Have you ever opened a bag of granola and found all the big clusters at the top and the dusty oats at the bottom? That's a simple, everyday example of particle segregation. While it's annoying for your breakfast, it can be a massive headache for industries dealing with bulk solids.
Whether you are in pharmaceuticals, food processing, consumer products, or mining, handling powders and granules comes with its own set of challenges. When materials don't mix or flow the way they should, it leads to inconsistent products, wasted time, and lost revenue.
At Material Flow Solutions, we believe that understanding your materials is the first step to conquering these production hurdles. Let’s explore why segregation happens and how the right testing and engineering can get your process flowing smoothly again.
Understanding the Root of the Problem
Segregation isn't just bad luck; it's physics. Different particles behave differently based on their size, shape, surface friction, bounciness, and density. When you move, shake, or pour a mixture, these particles often separate from one another.
This separation leads to product inconsistency. In the pharmaceutical world, this could mean a tablet doesn't have the right dosage of active ingredients. In the food industry, it might mean a batch of spice mix tastes completely different from the last one.
The key to fixing these issues isn't guessing it's testing. By performing a powder segregation test, we can identify exactly how and why your materials are separating. This data allows us to design handling systems that keep your mixture uniform from the blender to the final package.
The Importance of Material Testing
You wouldn't build a house without checking the soil first, right? The same logic applies to bulk solids handling. If you don't know the properties of the material you are working with, designing a reliable system is nearly impossible.
This is where a particle properties test becomes essential. We look at everything from particle size distribution and surface friction to moisture content. These tiny details have a huge impact on how a material flows through a hopper, bin, or chute.
Similarly, a powder flowability test can tell us if your material is likely to arch (form a bridge over the outlet) or rathole (flow only through a narrow channel in the center). These flow obstructions are common culprits behind production downtime. By characterizing your material upfront, we can predict these behaviors and engineer solutions to prevent them.
Designing for Success
Once we have the data from a bulk material flow test, we can move from diagnosis to cure. At Material Flow Solutions, we don't just hand you a report and wish you luck. We use sound scientific principles to provide engineered designs that actually work.
This might involve:
- Retrofitting existing equipment: Sometimes small tweaks to your current bins or feeders can make a world of difference.
- Designing new systems: If you are building a new line, we can help design it right the first time to avoid future headaches.
- Product design: Sometimes the solution involves tweaking the product itself so it behaves better during processing.
Our goal is simple: to ensure your bulk solids flow exactly where and how you want them to. We want to help you achieve new levels of efficiency and profitability.
Partnering for Reliable Production
Material Flow Solutions has been incorporated since 2001, but our experience goes back much further. With over 50 years of experience, Dr. Kerry Johanson and our team have been solving flow problems for clients across the globe.
We are dedicated to providing you with the knowledge and tools you need. Whether you are struggling with caking, segregation, or erratic flow, we are here to help. We view our relationship with clients as a partnership. We want to help you achieve your economic and process optimization goals.
If you are ready to transform your operations, we invite you to engage with us. Let's work together to make your production process robust, economic, and headache-free.
