The big picture - the big benefits |
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Many thousands of companies in scores of industries world wide handle powders and are confronted with the challenges that are unique to these materials. The universal problem is that powders are constantly changing so that their flow performance is often not predictable.
This inherent variability of powders and the limitations of traditional instrumentation has meant that until recently, little could be done to anticipate these changes other than to design equipment for the broadest possible range of powder characteristics.
This situation has now changed. Freeman Technology and the FT4 Powder Rheometer offer real benefits to all users of powders. These are:
- The more efficient use of powder handling systems by reducing stoppages and optimising throughput
- Improved product quality by introducing quality conformance checks at all stages of production
- Overall - improved competitiveness
New technology, innovative and patented design and the power of modern computers has produced the FT4 Powder Rheometer. It offers a revolutionary approach to assessing flow performance and taking the guesswork out of powder processing.
Formulation - how the FT4 can help |
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Flowability and processability characteristics may be determined at the formulation or design stage of a new product. It is here that key decisions may be made regarding the flow properties needed and the degree of robustness required.
The FT4 allows you to...
...regarding flowability:
- Evaluate with as little as 10ml of material
- Determine the primary flowability indices
- Determine and investigate the key secondary flowability factors
- Compare to known powders
- Optimise the formulation using appropriate additives
- Develop wet granulation characteristics if appropriate
- Investigate dependence on physical and chemical characteristics
... regarding processability:
- Investigate the possible processability factors such as segregation and attrition.
- Determine affects of over processing.
- Investigate storage and transportation effects.
- Investigate time dependencies and the possible irreversible effects.
Processing - knowing your powders |
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Because of the complex nature of powders it is commonplace for flow properties to change and cause processing difficulties. Apparently identical powders may vary from batch to batch or supplier to supplier.
Storage and transportation conditions can dramatically alter the packing condition from a highly aerated state at one extreme to a hard consolidated condition at the other. Freer flowing powders may be prone to segregation, attrition and electro-static charge. Attrition for example can change particle shape, remove surface coatings, produce fines and result in bulk density changes.
Powder processing is therefore a particularly complex business that has to deal with more than the usual amount of variables encountered in manufacturing.
What is needed is knowledge of the material characteristics in advance of processing - the role of the FT4...
Using the FT4, you may:
- Determine the primary flowability indices
- Determine and investigate the key secondary flowability factors such as segregation, aeration
- Evaluate processability - how might processing affect the powder properties?
- Compare to known powders
- Compare different batches or suppliers
- During processing - measure flow properties for conformance
- Evaluate properties following storage and transportation
Processing - knowing your equipment |
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Efficient processing depends upon the machinery used being suitable for the powders being processed. Flow rates, levels of compaction, vibration levels, the head of material in a hopper, conveying surface type and condition - all these factors are likely to be important in determining the consistency and efficiency of processing.
Experience determines the range of material that an individual piece of plant such as a chute, hopper, or conveyor will be capable of handling. All will be well as long as the flow properties of a material remain within the acceptable range. Unfortunately, the inherently unstable nature of powders means that they may switch from a steady free flowing condition to a non-flowing condition without warning, often resulting in costly production delays or worse...
Now, using the FT4, you can:
- Accurately assess the range and type of materials a piece of plant can handle
- Verify that a given material fits into that range
- Verify that the variability of the material does not cause a problem
- When difficulties occur, evaluate the powder condition and properties to determine the causes and the possible limits of the equipment
- Know how line stoppage, or overnight storage in a hopper, may affect processing on start up
- By matching powder properties with equipment capabilities, reduce stoppages and improve qualiy
How handling can change powders |
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Powders may be unintentionally changed during storage, handling and processing. In storage they may consolidate under there own weight and during transportation, vibration can produce a similar or even worse level of solidification.
The processability of some materials is poor, in that they are adversely affected in some way, for example they may become overly aerated or be seriously affected by attrition.
These processability characteristics should be known so that the appropriate type of powder handling system may be used.
With the FT4, you can:
- Evaluate the processability factors such as compaction, aeration and attrition
- Know how changes caused by processing may affect powder quality
- Select the most suitable powder handling system
- Monitor powder changes at all stages of processing
Controlling quality - the FT4 revolution |
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Due to the nature of powders and in particular, the usually high dependence of flow properties on the packing condition, reliable, repeatable quality control checks have not been possible - until now. The conditioning process used by the FT4 Powder Rheometer makes repetitive flowability testing possible so that all powders may be checked for conformance.
This means that with the FT4, you may:
- Prepare flowability tests for each powder
- Confirm the flowability of each batch
- Make assessments in a matter of minutes
- Have an automated measurement system, independent of the operator
- Check raw material, intermediate and final stage product
- Check the flowability state at any point in the production cycle
- Remove core samples to allow 'instantaneous flowability' assessments, for example at the base of a hopper, via an access hatch
- Manufacture powdered product to a specific flowability specification
- Confirm the flowability of materials when received from supplier
- Confirm compliance when shipping finished product
The results:
- Suppliers know what they should be supplying in relation to flow properties
- Reduced costs due to fewer stoppages during production
- Customers get what they expect