FT4 powder rheometer

Analyze powder flow properties and powder behaviour

  • Unique measurement principle for easy powder fluidity data accumulation and standardization
  • Fully automated test programs and data analysis
  • Unparalleled repeatability using conditioning mode
  • Samples from 10 ml to 160 ml, with an additional 1ml Shear Cell option
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Overview

The Freeman FT4 was designed with one purpose in mind: to characterize the rheology of powders, or powder flow properties. This is still the primary function, but the instrument, accessories and methodologies have been continuously developed to the point where the FT4 is now considered a universal powder flow tester.

The FT4 powder tester is unique in many ways. Below are some critical features for assessing industrial value:

  • The ability to simulate powder processing conditions, by testing samples in a consolidated, moderately stressed, aerated or fluidized state
  • The application of multi-faceted powder characterization to assess dynamic powder flow, bulk, and shear properties to construct the most comprehensive understanding of how a powder behaves
  • Unparalleled sensitivity, enabling the differentiation of powders that other testers classify as identical

Powder rheometer methodologies

The FT4 is a truly universal powder flow tester offering four categories of methodologies: Bulk, Dynamic Flow, Shear (in accordance with ASTM D7981) and Process.

[Freeman FT4 - methodologies diagram.jpg] Freeman FT4 - methodologies diagram.jpg

Applications

The behavior of the powder influences the electrode manufacturing in both wet and dry process. In wet processes, powders with optimal flow and dispersion properties ensure consistent slurries, improving battery performance and manufacturing efficiency.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) relies on precise powder performance to ensure consistency and quality in 3D-printed components. Effective powder spreading and distribution are crucial, as variability can lead to defects like inconsistent density and poor surface finish.

Powder coatings are environmentally friendly as they eliminate solvent use and volatile organic emissions. However, their application is challenging due to the need for smooth powder flow, especially as demand for thinner films requires smaller particles with increased interparticle forces.

Powder processing involves various conditions, from high compaction stresses in hoppers to dynamic fluidization. Understanding how a material behaves across these conditions is crucial for designing and monitoring unit operations and transfer systems.

Toner formulations, often proprietary, are milled into fine powders with sizes <10 μm, making them prone to cohesion and agglomeration. Proper powder flow is crucial to ensure even dispersion and effective adhesion to paper, with additives used to prevent clumping and improve performance.

Cosmetic compacts, made from blends of emollients, pigments, fillers, and binders, must have good powder flow for effective processing. Proper flow ensures consistent quality, ease of application, and cost-effective production at high throughput.

Dry powder pressing is a flexible and cost-effective method for making ceramic components. Identifying the right powder blends and characterization methods is essential for effective process development.

In the food and nutraceutical industries, understanding powder properties and flow behavior is essential for efficient processing. Even small amounts of moisture can drastically affect powders, turning them from free-flowing into clumps or solid masses, which impacts flowability and can lead to reduced efficiency and increased costs.

Powder processing is crucial in pharmaceutical manufacturing, where controlling powder behavior enhances efficiency and quality. Key processes include wet granulation to create uniform, free-flowing granules; die filling; predicting flow performance in screw feeders; and developing dry powder inhaler (DPI) formulations.

Specification

General

System FT4 Powder Rheometer intended for use in a laboratory environment for measuring the rheological properties of powders, pastes and semi-solids.
International standards EMC specifications and ASTM International standards:
  • EN61000-3-2:2001
  • EN61000-3-3:1995
  • EN61326: 1997 + A2:2001
  • ASTM D7891
Certificates of conformity are available on request.
Dimensions
306 x 306 x 760mm
Weight
22kg net

Performance

Force
+/- 50 N maximum
0.0001 N resolution
+/- 900 mNm resolution
Torque
900 mNm maximum
0.002 mNm resolution
Vertical travel 185mm
Rotor speed
120 rpm maximum
Axial speed
30 mm/sec maximum
Residual energy level in air
< 2mJ

Construction

Working zone
316 stainless steel
Materials in contact with sample
316 stainless steel
Borosilicate glass
Delrin and Peek plastics

Power requirements

Supply Voltage
90 - 264 VAC
Input current range
1.6A at 120 VAC
0.8A at 230 VAC
Input frequency range
47 Hz to 63 Hz
Minimum fault protection limit 30mA

Environmental conditions

Humidity
20-80% non-condensing
Operating temperature (°C)
10˚C to 40˚C
Storage temperature
0˚C to 50˚C

Consumables

Vessels
Precision bore, borosilicate glass tube. Standard sizes:
  • 25mm x 10ml Split Vessel
  • 25mm x 25ml Split Vessel
  • 25mm x 35ml Vessel
  • 50mm x 85ml Split Vessel
  • 50mm x 160ml Split Vessel
  • 50mm x 260ml Vessel
  • 62mm x 137ml Split Vessel
  • 62mm x 240ml Split Vessel
  • 62mm x 400ml Vessel
Blades
Hardened stainless steel blades. Standard sizes:
  • 23.5mm diameter x 6mm wide
  • 48.0mm diameter x 10mm wide
  • 60.0mm diameter x 10mm wide

Accessories

Accessories

Aeration control unit

The Aeration Control Unit provides an accurately controlled flow of air to the base of the vessel containing the powder. The unit is fully automated and software controlled, capable of delivering a wide air velocity range, ensuring suitability for a diverse range of materials.

Aeration control unit

Cosmetic compact testing kit

The Compact Hardness and Compact Payoff accessories can be used to analyze the quality of cosmetic powder compacts. Both accessories can be used with three sizes of compact and utilize a novel vacuum base removing the need for complex and intrusive mechanical fixings.

Cosmetic compact testing kit

Range of vessel sizes

25mm, 50mm and 62mm vessel kits to suit the materials being evaluated, plus a 1ml Shear Cell kit for testing scarce, valuable or hazardous powders.

Range of vessel sizes

Shear cell and wall friction

Shear Cell and Wall Friction Kits can be attached to determine shear properties of a powder, including Unconfined Yield Strength and Flow Function, and the Wall Friction Angle associated with a given material of constructions (in accordance with ASTM D7891). Shear and wall friction properties can be used to determine critical hopper geometries using the Hopper Design function of the FT4 Data Analysis software.

Shear cell and wall friction

Unique blade technology

The FT4 measures the resistance that a powder exerts on a twisted blade, as it forces its way through the sample. This resistance is expressed as “Flow Energy”, calculated from direct measurements of torque and force.

Unique blade technology

Vented piston

The vented piston is used to be apply a consolidating stress to a powder sample to quantify properties such as Compressibility and Permeability in order to understand the effects of storage and handling.

Vented piston

Technology

The FT4 employs unique technology for measuring the powders' resistance to flow whilst the powder is in motion. 

A precision ‘blade’ is rotated and moved downwards through the powder to establish a precise flow pattern. This causes many thousands of particles to interact, or flow relative to one another, and the resistance experienced by the blade represents the difficulty of this relative particle movement, or the bulk flow properties.

A unique set of measured parameters

The dynamic principle of the FT4 requires that the blade rotates and moves vertically, both downwards and upwards.

As a result, it will experience a resistance to rotation and a resistance to vertical movement.

The FT4 measures both rotational and vertical resistances, in the form of Torque and Force, respectively. Both signals need to be measured, as it is the composite of these two signals that quantifies the powder’s total resistance to flow.

Image: Torque and force are measured simultaneously as the blade moves down a helical path through the powder.

Accuracy

Excluding either Torque or Force signals would result in misleading data, as the calculated Flow Energy value would not represent the powder’s total resistance to flow.

Due to the rotational nature of the technique, approximately 90% of the total resistance is contributed from the Torque signal, with the remaining 10% from the Force component.

This highlights the importance of measuring Torque as well as Force when evaluating rheological properties.

Fully automated test programs and data analysis

Conditioning mode provides unparalleled repeatability

Range of sample sizes: 10 ml - 160 ml (plus 1 ml Shear Cell option)

User manuals

Please contact support for the latest user manuals.

Software downloads

Please contact support for the latest software version.

Powder flow properties made simple.

Powder flow properties made simple.

Easy, fast powder flow and rheology characterization with automated analysis. Advance your powder behavior testing.

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