- Immediate detection of narrow target viscosity
- Real-time process adjustments to eliminate dispersion variations
- Saved time and reduced labour costs
A manufacturer working with a high-quality polyurethane dispersion in dimethylacetamide (DMAc) encountered a challenge in maintaining their dispersion's viscosity according to stringent quality standards.
During production, viscosity is considered the primary specification. By diluting the dispersion until the viscosity target is met, the team can consistently reduce variation in the dispersion, which is their main objective.
Initially the production process relied on a rotational viscometer for in-process testing, which was time-consuming and only allowed testing at specific intervals. The engineers wanted to upgrade to an inline solution to eradicate sampling and get a real-time view into the process, however they first introduced a Hydramotion hand-held unit for proof of concept. When this confirmed improvements to the current method and correlated the results to the lab, they completed the upgrade to inline.
The XL5 was installed downstream of the mixing chamber to provide accurate and immediate readings at this specific point in the process. The viscometer was able to immediately detect when the narrow target viscosity was met, enabling the necessary process adjustments in real-time.
"When we implemented a Hydramotion hand held unit, that was a huge improvement. These inline viscometers will take us to the next level"
Responding to dispersion variations in real-time provides a consistent quality control method and means less variations between batches. All while saving time and reducing labour costs. The XL5 was selected for the process due to its small sensor diameter, hygienic configuration, and compact footprint.