We like to go the extra mile. Our expert application engineers and lab technicians for Marion and Kason often collaborate with a client to improve their company’s production process when we test materials at our Iowa-based facility.
“People tend to be really surprised when they find out our test results,” Test Facilities Manager Rich Steepleton said. “We get ‘I wasn’t expecting that!’ a lot.”
For example, we discovered people regularly mix dry applications much longer than necessary. In fact, we’ve found cases where a mix could be successful after 4-5 minutes – not the 20-40 minutes the company was previously mixing.
“People tend to overmix because that’s the way they’ve always done it, and also they think the longer you mix it, the better,” Steepleton said. “But you can actually mix it too long and ‘unmix it’. If you have particle sizes that are different, or different ingredients with different weights, you can desegregate the mix.”
We house both Marion and Kason machines at our testing facility, which means we can help provide relevant data regarding mixing, sifting, screening and many more processes.
Big results come out of our testing facility
Because we do more than 300 tests per year, we’re constantly discovering new insights through the tests that we put on. Often, those findings turn into actionable change for a client’s process. Some of the big takeaways and results include:
- Increased throughput
- Decreased mixing time
- Higher quality product
We’ve even increased our liquid addition testing – whether water or oils – to find the best way to homogenize blends. Whether it’s a simple dry blend, complex mix looking for a specific chemical reaction, a complicated dewatering application or much more, our tried-and-true lab testing process allows us to be prepared for anything.
“Sometimes the equipment is being used for something other than its original process,” Application Engineer Alex Ritchie said. “We put out a detailed report and share videos of the process as much as possible, but we’ve found people always have a positive experience when they come to the facility for the test. It’s pretty awesome to see their reactions.”
Where to learn more about the testing process
If you’d like to know more about testing with Marion and Kason, check out these resources:
- Download our Material Testing Process guide
- Read a blog about the step-by-step testing process
- Visit the testing websites for both Marion and Kason
