November 21, 2016

2 Min Read
FEECO Partners with Microtrac to Improve Particle Testing
A dry bulk solid used in fertilizers. Image courtesy of FEECO International

Granulation and particle size enlargement solutions provider FEECO International and particle characterization instrumentation company Microtrac formed a strategic partnership to implement Microtrac’s patented 3D size and shape instrumentation in production processes, a FEECO press release announced Monday.

“The partnership with Microtrac seemed like a natural progression for both of us, and will translate to tremendous value for our customers looking to optimize their plant operations, as well as those in the process development stages of their project,” said Dan Madigan, president of FEECO, in a statement.

The Green Bay, WI-based company will offer Microtrac’s technology, which uses Dynamic Image Analysis (DIA), with their granulation systems and equipment. Clients can use the systems for process and product development at FEECO’s Innovation Center.

“Microtrac’s DIA characterizes particles in motion by digitizing photos of each particle and storing them in an image file. The images are then used to calculate 3D size and shape parameters based on the known size and location of the pixels in each image,” described the FEECO press release. “Proprietary to Microtrac is the ability to measure each particle’s length, width, and thickness, providing precise 3D analysis capability compared to 2D DIA’s.”

According to FEECO, the advantages of the Microtrac technology are:

- Enables operators to identify process swings in real time and take immediate corrective action through integration at various production stages.
- Provides for increased revenue due to the consistent production of higher quality, on spec material.
- Reduces external operations interfacing with the production process, allowing them to focus on higher priority tasks rather than manually sieving.
- Diminishes accidents and incidents in the field by having real time results delivered directly to the control room.
- Ensures optimal loads on equipment, providing energy savings and minimizing unplanned plant shutdowns due to maintenance.
- Offers faster startup times after plant shut downs.
- Allows for better control of granulation, less fluctuation during the process, and optimized recycles, ultimately delivering improved yields.

FEECO provides material testing, process design, and custom equipment and complete systems for agglomeration/granulation, thermal processing, and material handling.

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