From macro to nano

Powtech 2005, or to give it its full title, the International Trade Fair for Mechanical Processing Technologies and Instrumentation, took place on 11-13 October in Nuremberg’s Exhibition Centre, where nearly 700 exhibitors were hoping to attract around 13 500 visitors from across the many sectors of industry that depend on the efficient processing of solid materials — from the bulk scale down to the increasingly important nano scale.

The latest advances in nanotechnology in the field of processing had, for the third time at a Powtech, a theme pavilion all to themselves. Here (in Hall 7), the Centre for Nanotechnology (CeNTech) was presenting both the findings of fundamental research and nanoparticle technologies already commercialised in industry. Prominent among the latter are developments such as scratch-free, non-fogging or dirt-repellent surfaces, bio-encapsulated nanometal particles for alternating magnetic field cancer therapy, and new processes for the manufacture and characterisation of nanoscale particles.

But even outside Hall 7 there was no escaping nanotechnology. Over in Hall 9, Malvern Instruments, for example, had its award-winning Zetasizer Nano system on show for those wanting to characterise nano-sized particles and molecules. The highlight of the company’s display, however, was expected to be the introduction of a new particle size and shape analyser based on image analysis. This system stands alongside examples from Malvern’s comprehensive portfolio of rheometers, viscometers and on-line, at-line and laboratory-based characterisation systems.

An example of how nanotechnology is benefiting the powder processing industry itself could be seen on Precision Polymer Engineering’s stand. PPE introduced high purity, nano-engineered seals for pharmaceutical powder processing. Increasing potency of APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients), free-flowing powders, sub-micron particle sizes and stringent containment requirements make selecting the correct seal more important than ever for pharmaceutical equipment manufacturers. The high purity PPE seals are made from nano-engineered elastomers avoiding the use of traditional fillers, which although FDA-compliant can often contaminate pharmaceutical processes either through exposure to APIs or cleaning regimes.

Historically, Powtech has perhaps been more closely associated with the other end of the size scale, the processing of bulk solids. Reinforcing that heritage, this year’s show ran alongside the two-day premiere of the Bulk Days conference, organised by the Bulk Academy. This conference offered delegates the opportunity to talk to leading international practical experts when they presented and discussed their views and findings on bulk solids technology.

One of those speakers was Reg Freeman, managing director of Freeman Technology, who made a presentation on ‘Methods of determining powder flow properties’. Next door, meanwhile, his company was introducing a new accessory for its FT4 powder rheometer. This fully automated, small volume shear cell will enable users to extend the range of shear testing applications on the FT4 to include those for which only very small amounts of sample are available — for example, many APIs and materials such as early stage formulations where a wide range of tests must be carried out on limited supplies.

Staying with bulk solids, K-Tron was showing the latest model in its range of bulk solids pumps, the BSP-150. This is the third model in the company’s BSP feeder line, said to be a revolutionary concept for feeding bulk material. It uses positive displacement action to feed free-flowing materials with ‘astounding’ accuracy, offering uniform discharge, consistent volume and gentle handling.

Other introductions from K-Tron included the MT12 microfeeder, capable of accurate feeding at rates as low as 20g/h. This compact feeder is designed for ease of disassembly, allowing fast and easy cleaning. Also on show was the next generation of SmartConnex feeder controls.

Following what the company says have been several previous successful attendance at Powtech, Invicta Vibrators was back with a focus on its BLz Series of foot-mounted, dust-proof, rotary electric vibrators and the flameproof EBK Series vibrators. The BLz units are certified to ATEX standard for use in Zones 21 and 22 flammable dust environments, while the EBK machines are designed and built to E Ex standard, certified for use in Zones 1 and 2 environments containing potentially explosive gases, mists and vapours.

As in previous years, safety was very much a feature of this year’s Powtech. Many exhibitors were providing information about Ex-protected plant components and processes in the ExploRisk Zone in Hall 7, while the International Symposium of the European Safety Management Group (ESMG) was taking place during the exhibition. This presented the latest developments in industrial safety and the technical principles of explosion protection in an extensive programme ranging from safety research, quantitative risk analysis, to preventative design for explosion protection. Something to look forward to were the daily demonstrations of dust explosions in the exhibition centre’s park, which showed practical examples of what a potentially tremendous hazard dust can be.

The Hosokawa Group clearly views Powtech as a real forum for innovation, particularly as it ran alongside Techno-Pharm (the International Trade Fair for Life Science Process Technologies). ‘We are showing new containment solutions specifically for the pharmaceutical industry,’ said the company’s Herman Stahl, who also pointed to the company’s focus on nanotechnology. ‘We have reserved a whole area for nanotechnology and particle design, where we are presenting a host of interesting and innovative solutions.’