Feasibility Testing

OVERVIEW

What Is Feasibility Testing?

Feasibility testing is a brief, primarily qualitative review of a small material sample, typically around 200 mL, completed before continuous pilot testing.

Our engineers combine what they observe with the Safety Data Sheet (SDS), application questionnaire, process objectives, and operating limitations provided by your team. This helps us determine which Artisan technology and pilot equipment configuration offer the most appropriate starting point.

This is not a detailed analytical study or a substitute for pilot testing. It is a practical first look at the actual material so we can make a more informed recommendation before asking for a larger quantity of feed.

Ready to understand whether your material is a candidate for Artisan technology? Our engineers are available to discuss your application.

What We Look For

Our engineers focus on the physical characteristics most likely to influence material handling, equipment selection, and pilot test planning.

Feed Material Characteristics

For evaporation and stripping applications, we assess apparent viscosity, color, solids content and settling behavior, phase separation, and pourability. These observations tell us how the feed will flow in continuous equipment and which surrounding equipment the system requires.

Drying Behavior

For drying applications, we also dry a small portion of the sample batchwise under heat and vacuum, watching for thickening, foaming, stickiness, or skin formation. Whether the dried material turns brittle, powdery, granular, or free-flowing without mechanical intervention tells us if it is a candidate for continuous drying in a Rototherm® Thin Film Evaporator.

Potential Equipment Fit

We combine the sample observations with your application information to identify the Artisan technology and pilot equipment most likely to produce a useful test — and we say so plainly if the material looks especially challenging or unlikely to succeed.

How We Do It

Artisan’s Approach to Feasibility Testing.

A Simple First Step Before Pilot Testing

Feasibility testing is intentionally straightforward. The goal is to gain enough firsthand understanding of the material to make an informed recommendation and prepare effectively for the next stage.

The process also allows both teams to begin working together, establish the requirements for shipping material to Artisan, and confirm that the application is ready to move toward pilot testing.

Application Review

Your team provides a Safety Data Sheet and completes a brief testing questionnaire covering the feed material composition, process objective, desired product, and known operating constraints.

This gives our engineers the context needed to evaluate the sample, understand what success would look like, and recognize any limitations that should be considered.

Sample Observation

Once the sample arrives, our engineers examine its physical appearance and handling characteristics. Seeing and handling the actual material can uncover details that may not be clear from an SDS or process data alone. We then issue a concise report covering our observations, recommended next steps, and any considerations for the pilot program.

Pilot Test Recommendation

We use what we learn to recommend the equipment and general approach for continuous pilot testing. Our engineers work with your team to discuss the next steps based on your process needs, our observations, and our prior experience with similar materials.

Understanding the material beforehand helps us prepare the equipment, anticipate handling concerns, and focus pilot time on meaningful operating conditions rather than first learning basic information about the feed.

Ready to Take the First Step?

Send us a small sample along with the available application information. Our engineers will review the material, share their initial feedback, and recommend whether continuous pilot testing is the appropriate next step.