharmaceutical auxiliaries, the total amount of which may be up to 100% of the polymer weight, are

Extenders or bulking agents, for example silicates or diatomaceous earth, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, stearic acid or salts thereof, for example magnesium or calcium salts, methylcellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, talc, sucrose, lactose, Cereal starch or corn starch, potato starch, polyvinyl alcohol (in particular, the concentration is 0.02 to 50%, preferably 0.20 to 20% of the total amount of the mixture);

Lubricants such as aluminum stearate and calcium stearate, talc and silicone (concentrations are from 0.1 to 5%, preferably 0.1 to 3% of the total amount of the mixture);

Dyes such as azo dyes, natural organic or inorganic pigments (inorganic pigments are present at a concentration of 0.001 to 10%, preferably 0.5 to 3%) of the total amount of the mixture;

In particular, glidants in hydrogenated form and solid at room temperature, such as animal or vegetable fats (these fats preferably have a melting point of at least 50 ° C. Triglycerides of C ₁₂ , C ₁₄ , C ₁₆ and C ₁₈ fatty acids are preferred. It is also possible to use waxes, for example carnauba wax, these fats and waxes may advantageously be mixed alone or in combination with mono- and / or diglycerides or phospholipids, in particular lecithin. And diglycerides are preferably derived from the fatty acid types described above: The total amount of fats, waxes, mono- and diglycerides and / or lecithins is from 0.1 to 30%, preferably from the total amount of the composition for each layer. 0.1 to 5%); And

Stabilizers such as antioxidants, light stabilizers, hydroperoxide destroyers, radical scavengers and stabilizers against microbial attack.

It is also possible to add wetting agents, preservatives, disintegrants, absorbents, mold release agents and propellants (see, for example, H. Sucker et al., Pharmazeutische Technologie, Thieme-Verlag, Stuttgart 1978).

Auxiliaries also mean substances which produce a solid solution with a pharmaceutically active ingredient for the purposes of the present invention. Examples of these auxiliaries include pentaerythritol and pentaerythritol tetraacetate, polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene oxide and their block copolymers (poloxamers), phospholipids such as lecithin, vinylpyrrolidone alone And copolymers, surfactants, for example polyoxyethylene 40 stearate, and citric acid and succinic acid, bile acids, sterols and for example in JL Ford, Pharm. Acta Helv. 61 (1986) 69-88 There are other materials described.

In addition, additions of bases and acids to control the solubility of the active ingredient are considered as pharmaceutical auxiliaries (see, eg, K. Thoma et al., Pharm. Ind. 51 (1989) 98-101).

The only requirement for the suitability of the support is proper thermal stability.

Pharmaceutically active ingredients for the purposes of the present invention mean all substances having certain pharmaceutical effects and minimal side effects, as long as they are not degraded under processing conditions. The amount and concentration of active ingredient per dosage unit can range over a wide range depending on the release efficacy and rate. The only condition is to meet their achievement of the desired effect. Accordingly, the concentration of the active ingredient may range from 0.1 to 95% by weight, preferably 20 to 80% by weight, in particular 30 to 70% by weight. It is also possible to use combinations of active ingredients, for example ibuprofen / caffeine. Active ingredients for the purposes of the present invention include vitamins and minerals as well as crop treatments and insecticides. Vitamins include, in addition to B ₁ , B ₂ , B ₆ and B ₁₂ , vitamins of group A, group B and nicotinic acid and nicotinamide, compounds with vitamin B properties, such as adenine, choline, pantothenic acid, biotin, adenylic acid, Folic acid, orotic acid, pangamic acid, carnitine, p-aminobenzoic acid, myo-inositol and lipoic acid, and vitamins C, D, E, F, H, I and J, K and P Vitamins are included. Active ingredients for the purposes of the present invention also include peptide therapeutics.

The process according to the invention is suitable for treating the following active ingredients:

Acebutolol, acetylcysteine, acetylsalicylic acid, acyclovir, alprazolam, alpha calcidol, allantoin, allopurinol, ambroxol, amikacin, amylolide, aminoacetic acid, amiodarone, amitriptyline, Amlodipine, amoxicillin, ampicillin, ascorbic acid, aspartame, astemazole, atenolol, beclomethasone, bencerazide, benzalkonium hydrochloride, benzocaine, benzoic acid, betamethasone, bezafibrate, biotin, biferidene , Bisoprolol, bromazepam, brominehexine, bromocriptine, budesonide, bupesa film, buflomedil, buspyrone, caffeine, camphor, captopril, carbamazepine, carbidopa, carboplatin, cepha Chlor, cephalexin, cepharoxil, cefazoline, seppicsim, cephataxim, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cepuroxime, selegiline, chloramphenicol, chlorhexidine, chlorpheniramine, chlortalidone, choline, Closporin, Cilastatin, Cimetidine, Ciprofloxacin, Cisapride, Cisplatin, Clarithromycin, Clavulanic Acid, Clomibramine, Clonazepam, Clonidine, Clotrimazole, Codeine, Cholestyramine, Chromoglic acid, Cyan Nocobalamin, Cyproterone, Desogestrel, Dexamethasone, Dexpanthenol, Dextromethorphan, Dextropropoxyphene, Diazepam, Diclofenac, Digoxin, Dihydrocodeine, Dihydroergotamine, Dihydroergotoxin, Dilthia Gems, diphenhydramine, dipyridamole, dipyrone, disopyramid, domperidone, dopamine, doxycycline, enalapril, ephedrine, epinephrine, ergocalciferol, ergotamine, erythromycin, estradiol, ethynylestra Diols, etoposides, Eucalyptus globulus, famotidine, felodipine, fenofibrate, fenoterol, fentanyl, flavin-mono nucleus Leotard, fluconazole, flunarizine, fluorouracil, fluoxetine, flurbiprofen, furosemide, gallopamil, gemfibrozil, gentamicin, ginkgo biloba, glybenclamide, glycopy Gide, Clozapine, Glycyrrhiza Glabra, Griseofulvin, Guapefenin, Haloperidol, Heparin, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrochlorothiazide, Hydrocodone, Hydrocortisone, Hydromorphone, Yiphratropium hydroxide, Ibuprofen, Imiphenem, Indomethacin, Iohexol, Iopamidol, Isosorbide Diisosorbide, Isosorbide Monohydrate, Isotretinoin, Ketotifen, Ketoconazole, Ketoprofen, Ketorolac, Labetalol, Lactulose, Lecithin, Levocarnitine, Levodopa, Levoglutamide, Levonorgestrel, Levothyroxine, Lidocaine, Lipase, Imipramine, Lisinopril, Loperamide, Lorazepam, Lovastatin, Medlock Progesterone, menthol, methotrexate, methyldopa, methylprednisolone, metoclopramide, metoprolol, myconazole, midazolam, minocycline, minoxidil, microprostol, morphine, multivitamin mixture or combination and mineral salts, N-methyl Ephedrine, naphthydrofuryl, naproxen, neomycin, nicardipine, nisergoline, nicotinamide, nicotine, nicotinic acid, nifedipine, nimodipine, nitrazepam, natrendipine, nizatidine, noethosterone, norfloxacin , Norgestrel, nortriptyline, nistatin, opfloxacin, omeprazole, ondansetron, pancreatin, panthenol, pantothenic acid, paracetamol, penicillin G, penicillin V, phenobarbital, pentoxifylline, phenoxymethylphenicillin, phenylephrine, Phenylpropanolamine, phenytoin, pyroxicam, polymyxin B, povidone-iodine, pravastatin, prazepam, prazosin, prednisolone, Red Nison, Bromocriptine, Propofenone, Propranolol, Proxiphyl, Pseudoephedrine, Pyridoxine, Quinidine, Ramipril, Lanitidine, Reserpine, Retinol, Riboflavin, Rifampicin, Rutoside, Saccharin, Salbutamol, Salcatonin , Salicylic acid, simvastatin, somatotropin, sotalol, spironolactone, sucralate, sulbactam, sulfamethoxazole, sulfasalazine, sulfide, tamoxifen, tegapur, teprenon, terazosine, terbutalin Terpenadine, tetracycline, theophylline, thiamine, ticlopidine, timolol, tranexamic acid, tretinoin, triamcinolone acetonide, triamterene, trimetaprim, troxerutine, uracil, valproic acid, vancomycin, verapamil, vitamin E, folic acid, zidobudine.

Preferred active ingredients are ibuprofen (as racemate, enantiomer or enriched enantiomer), ketoprofen, flubiprofen, acetylsalicylic acid, verapamil, paracetamol, nifedipine or captopril.

In some cases, a solid solution can be formed. The term "solid solution" is familiar to those skilled in the art, for example, from the literature cited at the outset. In a solid solution of a pharmaceutical active ingredient in the polymer, the active ingredient is present in the polymer dispersed state in the polymer.

The pharmaceutical mixture is then melted in a conventional manner, preferably in an extruder and fed to the forming belt calender, as described, for example, in US Pat. No. 4,880,585. If necessary, the tablet is cooled after calendering, for example in air or in a cooling bath.

For sticky or highly viscous materials that are only difficult to separate from the mold or no separation at all, it is convenient to use a release agent, for example silicone oil or silicone paint.

Preferred embodiments of the molding machine according to the invention are illustrated by the accompanying drawings below.

1 is a schematic diagram of a forming belt calendar according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a detailed longitudinal sectional view according to the first embodiment of the forming belt passed between the calender rolls of the molding machine from FIG. 1; FIG.

3 is a detailed longitudinal cross-sectional view as in FIG. 2 of a second embodiment of a forming belt;

1 shows a forming belt calendar 10 according to the invention, having a forming belt 12 that passes between calendar rolls 14, 16 and passes through a deflection roll 18. The extruder 20 is used to produce a plastic product composition, which is preferably produced as a wide product ribbon 22. The calender rolls 14, 16, the forming belt 12 and the product ribbon 22 preferably have substantially the same width. The direction of circulation of the forming belt 12 and the direction of rotation of the rolls 14 and 16 are indicated by arrows. The product ribbon 22 is fed into the trough depression 26 between the rolls 14 and 16 parallel to the direction of movement of the forming belt 12.

The forming belt 12 has a depression 24 or opening 30 on its surface, in particular, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

2 shows a first embodiment of a molding machine according to the invention in which the forming belt 12 has a depression 24. The product composition 22 is forced into the depression 24 of the forming belt 12 as the forming belt 12 and the product composition 22 pass together into the narrowing slit between the rolls 14 and 16. For example, if the product composition is supplied in a hot, plastic state, it is possible to cool one or more of the rolls 14, 16 so that the product composition cools as it passes between the rolls in the depression 24, and then A solid molded article 28 is produced that can be removed from the depression.

3 shows the forming belt 12 of FIG. 3 with a continuous opening 30 that is forced while the product composition 22 is passed between the rolls 14 and 16 of the molding machine, according to another embodiment of the present invention. It is the same detailed view as FIG. 2 of the shaping | molding belt calendar which concerns on this invention shown in FIG. The molded article 28 produced in this case has two smooth surfaces. The opening 30 in the forming belt 12 is preferably created by drilling the forming belt. As demonstrated from FIG. 3, the resulting molded article 28 has a corner angle that is substantially 90 °. All protruding product compositions can be easily deflated in the case of tablets molded in this way.

Claims (19)

Between at least one charging means 20 for feeding the product composition 22 containing the active ingredient, at least one pair of rolls 14 and 16 consisting of two counterrotating calender rolls, and between two rolls 14 and 16 A molding machine for producing a flat molded article (28) from a product composition (22) containing the active ingredient, having a circulation molding belt (12) having a continuous opening (30) through which the product composition is received. 2. The molding machine according to claim 1, wherein the opening (30) is circular, elliptical or hexagonal. 3. The molding machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the opening (30) has a bar directed inward to form a score in the molded article on its periphery. 4. The molding machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the forming belt (12) is made of metal, plastic or rubber material. 5. The molding machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the thickness of the forming belt (12) is at least as large as the required thickness of the molded article (28). The molding machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the calender rolls (14, 16) have a smooth outer surface. The molding machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the temperature of the calender rolls (14, 16) can be controlled. 8. The molding machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacing between the pair of rolls (14, 16) can be changed such that various contact pressures can be produced. 9. The molding machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the molding machine (10) has a plurality of charging means (20) for different product compositions. 10. The molding machine according to claim 9, wherein product strands (22) made of different product compositions are fed simultaneously into a pair of rolls. 10. The molding machine according to claim 9, wherein product strands (22) made of different product compositions are fed in a continuous pair of rolls. The molding machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the charging means (20) is an extruder and / or a heatable filling wedge. A forming belt with a continuous opening is passed between the counterrotating rolls of a pair of calender rolls, The required contact pressure of the two rolls is set, One or more product strands are formed which consist of a composition containing the active ingredient, As the product strands are fed in roll pairs, the product composition is forced into the openings, The molded article is removed from the opening A method for producing a flat molded article from a product composition containing the active ingredient. The method of claim 13, wherein the product ribbon is passed between the plurality of pairs of rolls. 15. The method of claim 13 or 14, wherein a plurality of product strands are formed, which are fed simultaneously into a pair of rolls or continuously into a plurality of pairs of rolls. 16. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the product composition is fed plastic at high temperature and solid at low temperature. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more pairs of rolls are cooled. The method according to claim 13, wherein a product composition is used which is plastic in the wet state and becomes solid when dried. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more pairs of rolls are heated.