text: Roller compaction is a process in which powders are forced between two rolls, which compress the powders into dense sticks or sheets.  These sticks or sheets are then ground into granules. Material properties will affect the mechanical properties of the resulting granules.  Food particles with crystalline structures will deform plastically under pressure, and amorphous materials will deform viscoelastically.  Roller compaction is more commonly used on individual ingredients of a finished powdered food product, than on a blend of ingredients producing a granulated finished product.
  Some advantages of roller compaction are 
  # No need for binding solution 
  # Dust-free powders are possible 
  # Consistent granule size and bulk density. 
  # Good option for moisture and heat-sensitive materials, as no drying is required.
  Disadvantages: 
  # May not be easily soluble in cold water due to high density and low porosity
  # High amount of fines which need to be re-worked may be produced
  # Specialized equipment is required, typically with large batch sizes (> 3k pounds)
  Examples of agglomerated food powders: Sucrose, sodium chloride, monosodium glutamate and fibers.