Laboratory Equipment

Laboratory equipment: four parameters that decide the bench setup

Laboratory equipment exists to answer process questions before capital is committed. Four parameters decide what belongs on the bench — and the bench setup should mirror the production route, not just shrink it.

1. Batch volume. Development volumes run from a few hundred millilitres to 50 L on our platforms. Size the vessel to the sample you actually need to produce, not to the smallest machine available — undersized trials cannot test the real process.
2. Process step under test. Dispersion, wet grinding, emulsification and mixing are different steps with different machines. A bench setup that omits a step will not predict the production result for the steps around it.
3. Scale-up path. Volume alone is not a valid scale-up rule: geometry, heat transfer, residence time and rheology all change with size. Choose laboratory units whose operating principle matches the production machine you intend to scale to, so pilot data transfers.
4. Data quality. Track particle-size distribution, temperature, viscosity, solids, power and throughput at every scale with a defined sampling method. A single endpoint can hide a broad distribution — and that is what fails on scale-up.

What this range covers

Seven platforms cover formulation development, process screening and trial production across the full POLYC process range, from 0.2 L nano-grinding vessels to 1,000 L pilot mixers.

• Laboratory Pin Type Bead Mill — pin-type chamber for nano grinding research, formulation development and small-volume custom dispersion at 0.2–1 L, giving laboratory access to the same grinding principle as the production platforms.
• Laboratory Basket Mill — laboratory-scale basket mill for product development, generating process data for configuration development and changeover studies before a production chamber is fixed.
• SDF550 Laboratory Disperser for Paints/Coatings — configured specifically for paint and coating development, with the speed range and disc options needed for pigment wetting and dispersion trials at 0.2–50 L.
• SDF400 Laboratory Disperser — compact high-speed disperser for formulation work, sample preparation and dispersion testing on small batches at 0.2–50 L.
• BPF-H Lab Dispersing Machine — laboratory disperser handling 5–50 L for dispersion trials, sample preparation and raw-material evaluation across coatings, inks and adhesives.
• Laboratory High Shearing Emulsifier — bench-scale high-shear emulsifier for medicine, biological research, cosmetics and educational work at 0.2–50 L, applying the same rotor-stator principle as the production heads.
• Laboratory Planetary Mixer 30L (PMX series) — bench-scale planetary mixer with orbiting and rotating blades for R&D, small-batch trials and pilot production; the PMX series spans 2–1,000 L so the same geometry scales from bench to pilot.

Typical process routes

1. Formulation development. Bench disperser or laboratory bead mill screening pigments, binders and additive packages at small volume, with fineness and viscosity data guiding the formulation before any production trial.
2. Process screening. Laboratory basket mill or emulsifier generating process data — cycle time, energy, changeover behaviour — for the configuration decision on the production chamber.
3. Pilot and trial production. PMX planetary mixers and BPF-H dispersers producing commercial sample batches for customer approval and line trials at 5–50 L.
4. Scale-up preparation. Data from each stage — PSD, temperature, viscosity, power — transferred to the production specification, with the operating principle held constant between bench and plant.

Comparing the laboratory platforms

Unit	Process step	Volume	Best fit
Laboratory Pin Type Bead Mill	Nano wet grinding	0.2–1 L	Nano grinding research and small-volume custom dispersion
Laboratory Basket Mill	Batch wet grinding	Bench scale	Process data for basket-mill configuration and changeover studies
SDF550 Laboratory Disperser	Dispersion	0.2–50 L	Paint and coating development with disc and speed options
SDF400 Laboratory Disperser	Dispersion	0.2–50 L	Compact formulation work and sample preparation
BPF-H Lab Dispersing Machine	Dispersion	5–50 L	Dispersion trials and raw-material evaluation at development volume
Laboratory High Shearing Emulsifier	Emulsification	0.2–50 L	Cosmetic, pharmaceutical and biological emulsion development
Laboratory Planetary Mixer 30L (PMX)	Mixing	2–1,000 L series	R&D, small-batch trials and pilot production

Volume figures are the published ranges for each platform, not guarantees. Laboratory results transfer to production only when the operating principle is held constant and the data set is complete — particle-size distribution, temperature, viscosity, solids and power at every scale.

Frequently asked questions

What batch volumes can the laboratory range handle?

From 0.2 L on the laboratory pin-type bead mill, dispersers and emulsifier, through 5–50 L on the BPF-H disperser, to 2–1,000 L across the PMX planetary mixer series for pilot work. Size the vessel to the sample you need to produce, not to the smallest machine available.

Why can I not scale up by volume alone?

Because geometry, heat transfer, residence time and rheology all change with size, not just volume. Use geometric, kinematic and dynamic comparisons between bench and production machines, then confirm them with pilot data. Track particle-size distribution, temperature, viscosity, solids, power and throughput at every scale with a defined sampling method.

Which laboratory mill should I use for nano grinding?

The laboratory pin-type bead mill (0.2–1 L) applies the same pin-type principle as the production platforms, with small media and tight separation for nano-range work. For batch development and changeover studies, the laboratory basket mill is the closer match to production basket milling.

Can laboratory equipment produce commercial sample batches?

Yes. The BPF-H disperser (5–50 L) and the PMX series (2–1,000 L) are used for customer-approval samples and line trials, not just formulation work. The same units also serve pilot production where a small commercial volume is needed before full scale-up.

How do I keep laboratory results representative?

Test representative material at process temperature, change one major variable at a time, and retain samples for comparison. A single endpoint can hide a broad distribution — use a defined laboratory method and repeat samples so the data set survives scrutiny at scale-up review.

Is contamination control available at laboratory scale?

Yes. Ceramic-lined and ceramic-media options apply at bench scale as they do in production, which matters for battery materials, white pigments and electronic pastes where metal contact is unacceptable. Verify contamination limits by trial on your own slurry rather than by specification alone.

Should I trial before committing to production equipment?

We recommend it. A trial on your own material — at laboratory or pilot scale — fixes the operating principle, media or disc selection and cycle time before a chamber size is committed. Most scale-up surprises are visible in the trial data if the data set is complete.

How do I specify a laboratory unit?

Send the material, viscosity, target fineness or droplet size, batch volume and the production step the data must predict. We will match the operating principle to your intended production machine so the pilot data transfers, and specify the unit and options accordingly.

Related technical guides

• Scale-Up from Laboratory to Production: Key Considerations — why volume alone is not a valid rule, and what data to track at every scale.
• Bead Mill Selection Guide: Specifications — chamber size, media, tip speed and separator selection.
• High Shear Emulsifier Selection Guide — rotor-stator design and tip speed for emulsion development.
• Grinding Bead Size Selection for Ultrafine Milling — media sizing when the laboratory mill sets the fineness target.
• Types of Paint Mixing Machines — where laboratory units sit in the development workflow for coatings.