Image Credit: Cambridge Polymer Group, Inc.

Process development involves finding ways to manufacture products and increase manufacturing efficiency and quality. Process development services can develop new processes, run process research and development (R&D) programs, perform optimization studies, improve current processing methods, and provide other assistance in process development activities.

Process development services vary in terms of types of services and material forms and types.

Types of Services

Process development services include a number of individual types of services. The GlobalSpec SpecSearch Database provides users with option of selecting services based on type of service. These include:

• Analytical testing - Companies provide inspection services and/or analytical testing of processed materials, chemicals, or other products.
• Process development - Companiesdevelop processes or provide research and development (R&D), optimization studies, or other assistance with process development activities.
• Process optimization - Companies provide process development or optimization services.
• Research and development - Companies provide research and development for new processes, process technologies, lower cost processes, or alternate processing steps.
• Technology and licensing - Companies develop, license, or sell specialized process technologies.
• Training and consulting - Companies provide training or consulting services for fluid processing systems.
• Trial facility leasing - Companies provide contractual access to trial facility so that customers can evaluate or prove processes or process equipment before making major capital expenditures.

Material Form and Type

Process development services can be selected based on the material form or specific material type. Material forms include liquids, powders, nanomaterials, bulk solids, granules, webs, continuous stock, and scrap. Specific material types can be classified under processed chemicals or processed materials.

Applications

Process development services vary in terms of technological capabilities and the applications they are used for. Examples include atomization and powder production, blending and mixing, calendering, coating, compacting and conversion, compounding, condensation and cooling, crystallization, and distillation. In addition, some process development services perform optimization studies for drying and freeze drying, esterification, evaporation, fermentation and biotransformations, or filtration and extraction.