Research Center Focused on Customer-Specific Problems

Cooperative research programs with industry leaders to solve identified material handling problems are a significant part of the mission of Martin Engineering’s new Center for Bulk Materials Handling Innovation (CFI).

Part pure-science research laboratory and part industrial product development center, CFI will collaborate with partners including corporations, industry associations, and universities for practical research to resolve the problems in the handling of bulk materials that have plagued industries for years.

CFI will provide opportunities for companies worldwide to perform tests of the characteristics of the bulk materials they handle in their industrial operations. The results will be used in the development of technologies to solve specific material handling problems. These problems might include fugitive material, including dust and spillage, and material flow hang-ups leading to outages and production inefficiencies.

A key ingredient in the collaborative research will be the testing and analysis of the characteristics and performance of specific bulk materials in question.
“CFI has both the scientific instruments to perform a precise analysis of material properties, and the full-scale material handling equipment to process sample materials in simulated operating conditions,” explains Jim Gassen, Martin Engineering vice president for product development.

“With these state-of-the-art research facilities, Martin Engineering is ready for the top challenges in the solids handling industry,” Gassen said. “With CFI, we can turn our attention to critical issues in the material handling industries, including dust management, abrasive wear, and component life.”