KHT TA-30 — Texture Analyzer for Pharmaceutical Labs

The KHT TA-30 is a configurable texture analyzer for pharmaceutical QC, R&D, and regulated formulation work. At its core is a 500N standard load cell resolving force at 0.01N, a precision ballscrew drive delivering 0.001 mm displacement resolution and 0.001–40 mm/s speed range, and the KHT Texture Suite software with full 21 CFR Part 11 compliance built in.

Every configuration ships with a 30+ dosage form method library, the standard pharmaceutical probe set, the complete IQ/OQ/PQ validation package, and a NIST-traceable calibration certificate. Published pricing is transparent and sits in the $8,000–$13,000 range.

Product Overview: What the KHT TA-30 Does for Your Lab

The KHT TA-30 is a single-column, bench-top pharmaceutical texture analyzer engineered to serve as a primary QC or R&D instrument for any pharma dosage form that produces a measurable mechanical response. It occupies roughly 370 mm × 500 mm of bench space, weighs approximately 35 kg, runs from a standard 100–240V AC input, and connects to any Windows 10 or 11 PC via USB.

In a pharmaceutical QC workflow, a typical TA-30 use case looks like this: an analyst retrieves a release-batch sample of 10 tablets, opens the KHT Texture Suite, selects the pre-loaded USP <1217> method, mounts the 75 mm parallel plate probe, and runs the method. The software records peak force at fracture, calculates statistics across the batch, generates a PDF report, appends every action to the 21 CFR Part 11 audit trail, and optionally pushes results to your LIMS via REST API.

In an R&D workflow, a formulation scientist loads gel prototypes, runs a two-cycle TPA method, and receives automatic calculation of hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, chewiness, gumminess, adhesiveness, and resilience. The 0.01N force resolution matters here because formulation variants in pharma-grade gels often differ by 0.5–5N across TPA peaks.

Core Specifications at a Glance

The TA-30 specification set is the configurable core of the platform. Optional load cells, extended column heights, high-speed data acquisition, and application packs are available beyond the standard configuration.

KHT TA-30 vs. Competing Platforms

The TA-30 matches enterprise-brand hardware precision while sitting roughly 40–60% lower on price. There is no technical compromise on measurement quality; the gap reflects the direct-sales model and the absence of enterprise distributor margins.

Critically, the two features pharmaceutical buyers most often budget for after instrument arrival — 21 CFR Part 11 compliance and IQ/OQ/PQ validation — are included as standard on the TA-30. On enterprise platforms these are typically paid add-ons ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 combined.

Included Probes, Fixtures & Optional Application Packs

Every TA-30 ships with a standard pharmaceutical probe set sized for the high-frequency test methods a pharma QC or R&D lab will run on day one. The universal M6 probe mount accepts any standard metric-threaded probe, preserving compatibility with existing third-party tooling libraries.

Optional application packs extend the instrument into specialized segments: the Injection Pack covers ISO 11608 and USP <1207> syringe and auto-injector testing; the Transdermal Pack adds a Peltier-controlled temperature plate for USP <1724> work; the Packaging Pack handles USP <661> blister and foil testing; and the Bloom Pack delivers classical gelatin Bloom strength per BP, USP <1>, and GB13731.

• 75 mm parallel plate — USP <1217> and EP 2.9.8 tablet diametral compression (included)
• 36 mm flat compression disc — TPA analysis, gel firmness, soft-dosage profiling (included)
• 6 mm flat cylindrical probe — microneedle compression, small-sample work (included)
• 2 mm spherical probe — capsule rupture, puncture, and penetration tests (included)
• 25 mm back-extrusion rig — ointment, cream, and paste consistency (included)
• 180° peel jig — transdermal patch adhesion per ASTM D903 and USP <1724> (included)
• Injection Pack — syringe glide force, auto-injector activation, needle insertion (optional)
• Transdermal Pack — Peltier plate, 90° peel, tack test for patch/adhesive work (optional)
• Packaging Pack — blister peel, cap torque, foil puncture per USP <661> (optional)
• Bloom Pack — 12.7 mm Bloom plunger and Bloom cell per USP <1>, BP, GB13731 (optional)

Software Features: TPA Curves, Compliance & Data Export

The KHT Texture Suite ships with every TA-30 at no additional license cost. All compliance features are standard — there is no paid 'compliance edition.' The 30+ pre-loaded method library organizes tests by dosage form: solid oral, semi-solid, transdermal, injectable, microneedle, and packaging, each with probe geometry, speed, trigger force, and pharmacopoeia reference embedded in the method.

The 21 CFR Part 11 stack covers every regulatory requirement: tamper-evident audit trail, authenticated electronic signatures with two-factor option, four-tier role-based permissions, SOP lock-down mode for QC runs, and cryptographic data integrity. Export formats include CSV, PDF, JSON, and XLSX. A REST API with OAuth 2.0 authentication connects to LIMS and ELN platforms directly.

Ordering, Lead Time & Support

KHT operates on a direct-sales model with no distributor chain. Lead time is 3–4 weeks from purchase order for standard configurations, or 5–7 weeks for custom probe configurations. Every shipment includes the IQ/OQ/PQ validation package and NIST-traceable calibration certificate.

The 2-year standard warranty covers hardware, software, and remote technical support, with software updates free for the life of the instrument. The technical support SLA is 48 hours direct from a KHT engineer. Method migration from Stable Micro Systems, Brookfield, Cell Instruments, or other platforms is a supported service.