Powder Flow Analyser

Keeping powders and granules flowing correctly and consistently is critical from ingredient handling and processing through to packing, storage and final use. The Powder Flow Analyser (PFA) is an accessory for the TA.XTplusC Texture Analyser that provides repeatable, sensitive measurements of powder flow, helping you avoid discharge problems, caking, batch variation and costly downtime.

Developed in-house at our headquarters in Godalming, Surrey, UK, the Powder Flow Analyser is used worldwide in food, pharmaceutical, personal care and industrial powder applications.

• Accessory for the TA.XTplusC Texture Analyser – make full use of the same test frame for both powders and end products
• Controlled Flow tests – displace powders using programmable slicing, shearing, compacting, mixing and aerating actions
• Measures key powder behaviours – cohesion, caking, bridging, bulk density, compressibility, relaxation, stiffness, elastic recovery and flow speed dependence
• Precision helical blade – engineered rotor for highly repeatable, discriminating measurements
• Exponent Connect software – dedicated powder flow methods, calibration, verification, analysis and reporting

Powder Flow Analyser in action – closeups, differing samples and range of speeds and blade actions.

The Powder Flow Analyser uses a precision helical blade to move through a column of powder in a controlled way. By combining different movement patterns, you can:

• Impose extremely gentle through to highly aggressive flows
• Imitate the way powders behave in hoppers, feeders, conveyors and storage vessels
• Pre-condition the powder column repeatably at the start of each test to minimise loading differences between operators

During each test, the system measures axial force, time and distance, and Exponent Connect software analyses the data to characterise how the powder responds under those specific conditions.

Apply multiple actions in one test

User-programmable test sequences allow you to combine:

• Slicing and shearing – to move through the powder column with minimal disturbance
• Compacting and compressing – to investigate caking and consolidation behaviour
• Lifting and aerating – to assess how powders loosen and re-flow after compaction or storage
• Mixing actions – to simulate the repeated movement seen in many processes

Any of these actions can be combined and repeated in any order to reflect real-world handling conditions and highlight differences between materials.

Measure multiple powder characteristics

From a single instrument you can:

• Quantify cohesion and caking tendencies
• Assess bridging and flow stoppage risks
• Measure bulk density, compressibility and relaxation
• Characterise stiffness and elastic recovery of compacted beds
• Evaluate powder flow speed dependence – how behaviour changes as conveying or discharge rates increase

These insights help you choose suitable ingredients, tune formulations, set process windows and design packaging that supports consistent performance.

Superior engineered rotor design for accurate results

At the heart of the Powder Flow Analyser is a precision helical blade, engineered to a mathematically defined true helix shape and manufactured to tight tolerances. This design allows the blade to cut through the powder column smoothly and predictably, supporting highly reproducible and sensitive measurements from rotor to rotor compared with simpler, bent-plate blade designs.

From an engineering perspective

Commenting on the blade, Jim Walker, Founder and Director at Stable Micro Systems, says: "The design of the blade is the single most important factor in achieving repeatable powder flow measurements. The non-helical blade used on other instruments is bent from a flat sheet and presents a large flat central area to the powder being tested. It effectively compresses a column of powder beneath the blade during its travel path through the sample. As a consequence, any axial force readings being taken are corrupted and these instruments are forced to rely on torque measurements because of the inadequacies of blade design."

As the blade moves, it naturally cuts through the powder column along its helical path. This means the powder is displaced in a controlled fashion and the forces acting on the blade can be measured directly as axial force, without relying on complex torque-only measurements.

The result is a system capable of delivering:

• Highly reproducible results between tests and between instruments
• High discrimination between powders that may look similar but behave differently in process
• A strong link between laboratory measurements and real-world flow behaviour

The Powder Flow Analyser turns your TA.XTplusC Texture Analyser into a multi-purpose powder testing platform – replacing separate devices for flow, caking, compressibility and end-product testing, with one software environment and one training curve.

Data you can trust

Rank suppliers, compare formulations and investigate flow problems with confidence.

The result: The confidence to make evidence-based decisions about suppliers, formulations and process changes.

How it works:

• Conditioning: Pre-conditioned columns reduce variability from sample loading.
• Geometry: Precision-manufactured rotors and vessels keep results consistent run to run.
• Sensitivity: High-speed data capture and Exponent Connect reveal small but critical differences between samples.

One platform, complete coverage

From ingredient powder to finished product – without buying new instruments.

The result: One platform that replaces several separate instruments across your entire testing workflow.

How it works:

• Extension: Add compressibility, cake strength, yield stress and shear fixtures as needed.
• Coverage: Same frame handles powder flow, product tests and finished-product texture.
• Integration: Shared robust frame and vertical drive with your existing Texture Analyser.

Practical in real lab conditions

Designed for QC and R&D teams who need fast, repeatable results every day.

The result: Tests that fit real workflows: representative sample sizes, fast cleanup, short learning curve.

How it works:

• Sample sizes: 20–200 ml volumes suit both R&D and routine QC without wasting costly powders.
• Cleaning: Smooth surfaces and simple geometries mean fast turnaround between tests.
• Onboarding: Library projects in Exponent Connect get new users producing results with minimal training.

Solve real powder problems

Identify and fix caking, bridging and discharge issues before they reach production.

The result: Catch potential failures before the line, and support process changes with data, not guesswork.

How it works:

• Prevention: Identify batches likely to cake, bridge or block equipment.
• Optimisation: Minimise lumps, segregation and discharge issues through data-led decisions.
• Confidence: Support higher throughput or new formulations with evidence, not trial and error.

This makes the combined system one of the most versatile testing solutions available for both powders and finished products – effectively replacing several separate instruments with a single, integrated platform.

The Powder Flow Analyser is used by R&D, formulation and QA/QC teams in:

• Food and beverage – flours, cocoa and chocolate powders, sugars, milk powders, drink mixes, spices, seasonings, instant products
• Pharmaceutical and nutraceutical – APIs, excipients, granules, blends, capsule and tablet powders
• Home and personal care – detergents, cleaning powders, cosmetic powders and talcs
• Industrial and chemical – pigments and colourants, metal powders, ceramics, fertilisers and other bulk solids

It is equally valuable for development work (exploring new recipes and processes) and routine monitoring of powder performance in production.

The Powder Flow Analyser can be configured with a range of vessels, blades and complementary fixtures to extend your powder property measurement options.

Test vessels

Standard vessels hold the powder or granular samples for testing and are manufactured from precision borosilicate glass for dimensional stability and easy inspection.

• Precision borosilicate glass tube with removable acetal base attachment ring
• Two standard diameters covering typical test volumes from around 20ml to 200ml
• Vertical alignment and radial tolerance typically better than ±0.05mm
• Alternative materials and custom sizes available on request
• Available individually or as sets (for higher-throughput work or multi-batch comparisons)

Rotors and blades

Rotors provide the controlled powder flow that underpins powder flow analysis. Carefully designed blade geometry and shaft alignment allow you to:

• Impose slicing, shearing, lifting, compacting and mixing actions
• Measure how powders respond, including caking, cohesion and flow speed dependence
• Repeat test sequences accurately from batch to batch
• Alternative blade materials and custom geometries may be available for specific applications; contact Stable Micro Systems or your local distributor for details.

Alternative blade materials and custom geometries may be available for specific applications; contact Stable Micro Systems or your local distributor for details.

For more complex powder behaviour studies, the Powder Flow Analyser can be combined with additional fixtures such as split vessels, compressibility probes and caking or yield-stress rigs, described on the Other powder-related tests page.

Other accessories

*Values may differ slightly depending on the Texture Analyser model used.

For deeper technical background and validation:

Published papers using the Powder Flow Analyser 
A curated list of peer-reviewed studies showing PFA applications across food, pharma, cosmetics, industrial and other sectors.

Patents referring to the Powder Flow Analyser
Documentation of the underlying technology and methods used for Controlled Flow measurement.

Installation guide

Existing customers can request an A3 installation and quick-reference poster to support correct setup and routine use of the Powder Flow Analyser. 

When you invest in a Stable Micro Systems Powder Flow Analyser, you’re choosing more than an instrument.

Our customers consistently cite our technical knowledge and willingness to help solve complex testing challenges as key reasons they choose our instruments again and again.