LAB COMPOUNDERS | TECHNOLOGY
Progress at laboratory scale seen at K2025
Recent technology advances in laboratory-scale compounders were demonstrated at the K2025 show. Chris Saunders reports on new features and upgrades from suppliers
Laboratory compounding is quietly going through a rapid technical refresh and becoming more production-representative, greener, and smarter. Over the past 12-18 months, vendors and end- users have focused on three overlapping themes; designing smaller lab compounding machines, incorporating more materials that attempt to close the loop in plastic production, and utilising digital/ in-line analytics which make lab results more accurate and predictive of plant scale. The accumu- lative result of recent innovations in these areas is that R&D teams can now run projects faster, use less material, and produce data closer to what a full-scale compounding line would deliver. With regards to the hardware, many newer devices are trending towards an emphasis on modularity and demonstrating improved screw geometries, better temperature control, and repeatability, all intended to mimic full-scale twin-screw extruders. Something else to consider is the fact that compound R&D using recycled content are no longer niche projects, and are in fact proliferating. Academic and industrial groups are testing formulations with high post-consumer recycled (PCR) content and strengthened bio- based plastic compounds for real-world applica- tions, while instrument makers advertise lab-scale extrusion kits and small recycling extruders aimed at R&D, and pilot trials reflect the twin influences of customer demand and regulatory pressure. With the plastics industry as a whole coming under increased financial and regulatory pressure, many companies have understandably become cautious about making potentially costly decisions. During an interview at the K2025 show in October, a representative from Collin Lab & Pilot Solutions, the German supplier of pilot production lines and modular lab-scale machinery, said it is selling more equipment than ever because customers who are feeling the crunch are anxious to keep costs to an absolute minimum. One sure-fire way to do this is to thoroughly assess formulations in the early
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stages before they are scaled up in production. Among Collin’s offerings at the K show was the
ZK20, which was first issued in October 2024 having been designed to fill a gap in the company’s existing lineup between the smaller 12/16 mm and larger 25/35 mm compounders. In the short time it has been available, the machine has become well known for its compact design, innovative distribu- tion gear, and robust performance. Buss says that even before tests are conducted
in one of its network of laboratories, a series of preparatory steps are required at its Technikum facility in Switzerland, which acts as a crucial R&D and quality assurance hub where the company translates its technical expertise into real-world, scalable solutions for clients. This process routinely involves feasibility testing
(where various customer-specific applications, formulations, and material processes are explored),
December 2025 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 31
Main image: The CPeX lab-scale processor utilises Farrel Pomini’s proven continuous mixing
technology
IMAGE: FARREL POMINI
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