Part of a tableting machine which guides the movement of tableting punches.

• A. Die Cavity
• B. Punch
• C. Hopper
• D. Cam Tracks

Answer: (D)

Punch motion in a tablet press is guided by cam tracks. These are precisely machined grooves on the cam surface that a punch follower rides in. As the cam rotates, the follower stays in the groove, forcing the punch to move up and down in a predetermined profile. This converts rotary motion into the exact vertical movement needed for filling the die cavity with powder, compressing it into tablets, and then ejecting the finished piece. The die cavity is the space where the tablet forms, the punch is the moving tool, and the hopper supplies the powder. Because cam tracks control the timing and path of the punch travel, they are the part that guides the movement of tableting punches.