Many powdered products today are mixtures of several components. It’s common the individual ingredients in a mixture will segregate during the manufacturing process which results in an inconsistent final product. Segregation of granular materials is one of the main causes of process failure with systems that handle powder materials. Conservative estimates suggest up to 30% of all unscheduled downtimes are due to segregation and quality issues.
Using state-of-the-art spectroscopic technology, the innovative SPECTester, from Micromeritics, is capable of analyzing a sample comprised of up to six individual components and provides a simple report indicating why and how much the sample material is segregating. Fully automated, the instrument provides data about component concentrations, particle size differences, and product uniformity. The SPECTester is capable of measuring segregation by particle size, sifting, fluidization, angle of repose, chemical component, and air entrainment. It is capable of identifying both primary and secondary segregation mechanisms. The SPECTester can be used in R&D environments to research a material’s properties prior to going into production, as well as in production plants for real-time quality control.
To learn more, please click on the link below to download a copy of the application note 'Segregation Properties of Household Powdered Cleanser'.