Scale-up is the complex process of taking a cosmetic product from lab formulation to full production. This scale-up work is the key to accurately reproduce the quality and properties of a product by adjusting machine and process parameters.

But cosmetic chemists don’t have to face this daunting task alone. Coperion provides a range of equipment and services to make scale-up faster, easier and accurate.

Happi recently sat down with Coperion’s Corinne Delpy, Global Commercial Director Cosmetics to discuss scale-up and how the company’s products and expertise make scale-up easier.

About Coperion – renowned partners – unified technologies – unlocking possibilities

Coperion’s Food, Health & Nutrition Division is a global leader in technologies and systems for the food and health industries. We design, engineer, service, and optimize machinery to meet diverse production needs. Our teams include well-known industry brands such as Baker Perkins, K-Tron, DIOSNA, Gabler Engineering, Kemutec, Unifiller, and VMI. Our expertise spans material handling, mixing, granulating, extruding, pelletizing, coating, and depositing.

We deliver tailored, high-quality processing solutions to customers worldwide. Our goal is to provide reliable, innovative technology that helps industries produce efficiently and meet their quality standards.

Q. As a leader in the scale-up field, can you elaborate on some of the risks involved in scale-up?

The main risk in scale-up is that what works at the small lab scale may not translate directly to industrial production. The principle behind scale-up is that raw materials, mixing operations, and other process parameters can behave very differently when moving from, say, 250 ml to 2,000 l. Especially in the manufacturing of liquid to semi-solid cosmetic and personal care products.

Common challenges include:

• Differences in heating or cooling times
• Difficulties in introducing and dispersing powders or other ingredients which can result in clogs or blockages in the equipment
• Variations in mixing speeds and energy input needed
• Achieving the desired texture, viscosity, or consistency

If scale-up is not carefully planned and executed, it can lead to significant waste of time, resources, and batches, as well as delays in production and inconsistent product quality.

Q. How does Coperion reduce those risks?

We reduce scale-up risks by combining training, support, and the right equipment. This includes:

• Training our customers to understand the potential challenges of scale-up
• Providing process support and sharing our expertise to guide them through each step
• Offering a full range of equipment from lab scale to pilot scale to full production. This allows testing under conditions that closely mimic large-scale production – for example, pilot-scale equipment with the same features as industrial mixers (vacuum, heating, cleaning), but at smaller volumes. This makes it easier to predict and control how the process will behave at full scale

Q. Talk about similarities and the role they play in scale-up. What is geometric similarity? Cinematic similarity? Dynamic similarity? Why are they critical to scale-up?

Similarities are essential to ensure that a process behaves consistently when moving from lab to industrial scale.

• Geometric similarity ensures that the proportions of the tank and mixing tools are preserved, so flow patterns and mixing zones scale correctly
• Kinematic similarity maintains the relative speeds of rotating tools, which is important for processes like shearing, dispersion, or emulsification
• Dynamic similarity keeps force ratios, such as pressure and energy input, consistent to achieve the desired product quality

These similarities also provide a way to calculate the appropriate scale-up parameters, such as the size of the mixing tool or the speed required at production scale, based on the original lab-scale process, and the new parameters (product volume, tank size, etc.)

Q. What or how should a chemist choose a similarity when scaling up?

Choosing the right similarity depends on the critical parameter for the process. For example:

• If viscosity is the key factor, dynamic similarity based on the Reynolds number is often used
• If circulation or flow patterns are more important, the Froude number may be more relevant

These approaches typically cannot be applied simultaneously, so the chemist must prioritize which parameter is most critical.

In practice, it is recommended to consider all similarities when scaling up, because changing the vessel size affects speed, mixing, and other parameters such as pressure or vacuum. There are established models and calculations that use lab-scale results to determine the correct tool size, rotational speed, and other operating conditions at production scale, ensuring consistent product performance.

Q. Tell me about Coperion’s range of products and services. What are some of your most popular pieces of equipment? What benefits do they provide during scale-up?

Our full range of liquid mixers demonstrate the importance of consistency at every scale.

• Turbotest® – Ideal for small lab trials. It’s highly flexible, with a range of tools and beaker sizes, allowing formulators to test multiple conditions efficiently
• Ultralab® – The next step up, featuring two agitation systems and the ability to mix under vacuum, as well as heat and cool. This allows more advanced process testing in conditions closer to production
• Trilab– Perfect for pilot-scale trials in near-production conditions. It even allows small process batches. Many of the parameters of the Trilab can also be found in our Trimix, providing continuity when scaling up

These tools allow formulators to test and optimize processes at every stage, ensuring reproducibility and minimizing risk when transitioning from lab to industrial production.

Q. Finally, can you provide some tips on how formulators can make the scale-up process smoother?

The most important tip is to consider scale-up from the very beginning. When formulating in the lab, it’s tempting to speed up mixing or heating/cooling to save time, but these conditions may not be reproducible on an industrial scale.

For example, mixing at very high speed works well for a 250 ml batch, but it will likely be impossible to replicate the same speed in a 2,000 l production batch.

To make scale-up smoother:

• Perform thorough lab-scale trials and calculations
• Use the pilot scale to test the process under production-like conditions
• Reach out for guidance if any parameter is uncertain

By planning ahead and validating conditions at multiple scales, formulators can minimize surprises and ensure consistent product quality during industrial production.

Learn more about Coperion’s Enhanced Branding, Unified Solutions >> here.