Research, Pilot Plants & Process Development

Feasibility testing, pilot plant systems, Rototherm® Mini technology, and process engineering support that help R&D teams generate the data needed for scale-up and commercial equipment decisions.

The Industry

Process Development Support for Testing, Validation, and Scale-Up.

A successful scale-up starts with knowing how a material responds to real process conditions, not just how it’s expected to behave on paper, because that behavior can determine whether a separation process is technically and commercially practical.

Through lab-scale feasibility evaluation, pilot plant testing, Rototherm® Mini equipment, pilot-scale Rototherm® systems, Evaporator/Stripper™ testing, Short Path Stripper® options, rental and demonstration equipment, and engineering support, Artisan helps teams evaluate process fit before full-scale equipment is specified. Testing can be used to compare process paths, collect operating data, evaluate product characteristics, and identify the conditions needed for scale-up.

Artisan’s testing resources help research and development teams turn early material behavior into practical engineering direction, creating a clearer path from feasibility review to pilot testing, commercial design, and capital planning.

Key Differentiators

Feasibility evaluation with limited material

Early testing determines whether a material suits thin-film evaporation, stripping, concentration, or drying, even with only a small sample available.

Process data for scale-up

Pilot testing generates the operating data and performance results behind scale-up calculations, cost estimates, and commercial design decisions.

Screening of multiple process paths

Research teams can compare approaches to concentration, solvent recovery, drying, stripping, and purification before committing to one path.

Controlled testing for sensitive materials

Controlled test systems show how heat-sensitive, viscous, foaming, or fouling materials respond to residence time, vacuum level, heat transfer, and discharge conditions before scale-up.

Capital justification and risk reduction

Pilot plant results de-risk large-scale investment by validating performance and documenting what’s needed for equipment selection and project approval.

Artisan Capabilities for Research, Pilot Plants & Process Development

See What Artisan Can Do for Your Development Program

Feasibility Testing

Small-sample evaluation and early process screening

Artisan’s feasibility testing helps determine whether a material is a practical fit for technologies such as the Rototherm® and Evaporator/Stripper™ systems. Using a limited sample, engineers can evaluate drying behavior, adherence, processing time, final product characteristics, and early equipment compatibility before recommending a larger pilot program.

Pilot Plant Testing

Custom-configured pilot systems and process trials

Pilot plant testing gives teams a controlled environment to evaluate proprietary Artisan technologies, including Rototherm®, Evaporator/Stripper™, and Short Path Stripper® systems. Pilot systems can be configured as single- or multi-stage arrangements and may combine multiple unit operations to more fully reflect the separation challenge.

ROTOTHERM® MINI

Continuous thin-film technology for research and development teams

The Rototherm® Mini brings scalable thin-film separation technology into a compact research-scale format. It supports continuous processing of heat-sensitive, viscous, slurry, or solvent-bearing materials, with operating conditions that help R&D teams evaluate concentration, purification, dehydration, solvent recovery, and drying before moving to pilot or production scale.

Not sure which testing path fits your material? Our engineers can help you figure it out.

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Process Applications

Where Artisan Equipment Works in Research, Pilot Plants, and Process Development.

Feasibility Testing for New Materials

Early feasibility testing helps determine how a material responds to vacuum, heat, agitation, drying, and thin-film processing, giving teams an initial technical read before committing to larger pilot trials or investing in equipment.

ROTOTHERM® MINI Evaluation

The Rototherm® Mini is designed for research and development teams that need continuous, scalable thin-film processing with a small footprint. It can process feed rates from 5–50 ml/min, operate from 1–760 torr, and accommodate temperatures from -40° to 400°F.

Pilot ROTOTHERM® Testing

Pilot-scale Rototherm® testing lets teams evaluate heat transfer, residence time, discharge behavior, solvent removal, concentration, and drying performance, using the same core principles applied in production-scale equipment.

Evaporator/Stripper™ Pilot Testing

Evaporator/Stripper™ testing suits applications involving residual solvent removal, volatile stripping, concentration, deodorization, or removal of difficult light components, helping define the conditions needed for ppm- or ppb-level removal targets.

Short Path Stripper® Pilot Options

Short Path Stripper® testing advances high-vacuum separation when short residence time and controlled vapor handling are critical, helping teams evaluate purification, stripping, or separation paths before commercial design.

Mini vs. Pilot Testing

Some projects call for Rototherm® Mini testing to understand initial behavior with a limited sample, while others require pilot-scale systems for larger datasets or more complete operating conditions.

Process Path Screening

When a single approach isn’t obviously right, Artisan testing can compare combined unit operations alongside individual paths, helping research teams find the most practical route for their material or product goal.

Scale-Up Data Collection

The data gathered during pilot trials becomes the foundation for commercial scale-up, giving engineering teams real operating conditions and material behavior to design against, rather than estimates.

University and National Lab Research

Academic and government research programs often require equipment that can handle experimental materials, limited sample volumes, and evolving objectives. Artisan equips these groups with compact equipment, pilot capabilities, and engineering input for difficult separations.

Corporate R&D and Innovation Programs

Corporate development teams use Artisan testing to validate new products, improve existing processes, reduce scale-up uncertainty, or generate the technical case needed for capital approval.

Pilot-to-Capital Planning

When pilot testing succeeds, the resulting process data and design inputs can shape a budgetary equipment proposal, giving teams a clearer path from development work to production-scale planning.

Rental and Demonstration Equipment

Rental or demonstration equipment lets teams evaluate technology fit, run internal trials, or carry out development programs without committing to permanent full-scale equipment.

Tell Us About Your Research, Pilot Plant, or Process Development Challenge.

Turning an early-stage separation concept into a production-ready process takes clear data, practical testing, and experienced engineering review. With more than 90 years of process engineering experience, Artisan helps teams move from small-sample feasibility work to pilot testing, scale-up planning, and commercial equipment decisions.