Quite often, customers come to AVEKA with a brilliant material concept but lack the technical roadmap to manufacture it at scale. Fortunately, our team of industry-renowned engineers, scientists, and technicians specializes in developing, refining, and scaling up custom processing solutions.
Our R&D assignments span from quick, small-scale feasibility studies to comprehensive, long-term development projects involving patent searches, brainstorming sessions, and formal intellectual property agreements.
What is AVEKA’s typical scale up process?
AVEKA’s scale-up process transitions a product from R&D lab-scale testing to pilot trials, and finally to full-scale engineering optimization. This process typically takes between one month and a year depending on project complexity.
Phase 1: Lab-Scale Feasibility: Projects begin in our R&D department to evaluate material behavior using small-scale laboratory equipment.
Phase 2: Pilot-Scale Trials: Once feasibility is proven, we scale up to mid-sized batches to refine processing parameters.
Phase 3: Production Optimization: The project moves to our engineering team to maximize throughput and guarantee quality for full-scale commercial production.
Challenge: Drying a Heat-Sensitive, Food Grade Wet Cake
Our customer needed to dry a 25% solid edible seed wet cake down to a strict 1.5% final moisture content without damaging the heat-sensitive material, while strictly adhering to FDA food-grade regulations.
The client was unsure how to safely remove moisture from the sensitive feed material without compromising its structural or nutritional integrity. Furthermore, because this was a food, beverage, and nutraceutical application, the processing line required rigorous compliance with FDA standards and a flexible packaging solution capable of shifting from bulk containers to smaller commercial sizes.
Solution: Food-Grade Fluidized Bed Drying
AVEKA utilized specialized fluidized bed drying to achieve rapid, uniform, and gentle moisture reduction without overheating the sensitive edible seeds.
Fluid bed drying is an ideal solution for processed wet cakes (materials filtered to remove bulk liquid). By suspending the individual particulates in a controlled column of upward airflow, the heated air completely surrounds each particle. This allows for incredibly fast, uniform thermal transfer. Because it is a batch process, our technicians can tightly regulate time and temperature variables to safeguard sensitive materials.
Our 3-Stage Fluid Bed Drying Scale-Up Process
We successfully scaled our customer’s food-grade product using a structured three-stage framework:
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- Lab-Scale Testing (1-Pound Batches): Working side-by-side with our customer at our AVEKA Headquarters in St. Paul, MN, we tested small batches to optimize air flow and temperature baselines.
- Pilot-Scale Validation (100-Pound Batches): We transitioned to our dedicated food-grade facility, AVEKA Manufacturing in Fredericksburg, Iowa. Here, our R&D and Quality Assurance teams established precise sampling protocols to meet strict compliance guidelines.
- Full-Scale Production (250-Pound Batches): Our engineering team successfully optimized the system to dry complete 250-pound commercial batches in under 50 minutes without breaking down the material structure.
Flexible Packaging Results: While initial shipments were handled via bulk super sacks, we quickly adapted our line to accommodate the client’s request for easier-to-manage 50-pound bags.
Partner with AVEKA for Material R&D and Scale-Up
Whether you need to dry a challenging slurry, apply a custom specialty coating, or engineer a complex particulate, AVEKA has the advanced technology and manufacturing expertise to bring your product to market. We manage your project from initial laboratory feasibility to continuous commercial production.
