To most people, the idea of working in a research and development lab is a lot like lot like being Q from a James Bond movie.
In reality, working in a lab typically consists of action-packed days and scintillating nights spent mixing materials, testing, taking notes, mixing materials again, testing again and—you know the drill.
Although lab life may not be quite the Hollywood glitz and glamour it’s made out to be, a few cool innovations over the years have definitely made lab work a lot easier and, dare we say, cooler.
The Hauschild SpeedMixer® is an obvious one. The original DAC mixer and still the industry leader, Hauschild SpeedMixer® has been making a lab tech’s life easier going on 50 years now.
A lesser known device, yet vital to improving the efficiency and quality of mixed materials, is the Hauschild SpeedDisk with LeverPress. If you work in a lab that mixes adhesives & sealants, pharmaceuticals, lubricants, 3D printing materials, medical device manufacturing or electronics, chances are you’ve worked with a SpeedDisk and LeverPress, or at least you wished you did.
In the simplest of terms, the SpeedDisk and LeverPress are devices that work together to transfer mixed materials from mix cups into syringes, cartridges and other extrusion devices quickly, easily and without jeopardizing the quality of the mixed material or risking entrapped air.
Transferring into these specialized containers makes the materials easier to transport, meter and place. Doing it cleanly, however, without excessive waste, bubbles or entrapped air is no easy task.
Theodor Eitzen, Hauschild CTO, solved the problem—as he’s solved so many others over his 41 years with Hauschild Engineering—by mixing a creative solution with a critical eye for precision engineering.
The result is the SpeedDisk with LeverPress, a simple yet effective solution that overcomes the common challenge faced by lab techs the world over—transferring speedmixed materials into specialized containers at the highest quality possible.
Here’s how it works. The SpeedDisk is placed on top of your mixed material as a “backer plate” inside a standard Mix Cup. Speed Disk’s are engineered to specific tolerances offering an interference fit, mating perfectly with the vertical sides the mix cups or other container.
The LeverPress is then used by the tech to push the material down, providing the mechanical advantage to displace material cleanly and without contamination or air entrapment from the mix cup into the syringe or cartridge. Check out this video to see the SpeedDisk and LeverPress in action.
The SpeedDisk’s exact fit, which can be custom-designed by Hauschild to fit virtually any mix cup, combined with the controlled, even pressure from the LeverPress, results in nearly 100% of your mixed material being transferred to the cartridge or syringe so waste is minimized.
According to Ian LaRose, VP of Technology at Hauschild Engineering, the SpeedDisk with LeverPress delivers many advantages over manual materials transfer.
“It’s much faster than a hand transfer process, giving the material a more usable pot life,” says Ian. “It’s also easy to clean up, and quality is always maintained – perfectly degassed material stays perfectly degassed.”
Hauschild has long been at the forefront of innovation in the industry which, according to Theo Eitzen, is a point of pride that drives the R&D facility in Hamm, Germany.
“Innovation has always been at the heart of Hauschild Engineering,” says Theo. “Vacuum machines, robotic mixers, holders for a myriad of cup sizes—they were all invented because we saw a problem in the industry that needed solving.”
Whether it is a custom-size SpeedDisk engineered to fit a unique application or simply solving a problem that could make lab life easier, Ian says the first step is to reach out to Hauschild.
“Anybody who is working in a lab and wishing some part of the process could be easier, reach out to us,” says Ian. “We might already have a solution, or if not, most likely we can make a solution.”
To learn more about Hauschild SpeedMixer®, the SpeedDisk with LeverPress or how we can help make your like in the lab easier, contact the Hauschild team today.
