The invention relates to a method for producing active ingredient-containing granules or powders involving the following steps: a) melting a mixture consisting of a pharmaceutical active ingredient and of a acrylate copolymer, which is comprised of 40 to 75 wt. A feed stream is provided and passed through at least two cooling stages. The shield changes the electric field around the outer edge of the workpiece and the contact fingers, which reduces or eliminates the negative aspects of using high thief electrode currents and seed layer deplating.