New Spraytec software further extends data capture and processing capabilities

New version software for the Spraytec™ particle size analyzer from Malvern^® Instruments further extends the system's data capture and processing capabilities. Spraytec uses the technique of laser diffraction to measure spray particle size distributions and is widely used for the analysis of a wide range of industrial and pharmaceutical aerosols and sprays. It delivers real-time, high-speed measurements for the complete characterization of both continuous and pulsed spray events. Developed with input from existing Spraytec users, the new version software makes it easier to access and understand the information required for product development and quality control. It also allows integration of the Spraytec with other spray research tools.

Paul Kippax, Product Manager for Diffraction Systems at Malvern Instruments, believes that the continued evolution of the Spraytec's capabilities is important in meeting the changing demands of the market place. "The Spraytec is an extremely valuable tool for the detailed analysis of spray behaviour," he said. "Understanding the wide variety of different applications, and the capabilities that our customers require, is a key part of Malvern Instruments' responsive approach to the development of our systems."

An important feature of the new package is a third party software interface, which allows other measurement systems to run SOPs and to download results remotely. Spraytec can therefore be used alongside other techniques or within automated analysis systems.

A new ensemble averaging feature has also been developed which enables researchers to easily detect the time-points in repeat spray actuations where the atomization process is most variable, while enhanced method set-up and results reporting improve data accessibility. The facility to convert from volume to number based particle size distributions enables comparison of the data with measurements from other methods.