Testing: 'First' Tailor-Made Process for Small-Scale Thermoplastics Sample Preparation

Austria’s MeltPrep, a 2016 laboratory equipment startup company is introducing its innovative VCM (vacuum compression molding) technology at Antec Virtual Edition 2020. VCM reportedly allows the preparation of homogeneous and defined samples of thermoplastic materials for use in different characterization methods such as rheology, DMTA testing and solid-state analysis and many more in less than 10 minutes. CEO and founder Danier Treffer says this process is well suited for use in the quality control labs of compounders and resin suppliers of thermoplastic formulations. MeltPrep is offering free sample preparation to companies who are facing challenges in sample preparation in their labs.

MeltPrep’s VCM reportedly is the first tailor made process for small-scale sample preparation. It works in a lossless manner and gives homogeneous samples perfectly suited for material characterization. “I invented VCM during my PhD on pharmaceutical extrusion. I was challenged with expensive materials which are very shear and heat sensitive.  Our tools are used across the globe. We also acquired another start-up last year called ExtruVis. ExtruVis is the first easy-to-use solution to measure residence time distributions within extruders,” Treffer tells PT.

The patented VCM enable the lossless rapid production of solid samples by performing fusion under vacuum—starting from powder to the final sample.The samples mimic hot-melt extruded formulations. The source material’s characteristics are not altered as minimum shear and heat load are applied. This enables accurate material characterization of sample produced by VCM, which also improves engineering and simulation results, according to Treffer.