Build a better ProWeigh Filter
Monday, 30 November 2009 13:47

Building a Better ProWeigh®

Paul Strickler, Environmental Express Vice President Product Development

Environmental Express has long been the industry leader in providing preweighed filters for solids testing. In fact, our ProWeigh filters have been specifically approved for over ten years by Standard Methods for total dissolved solids (Method 2540C, total suspended solids (Method 2540D) and total volatile solids (Method 2540E).

 

We are proud to announce major upgrades in our manufacturing process that enable us to provide a superior product. During the past three years, we have collaborated with a domestic manufacturer of glass fiber filter material to improve the character of the filter itself.

Previously, each of the half-dozen or so manufacturers of glass fiber filters in the world have offered a product that is suitable for TSS & VSS, but none have offered a filter that was specifically designed for TSS until now. Our new ProTemp binderless borosilicate glass fiber filter material is a significant improvement to existing filters in three ways. First, the material is more weight stable at volatile temperature of 550°C. Previously, many lots of filter material were rejected for use as VSS product due to their inability to meet our quality control criteria for weight stabilization after high temperature heating. Now, every lot of our ProTemp filter material is more stable than even the best lots of other manufacturer’s material.

Second, our ProTemp filter material gives more consistent blanks because it is more resistant to fiber loss from moving water. No more negative blanks due to loss of fibers. Finally, the surface finish and fiber size is more uniform. There are virtually none of the larger glass particles (called shot in the industry) that can wash out during analysis, diminishing results.

We have also upgraded our filter cutting process. We now use a 75 watt CO2 laser that cuts perfect filters of any size with a focused laser beam instead of traditional cutting dies and presses. Take a look at our filters and note how uniform the outer edge is.

ProWeigh Laser

 This melt-cut edge maintains its integrity and resistance to fiber loss as each individual filter is washed repeatedly with DI water as the method requires. Functionally, this means that there is less damage to the filter surface and less loose fiber that can be lost in the process and affect the final weight.

Finally we have upgraded our robotic system and are now using dedicated weigh cells instead of standard analytical balances for all 42mm, 47mm and 55mm ProWeigh filters. These certified weigh cells are much faster, and stabilize much more quickly than the analytical balances.

Balances for Proweigh filters

They are so incredibly fast that we configure them for maximum stability possible before a weight is registered. Also, there is virtually no drift. ProWeighs have always easily met the requirement of being weight reproducible to 0.5mg. Now, the weights are even tighter and closer to the mean.

Improved filter material, improved preparation and more accurate weighing result in a better product that always meets the needs of your laboratory. Environmental Express is committed to constant improvement of our processes and products to improve your results and save you time.

Comments

avatar David
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I have a comment/question/request for the VSS filters. We need a better way to contain these while they are subject to the elevated temperatures to drive off the volatile solids. The paper label always burns off. This leaves no way to distinguish the samples when you have them cooling in the dessicator and you can't remember what order you put them in. Is there a way to stamp the ID number directly onto the holding dish? Either a heat resistant ink, or actually punching an indentation into the metal would be great.
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avatar Les
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Great question David. It is something we have dealt with at Environmental Express for a long time. You are correct that the label will completely disentigrate at the 500 degrees that Volatiles are heated at. There is not label that will withstand that. We did experiment with stamping into the pan, but there were issues of everyone wanting different numbers/letters and such. Anyways, what a vast majority of our customers do is to simply write on the bottom of the pan with an ink pen. Even though the ink will dissapear, there will be an indentation into the aluminum pan for your reference when it comes out of the oven. We have made the label so it can come off the pan (not too easily that it would come off on it's own) so that technicians can remove it and place it into a book with the corresponding number that they write on the pan. This way the label bar code can still be utilized. I hope this helps out. If you have any additional questions or comments, don't hesitate to contact us at 1-800-343-5319 or email or comment here on the blog section.
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avatar raphael
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could be made in the recording filter asymptomatic own label and need not certainly bear this temperatre 500 °
http://www.dowload.net.br" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">download gratis
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avatar Gibson Les Paul
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Great tips. It helped a lot with my ongoing project. Thanks!

http://www.gibsonlespauljr.com
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