Experimental analysis of deposition of particulate materials into confined spaces

Analogous to the problems faced in filling of large storage systems such as bins and silos, the filling of particulate material into small storage systems such as dies (typical volume a few cubic centimeters) presents problems that affect the quality of the final product. While some researchers have studied the effects of filling method on fundamental particulate properties and load distribution in large storage systems, there is a lack of quantitative analysis of the process of deposition of particulates into small storage systems such as dies. A low-cost tester capable of acquiring real-time data has been developed for experimental analysis of the process of filling of dies. A preliminary study of the effects of die cross-section, die aspect ratio, and rate of die fill that impact spatial die fill density distribution has been carried out. Qualitative data analysis indicates that die size, shape and rate of fill may be important factors affecting die fill.