Module will enable users to extend the range of shear testing applications on the FT4 powder rheometer to include those for which only very small amounts of sample are available
At Powtech 2005 (11-13 October 2005; Nurnberg, Germany), Freeman Technology will introduce a new accessory for the its FT4 powder rheometer.
The fully automated, small volume shear cell is a completely new module that will enable users to extend the range of shear testing applications on the FT4 to include those for which only very small amounts of sample are available.
This includes many pharmaceutical actives, and materials such as early stage formulations where a wide range of tests must be carried out on limited supplies.
Managing director Reg Freeman will also make a presentation at the Bulk Days seminar (12/13 October) on methods of determining powder flow properties.
The FT4 is a universal powder rheometer that is used to conduct an array of powder flowability tests.
These provide a means to characterise the flow properties of powder materials and relate them to performance in process.
Where shear testing is required to complement flowability data, both the new small volume shear cell and the existing standard shear cell accessory offer significant advantages over conventional methods.
Shear testing using the FT4 is fully automated, minimising operator involvement for greater repeatability and reproducibility of results.
And it is fast, with tests completed in around 40 minutes.
Measurements can be made at low levels of material compaction, thanks to the system's high sensitivity, and over a wide range of stresses up to 23kPa, allowing simulation of many different packing conditions.
Conditioning of material before testing ensures homogeneity and a high degree of repeatability.
