The recent installation of a FT4 universal powder tester from Freeman Technology at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, in the U.S., reflects the increasing adoption of the system by those working at the cutting edge of powder research. Sales to the academic community have tripled over the last 18 months, with a raft of new installations at prestigious institutions around the world confirming the FT4 as a vital tool for powder characterization.

Researchers at Rutgers are harnessing the unique testing capabilities of the FT4 to gain greater insight into the nature of powders, in order to tackle problems at every stage of the product lifecycle – from development through to manufacturing. Pharmaceuticals, a hugely important industry for the state, are the principle focus. Rutgers is proactively seeking new ways of characterizing powders and is working to improve the efficiency of pharmaceutical manufacture, a critical goal throughout the industry.

Welcoming the news, Freeman Technology’s managing director Reg Freeman, remarked, “Our focus has always been to understand powders in ways that relate to their use across the manufacturing industries. The FT4 is the tool that enables us to do this. Continuing in-house research further extends our knowledge base, but it is both exciting and encouraging to know that we are increasingly joined in this work by leading academics in the field.”

The FT4 combines dynamic, shear, and bulk testing capabilities, extending powder characterization well beyond conventional single number measurement techniques. Excellent reproducibility makes the system very sensitive and highly differentiating. The FT4 is used throughout the powder processing industries for development, QC, process optimization, and troubleshooting applications. For more information, visit www.freemantech.co.uk.