GEA, headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany, has established an in-house test laboratory at its facility in Hamilton, New Zealand. This will enable the company’s engineers to carry out extensive tests on the properties of powders and to design powder packaging systems based on scientifically obtained data to optimise production and reduce waste. In the past, tests have focused on characteristics such as particle size and density but this did not enable engineers to predict how the powder would flow or how it would react to fluidisation and compaction on the production line. The new lab equipment measures seven vital characteristics of any given powder and enables engineers to design systems to suit each individual product. 

 

“Until now working out how any given powder would behave was something of a ‘black art’ or at least a ‘black science’, relying very much on experience and gut feel,” said engineering manager, Chris Singleton. “We have used outside labs in the past, but the turn-round was very slow and it was very expensive. Having our own lab means we can get accurate quantifiable numbers quickly and relatively cheaply and use them in the design process.” Having accurate information about the powders also enables GEA’s engineers to advise customers on the design of factors such as the optimum wall angle of the filling hopper and the most suitable discharge diameter from vessels. The new laboratory is also able to carry out the more traditional tests to classify powders for flowability, bulk density and particle size distribution.

 

On the occasion of a recent investor conference in New York, GEA announced an order intake during the fourth quarter of 2015 of at least €1240 million. This exceeds the old record of the second quarter of 2013 when orders reached €1220 million. www.gea.com 

 

 

GEA’s new Hamilton test laboratory