Freeman Technology joins ERC-SOPS collaborative research program
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 Powder characterisation company Freeman Technology has joined and is actively supporting a collaborative program in the USA which aims to bring together a cross-disciplinary team of engineers, scientists and industry leaders to improve the way pharmaceuticals, foods and agriculture products are manufactured.
The Engineering Research Center for Structured Organic Particulate System (C-SOPS) involves the academic institutions of: Rutgers, the state university of New Jersey; Purdue University; New Jersey’s Science and Technology Institute; and Universidad de Puerto Rico. Industry affiliates range from major pharmaceutical manufacturers to instrumentation suppliers.
SOPS refers to multicomponent organic systems where performance depends on microstructure. They are used to deliver active substances at a pre-determined rate in a specific environment, are manufactured using similar processes across industries and share common technical limitations. The program provides a focal point for the science-based development of structured organic composite products and their manufacturing processes in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and agrochemical industries. Full details are available at http://ercforsops.org/
Tim Freeman, Director of Operations at Freeman Technology is enthusiastic about his company’s participation. "The FT4 powder rheometer is becoming an established tool within powder processing, and especially in the pharmaceutical industry," he said. "Freeman Technology is pleased to be supporting and adding expertise to this exciting and valuable research program. We are able to contribute to the direction of projects and I also have the privilege of being a mentor on a number of the project groups."
Freeman Technology specialises in systems that measure powder flow properties and has over a decade of experience in powder characterisation. The FT4 Powder Rheometer is a universal powder tester that uses patented dynamic methodology, fully automated shear cells and several bulk property tests, including density, compressibility and permeability to quantify powder properties in terms of flow and processability. Correlating this data with processing performance enables users to optimise powder processes.
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Powder tester at work in Freeman Technology video from PTXi
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 The recent PTXi event in Chicago proved highly successful for Freeman Technology, with the team making new contacts from all walks of industrial life. Director of Operations, Tim Freeman, also took the time to make a video presentation on the company’s booth. This short film guides viewers through different aspects of powder testing and their importance, and briefly demonstrates the use of the FT4 Powder Rheometer.
Currently also featuring on Freeman Technology’s own website are a number of items of particular interest for anyone involved in testing pharmaceutical powders. As well as a video interview from last year’s Interphex show in New York, there is a recorded webinar and downloadable podcast, both on the subject of powder characterization in relation to Quality by Design. Elsewhere, a podcast ‘Powder dynamics and QbD’, recorded as part of the Interphex 2010 conference, can be downloaded.
For links to all multimedia presentations go to our Webinars, Podcasts and Videos section.
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Record sales to academia highlight the importance of the Freeman Technology FT4 as an essential tool for powder characterisation
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 The recent installation of a FT4 universal powder tester from Freeman Technology at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, in the USA, reflects the increasing adoption of the system by those working at the cutting edge of powder research. Sales to the academic community have tripled over the last eighteen months, with a raft of new installations at prestigious institutions around the world confirming the FT4 as a vital tool for powder characterisation.
Researchers at Rutgers are harnessing the unique testing capabilities of the FT4 to gain greater insight into the nature of powders, in order to tackle problems at every stage of the product lifecycle – from development through to manufacturing. Pharmaceuticals, a hugely important industry for the state, are the principle focus. Rutgers is proactively seeking new ways of characterising powders and is working to improve the efficiency of pharmaceutical manufacture, a critical goal throughout the industry.
Welcoming the news, Freeman Technology’s managing director Reg Freeman, remarked, “Our focus has always been to understand powders in ways that relate to their use across the manufacturing industries. The FT4 is the tool that enables us to do this. Continuing in-house research further extends our knowledge base, but it is both exciting and encouraging to know that we are increasingly joined in this work by leading academics in the field.”
The FT4 combines dynamic, shear and bulk testing capabilities, extending powder characterisation well beyond conventional single number measurement techniques. Excellent reproducibility makes the system very sensitive and highly differentiating. The FT4 is used throughout the powder processing industries for development, QC, process optimisation and troubleshooting applications.
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Freeman Technology to launch new reference standard for powder testing at PTXi 2010
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 At PTXi 2010 (4-6 May; Rosemont IL, USA) Freeman Technology will present a new reference standard for use with the company’s FT4 powder tester. The FT4 uses patented dynamic methodology, a fully automated shear cell and several bulk property tests, including density, compressibility and permeability to quantify powder properties in terms of flow and processability. In combination with defined test methodologies, the new reference standard, a stable fine limestone (CRM116/BCR116), enables users to verify the long term performance of the FT4 in line with their own laboratory practices.
CRM116/BCR116 is a limestone supplied by the EU Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, for which there already exists calibration data for shear testing. Test protocols and acceptable results ranges for dynamic, shear and bulk property measurement (compressibility and permeability) have now also been established. Testing the performance of the FT4 is simply a matter of running the automated test sequence and comparing the data generated.
The CRM116 limestone is a cohesive powder with a mean diameter of around four microns. Although normally available in three kilogram batches Freeman Technology will supply much smaller aliquots for routine calibration.
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Freeman Technology joins academia and industry leaders in sponsoring 'Advances in Pharmaceutical Process Design'
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 In May 2010, Freeman Technology will again join forces with academic experts from Rutgers University and other industry specialists to deliver the next in a continuing series of courses for the pharmaceutical industry.
‘Advances in Pharmaceutical Process Design’ is organised by Mixing Consultants Inc. and sponsored by Freeman Technology, Gericke and Glatt Air Techniques. It takes place from 26-28 May 2010 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Each day is dedicated to one of three related themes - powder processing fundamentals, QbD methodologies, and continuous manufacturing. Attendees can choose to register for the complete course, or may attend on specific days.
On day two, Tim Freeman, Director of Operations for Freeman Technology will present ‘Measuring and understanding powder flow’ as part of the ‘QbD Methodologies’ module.
For further details of the course program and costs, and to register, click here.
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Freeman Technology highlights relevance of the FT4 for DPI characterisation at RDD 2010
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 At Respiratory Drug Delivery (RDD) 2010, April 25 - 29, Florida, USA, Freeman Technology will highlight the unique insight the FT4 Powder Rheometer offers DPI formulators. This message will be reinforced by a presentation of work from the University of Bath showing a direct correlation between the measured dynamic powder properties and fine particle dose (FPD), a measure of drug delivery efficiency.
Dynamic powder characterization with the FT4 directly quantifies powder flowability and the response of a formulation to air, a critical property for successful DPI development. To ensure efficient drug delivery a DPI formulation/device combination must be engineered to achieve aerosolization of the dose to a respirable size during use. Research at the University of Bath has shown a robust correlation between FPD and aerated energy, a measure of how the flowability of the powder changes with the amount of air flowing through it. This makes the FT4 an extremely useful tool for the development of DPI formulations, which are required to disperse easily, with more consistent and less patient dependent performance.
The FT4 combines dynamic testing methodologies with shear and bulk property measurement, to provide comprehensive, process relevant powder characterisation. Precision engineering in combination with well-defined, automated test procedures deliver exceptional reproducibility and sensitivity. With application know-how that has been gained from 10 years working with industry, Freeman Technology also provides extensive powder processing expertise alongside the FT4 Powder Rheometer.
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Freeman Technology looks forward to exhibiting at Powtech and contributing to WCPT6 programme
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 Freeman Technology: Powtech Stand No: Hall 6/6-444
At the World Congress on Particle Technology (WCPT6) which this year takes place from 26-29 April alongside POWTECH and TechnoPharm at the NürnbergMesse in Germany, members of the Freeman Technology team will present a series of papers and posters covering various aspects of powder characterisation. The company will also exhibit as part of the Powtech show where the FT4 Powder Rheometer will be on display.
 The FT4 is a universal powder tester that uses patented dynamic methodology, fully automated shear cells and several bulk property tests, including density, compressibility and permeability to quantify powder properties in terms of flow and processability. Correlating this data with processing performance enables users to optimise powder processes.
Podium presentations from the Freeman team at WCPT6 will discuss: ‘The application of advanced powder characterisation techniques to pharmaceutical Quality by Design protocols’ and ‘Evaluation of dry powder blending using Positron Emission Tomography and the relationship between powder bulk properties and process parameters’.
In addition, Dr David Morton of Monash University, Australia, will speak about work that involves the use of the FT4 Powder Rheometer to investigate ‘The influence of dry powder coating methods, including mechanofusion, on the flow properties of inhalable grades of lactose monohydrate’.
In the poster sessions, Freeman Technology’s contributions will include ‘The quantification of particle shape and size using image analysis and its effect on the flow properties of various forms of lactose’ and ‘The characterisation of the physical properties of wet masses’.
Freeman Technology specialises in providing systems for measuring powder flow properties and has over a decade of experience in powder flow and characterisation. With a significant commitment to R&D and applications development, the company delivers extensive know-how alongside its universal powder tester. An expert team guides and supports users in addressing individual powder challenges, the process relevance of powder characterisation being a key focus.
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Powder tester exhibit and QbD conference program presentation for Freeman Technology at Interphex 2010
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 Freeman Technology Booth # 1266
Tim Freeman, Director of Operations for Freeman Technology and Professor Fernando Muzzio, Director of the Engineering Research Center on Structured Organic Particulate Systems at Rutgers University, will contribute a joint paper at Interphex 2010 in New York (April 20-22).
 Their presentation ‘Getting to grips with QbD’ is scheduled for 9.00am on Tuesday April 20th as part of the QbD track within the conference program. They will address how QbD can be initiated with respect to solid dose applications and will provide detailed case studies covering a range of powder processing systems.
In the poster sessions, Tim Freeman and Brian Armstrong, also from Freeman Technology, are co-authors of work describing the ‘Characterisation of granulation wet masses using powder rheometry’.
Freeman Technology is also participating as an exhibitor at Interphex, showing the company’s FT4 Powder Rheometer on booth #1266 where the Freeman Technology team will be available to discuss specific powder characterization and process optimization challenges.
The FT4 Powder Rheometer is rapidly gaining acceptance as a tool for Quality by Design. Implementing QbD demands in-depth understanding of the factors influencing product and process performance. For powders, which still form the vast majority of the feedstocks in the pharmaceutical industry, this information can be gained by correlating aspects of behaviour with specific powder attributes.
The FT4 is a universal powder tester that uses patented dynamic methodology, a fully automated shear cell and several bulk property tests, including density, compressibility and permeability to quantify powder properties in terms of flow and processability. The comprehensive powder flowability data it delivers can be correlated with processing experience to aid efficient formulation, manufacture and quality control.
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