Particulate Systems, a brand of Micromeritics, has completed the full acquisition of Subsieve Autosizer from HEL.

The agreement was finalised on March 18, 2015.

HEL has extensive knowledge and experience in laboratory automation. The SAS uses an air-permeability particle sizing technique.

The SAS analyser is an improved successor to the Fisher Model 95 Sub-Sieve Sizer by offering superior analytical results and new easy-to-use automated functions with electronically recorded data.

The air-permeability technique generates average specific surface area (SSA) data of a sample powder.

The SAS uses the principle of pressure drop across a packed bed of powder.

By varying sample height and porosity of the bed, while controlling flow rate of air through the sample, average surface area and particle size can be determined as a function of pressure drop in accordance with the Kozeny-Carman equation.

SSA measurement is important in the manufacture of processed materials.

SSA has been found to be a useful parameter for various industries, including pharmaceutical, paint, toner, and geological applications.

The Subsieve Autosizer can be applied to pharmaceutical quality control where quick and reproducible SAS derived surface areas can be used to control batch-to-batch variation in important properties such as bioavailability and drug delivery.

Particulate Systems general manager Patrick Wommack said: "Completing the acquisition of the SAS is another example of how Micromeritics and Particulate Systems are committed to providing our customers with additional analytical solutions, which are synergistic with our core product line."