Pellet Press

REFLEX Analytical's benchtop Pellet Press provides a convenient and economical means for compressing powdered materials into pellet or tablet form without incurring the cost normally associated with expensive tablet making machinery. It is a compact, hand-operated press that can be used anywhere in the laboratory, requiring very little bench space and no fixed mounting. The Pellet Press produces uniform pellets in a polished die and ejects them smoothly into a receiver without incident of contamination.

The Pellet Press is a stand alone accessory 10"H x 5"W x 9"D with a 7" lever arm, weighs 17 pounds and provides a 1.25" ram stroke. Available die sizes range from 2mm - 13mm (scroll below). Custom in between sizes are available upon request. Die sizes 4.5mm and smaller are made from 17-4PH Stainless Steel. Die sizes 1/4" and larger are made from T-303 Stainless Steel. Die components are heat treated for added strength and hardness. The depth of cavity is 1" for 3/8" and 1/2" dies, 0.75" for 3mm, 4.5mm, 1/8", and 1/4" dies. The press is supplied with a universal die holder which locates and aligns each die set. Choose one or more die sets depending upon the size(s) required for your application. Spare universal die holders are also available to increase productivity (as one pellet is pressed, another can be prepared). Scroll below for order details.

The pellets produced in the Pellet Press are circular in shape with flat ends. Their height or thickness depends upon the amount of material compressed and the force applied. The dies are not fastened down. They automatically align with the press ram and may be slipped out from under the ram for quick reloading.

The compressive force in this press is developed by hand pressure on a lever attached to a large steel cam. This press system is designed to provide a steadily increasing mechanical advantage up to a ratio of approximately 50 to 1 at the end of the stroke. Thus, a force of 20 pounds applied to the lever develops approximately 1000 pounds on the press ram which is adequate to produce firm pellets from most powdered materials (usually without adding a binder).

The anvil which supports the die in the Pellet Press is attached to a heavy screw post so that it can be raised or lowered. Rotating the anvil to raise or lower the die makes it possible to produce pellets of any desired thickness using the maximum force of the press. When compressing light or fluffy materials the die can be raised after successive ram strokes to compensate for the reduction in the volume of the charge. The variable anvil setting can also be used as a means for adjusting the amount of pressure applied to a pellet. If duplicate pellets of equal density are desired, these can be made by using equal amounts of sample and leaving the anvil at a fixed setting while taking the ram through its full stroke when forming each pellet.

The Pellet Press is ideal for fabricating pellets for bomb calorimetry, particularly when working with finely powdered samples. Although some powdered materials burn well in an Oxygen bomb, while others such as benzoic acid, must be pelletized for safe combustion and best results. There are several advantages by burning samples in pellet form instead of a loose powder. Foremost, some materials have dangerously high burning rates if burned as a loose powder. These rates can be restricted to safe levels by compressing the powder into a pellet or briquette. Secondly, loose powders exposed to the turbulent gases produced during a bomb combustion may be blown out of the sample cup and extinguished by the cold bomb wall before they have burned completely. A pelletized sample will be held in the combustion zone with a much better chance for complete combustion. Lastly, pelletized samples are easy to handle and weigh; they lie flat in the combustion capsule and ignite easily.

Pelletized samples are equally important in other investigative and test procedures. Laboratories engaged in pharmaceutical, biological, nutrition and spectrographic operations find frequent uses for tablets and wafers of the types that can be made in the Pellet Press. Spectroscopists find this device excellent for preparing small samples to be analyzed in an emission spectrometer. Small diameter pellets made in the Pellet Press can be imbedded in a hole drilled in the sparking electrode, assuring the operator that his sample will always be held in exactly the right position for best results.

CLICK HERE to preview other solid and semi-solid sampling accessories such as evacuable pellet dies and pellet molds, XRF dies, manual and auto lab presses, polymer film makers, and much more.