China's particle size testing market status and development trend

China's particle size testing market status and development trend

1 Overview

In industrial and agricultural production and scientific research, many raw materials and products exist in the form of powder. The particle size distribution plays an important role in the quality and performance of these products. For example, the particle size of the catalyst has an important influence on the catalytic effect; The particle size affects the setting time and the final strength; the particle size of various mineral fillers affects the quality and performance of the product; the particle size of the coating affects the finishing effect and surface gloss; the particle size of the drug affects the taste, absorption rate and curative effect, etc., therefore, in the powder In the field of processing and application, effectively controlling and measuring the particle size distribution of powders is of great significance for improving product quality, reducing energy consumption, controlling environmental pollution, and protecting human health. There are many instruments and methods for performing particle size testing, of which laser method is the most versatile method. It has the advantages of fast test speed, convenient operation, good repeatability and wide test range. It is one of the main methods of modern particle size measurement. In addition, there are sedimentation method, electric resistance method (Coulter method), image method and so on. Some of these methods have historically been the main method of particle size testing (such as sedimentation), and some are still standard methods in a particular field (such as the resistance method), and some are new methods of particle size testing (such as image method). These methods and instruments are still commonly used for particle size testing of materials. As an important aspect of granulation, particle size testing methods and techniques have developed rapidly in China in the past two decades. According to the data, there are about fifteen particle size instrument manufacturers in China, with an annual output of more than 1,000 particle size test instruments. The main performance of some products has reached or is close to the advanced level of similar foreign products. The domestic particle size analyzer mainly uses many small and medium-sized laboratories in China as the main market. There are also more than a dozen foreign-scale equipment manufacturers in China that set up branch offices or offices in China, and sell about 300 sets of various granular instruments annually. Imported particle size analyzers mainly use integrated laboratories and foreign-funded enterprise laboratories as the main markets. Since domestic and imported products are aimed at two different customer groups, low-end and high-end, respectively, two different camps have been formed. Despite the increasingly fierce competition within the camp, the competition between the camps is relatively calm. For this naturally formed market structure, although the party is not reconciled now, it is expected that this state will continue for a long time due to both performance and price.

2 The status quo of China's particle size testing market

2 ·1 development history of domestic particle size analyzer
Before the mid-1990s, domestic particle size testing instruments were mainly based on sedimentation particle size analyzers, and commercial laser particle size analyzers were not put on the market. The laser particle size analyzers for domestic demand all depended on imports. At that time, the price of importing an ordinary laser particle size analyzer was more than 50,000 US dollars, and there was a phenomenon that the supply was not timely, the maintenance was not timely, and the supply of spare parts was not timely. The market for laser particle size analyzers in China was dominated by foreign products. Faced with this situation, some universities and research institutes have carried out laser particle size testing technology research. Some government departments have also realized that laser particle size testing technology will have a huge impact on the future powder industry, and actively support a number of laser particle size analyzer research projects. . After years of hard work, these studies have achieved a large number of technological achievements. Some research institutes and research institutes such as Shanghai University of Technology, Tianjin University, South China Normal University, Southeast University, etc. have been engaged in research on particle size testing technology, and some of them are very basic in the basic theory and basic technology of laser particle size testing. Good results, especially in the application of Mie scattering theory, Professor Wang Naining of Shanghai University of Technology also published a monograph on laser scattering theory. These studies laid the theoretical foundation for the development of domestic laser particle size analyzers.

At the same time, some people who have participated in the research of laser particle size testing technology and engaged in the production of other particle size testing instruments, under the impetus of reform and market economy, founded the enterprise based on the technological achievements they have mastered, Jinan, Zhuhai, Chengdu, Dandong and other places have set up enterprises specializing in the production of laser particle size instruments, committed to the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, began to produce domestic brands of laser particle size analyzer, the industry has also grown from scratch, from small to large, and gradually developed, product quality and performance steadily improved, The price is only about one-fifth of the imported brand. At present, the market share of domestic particle size analyzers has reached more than 80%, and the sales volume has increased by 20% every year, completely ending the situation in which foreign brands dominate the Chinese particle size analyzer market. The rise of the domestic brand laser particle size analyzer not only meets the needs of domestic users, but also exports to other countries and regions. Among these domestic particle size instrument manufacturers, Dandong Baite Instrument Co., Ltd., Zhuhai Omega Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan Weiner Instrument Co., Ltd., Chengdu Jingxin Powder Testing Equipment Co., Ltd., etc. have formed a certain scale. , with strong research and development capabilities and more complete testing methods, more mature quality control system and quality management measures, more product varieties, reliable product quality, timely after-sales service, is the main producer and export of China's particle size testing equipment. Business. In addition, new, high-performance domestic brand laser particle size analyzers are constantly available, providing a guarantee for the development of high-performance powder industry. For example, Dandong Baxter Instrument Co., Ltd. BT-2003 intelligent laser particle size analyzer, the test range is 0.04-600 microns, as long as the sample is placed in the circulation pool, the dispersion, mixing, testing, cleaning, printing are all automatically Upon completion, the overall performance has reached the advanced level of foreign brands. At present, in addition to a few special varieties, domestic brands of laser particle size analyzers have been able to meet the needs of the majority of users in the country.

2.2 laser particle size analyzer has become the mainstream product in the particle size test market

In the past ten years, the laser particle size analyzer has made great progress in technology. The quality of T~, I1 has been greatly improved, and has replaced other particle size testing methods, becoming the mainstream product of particle size testing. Among the various particle size instruments currently sold in China, the laser particle size analyzer accounts for more than 70% in quantity. There are two reasons for the sudden emergence of the laser particle size analyzer: First, it has many advantages that other particle size test instruments do not have, such as fast test speed, good reproducibility, high degree of automation, easy operation, wide dynamic test range, and wide application range. It can be used for online control, measurable dry powder, etc., and has a wide range of applications; the second is the popularity and application of computer technology. In fact, Fraunhoffer diffraction theory and Mie scattering theory, which describe the law of laser scattering, are traditional theories and have been widely used in other fields. However, to apply this theory to the field of particle size testing, a large amount of data needs to be processed. Due to the large amount of data processing, this theory has not been universally applied to the field of particle size testing. In the mid-1980s, computer technology was greatly developed, and a large amount of data could be processed in a short time. The application of Fraunhof-fer diffraction theory and Mie scattering theory in the field of particle size testing became possible, plus laser technology. The perfection of the development of photodetector array, the maturity of sample preparation technology, the laser particle size analyzer suitable for the market needs to emerge, gradually replaced the sedimentation particle size instrument commonly used at that time, and became the protagonist in the field of particle size testing. The application and popularization of laser particle size analyzer greatly improve the efficiency of particle size testing, ensure the quality of powder products, and promote the development of powder research and production. It is a milestone in the history of particle size testing technology.

2.3 Comparison of domestic particle size analyzer and imported particle size analyzer

2.3.1 The price gap is still wide, and the performance gap is shrinking. Currently, two clusters of domestic brands and imported brands are formed in the Chinese particle size test instrument market. According to the survey and incomplete statistics, the average price of imported particle size testing instruments is 40,000 US dollars (about 310,000 yuan) / Taiwan, the average price of domestic particle size testing instruments is 50,000 yuan / Taiwan, the difference between the two is more than 6 times . This is just the price at the time of purchase of the instrument. If the spare parts and after-sales service costs are added, the price difference is even greater. So, is there such a big gap between the two in terms of technical performance? In fact, after 20 years of hard work, the performance of the domestic laser particle size analyzer has been greatly improved, compared with the imported similar products, the technical performance gap It is gradually shrinking.

2.3.2 After-sales service is a major natural advantage of domestic particle size analyzer

Particle size testing is a technology involving multiple technical fields and multidisciplinary technologies. The physical and chemical properties of powder materials vary widely, requiring granular instrument manufacturers to provide professional, thoughtful and fast service. Such services include installation, commissioning and maintenance of the instrument, and more importantly, technical guidance and training for particle size testing at any time. In terms of after-sales service, the domestic particle size analyzer objectively possesses the advantages of time, location and people, and can achieve rapid response, low cost, timely supply of spare parts, and communication with customers. Into the EI particle size analyzer is limited by personnel, authorization, geography, language, etc., often long time, high cost, language barriers, etc., sometimes a small part of the damage caused the instrument to work for weeks or even months. Although various manufacturers are strengthening after-sales service, the natural advantage of domestic particle size instrument after-sales service cannot be shaken.

2.3.3 The gap between domestic particle size analyzer and imported particle size analyzer

According to incomplete statistics, there are fifteen manufacturers of various types of particle size test instruments in the country, and the product types cover laser particle size.

Instrumentation, sedimentation particle size analyzer, image particle size analyzer, Fisher's particle size analyzer, particle counter, etc., China has been able to produce almost all types of particle size test instruments. Compared with the imported particle size analyzer, the domestic particle size analyzer has obvious advantages in price and service, but there are still many gaps in technical performance, quality management, testing methods, and standardization degree. First, in terms of technical performance, The test range of imported laser particle size analyzers is generally between tens of nanometers and thousands of micrometers (although some manufacturers deliberately exaggerate the suspicion), and dual (multiple) beam technology is commonly used to ensure the test range and resolution of the instrument; The effective test range of the laser particle size analyzer is mostly in O. Between 1 micron and a few hundred micron, although some manufacturers claim that its product testing range is between tens of nanometers and one or two thousand micrometers, but the promotion of exaggeration is not technically guaranteed; second The foreign instrument production process has been professionalized and standardized. Foreign instrument manufacturers generally carry out outsourcing production of components and components, and implement quality target management for component and component suppliers. The production process of the whole machine is only for component or component level assembly, and a strict inspection and testing system is implemented, thus ensuring The quality of the whole machine. Domestic particle size instrument manufacturers generally assemble, debug and test at the device level, plus the quality management system and detection methods are not perfect, the instrument has a high failure rate, and the average trouble-free operation time is short. Third, the dynamic light of foreign manufacturers The scattering nano-laser particle size analyzer is already a mature technology and product, but it is still blank in China, no one manufacturer can produce it. Fourth, in terms of instrument appearance, software function, automation degree, theoretical research, etc., domestic and foreign manufacturers There is also a big gap compared to this. The reason for this situation is that most Chinese particle size instrument manufacturers adopt workshop-style production mode, the quality standards are low, the production management system is not perfect, the processing methods are not high, and the testing equipment is incomplete.

In recent years, the author has the opportunity to visit some foreign particle size instrument manufacturers and find that they have standardized production processes, adopt internationally accepted standards as product quality standards, have strict production management systems and advanced processing methods, and have relatively complete testing. equipment. In order to make the quality of the domestic particle size analyzer significantly improved, it is necessary to work hard on processing methods, testing equipment, quality standards, product design and so on. Fortunately, domestic manufacturers of powerful particle size instruments have increased their investment, introduced advanced equipment and advanced quality management standards. It is believed that in the near future, the quality of domestic particle size analyzers will surely reach the level of similar foreign products.

3 The status and development trend of China's particle size analyzer market

3.1 China is the world's largest market for granular instrument sales
According to the statistics of the China Particle Society, since 2001, the annual growth rate of the demand for particle size analyzers in the country has reached more than 20%. In 2005, the sales volume reached a record 1,200 units, achieving sales of more than 100 million yuan, including sales of domestically produced various granularity instruments and sales of about 1,000 units, sales exceeding 50 million yuan; sales of various imported particle size analyzers About 200 units, sales are estimated to be between $8 million and $10 million. China has become the world's largest market for the production and sale of particle size instruments. The huge capacity and growth potential of the Chinese particle size analyzer market has attracted the attention of international academic institutions. In 2005, a market research institute in Switzerland sent a survey team to China to conduct a week-long inspection of the particle size instrument market, and visited some famous domestic and foreign particle size instrument manufacturers, including Dandong Baite Instrument Co., Ltd., Omega Technology Co., Ltd. Malvern Instruments, etc., also visited some industry associations and users, and made a detailed understanding of the production, sales, application and other aspects of China's particle size instruments, and wrote a survey report from their perspective, the status quo of China's particle size instrument market and The outlook gives a positive and optimistic assessment. After 20 years of market cultivation, the domestic brand particle size instrument is in the city.

The market share is about 80%, and the imported brands account for about 20%. Due to the differences in quality, performance, price and standards between domestic brands and imported brands, the market orientation is different. The main users of domestic brands are a large number of small and medium-sized users, including small and medium-sized enterprises, some universities and research institutes. The common features of these laboratories are the large number, low investment, single test sample, and wide particle size range (mostly between 0.5 and 100 microns). These are the advantages of domestic brands. In order to better adapt to the market demand, domestic particle size instrument manufacturers have also adopted special particle size analyzers and single-function particle size analyzers to meet the needs of special users and fields, such as BT-2002 coal water slurry developed by Dandong Baite Instrument Co., Ltd. The special particle size analyzer is welcomed by users of coal water slurry; the LS-c(I) cement special laser particle size analyzer developed by Zhuhai Omega has played a significant role in cement particle size testing. While consolidating the small and medium-sized laboratory market, domestic manufacturers are not willing to pay attention to the status quo, and have increased their investment, adopting different methods such as cooperative R&D and self-development, to improve product quality and performance, expand the applicable fields and test scope of products, and achieve positive results. Results. Dandong Baxter successfully developed the dry-wet dual-purpose BT-2001 laser particle size analyzer. The dry dispersion performance has reached the international advanced level. It has opened up the market in the field of monolithic magnetic material particle size distribution testing of imported products, and its performance has reached foreign products. At the same level, the price is only one-third of the foreign products. The main users of imported brands are large-scale laboratories, such as comprehensive laboratories of large enterprises, key laboratories of universities and research institutions. Although the number of these laboratories is small, the investment is large, the sample types are large, the test accuracy is high, and it is mostly used for scientific research and export product testing. These characteristics are the advantages of the current imported brands. In addition, imported brands also have a tendency to lower prices to compete for a larger number of small and medium-sized laboratory markets. It can be foreseen that with the continuous improvement of the performance of domestic brands and the gradual decline of the price of imported brands, the current market structure of domestic brands and imported brands will be broken, forming a situation of direct competition.

3.2 The future development trend of China's particle size analyzer market

In the next few years, the sales volume of China's particle size analyzer market will continue to maintain its number one position in the world, with the following characteristics:
First, the competition is more intense. Due to the gap between instrument performance and price, at present, China's particle size analyzer market has two camps of domestic and imported. Because their products are aimed at two different customer groups, low-end and high-end, the competition inside the camp is fierce and the camps are calm. Regarding this naturally formed market structure, no matter which side is unwilling, they are trying to break this situation. With the improvement of the performance of domestic particle size analyzers and the reduction of the price of imported particle size analyzers, the two camps will face direct competition in the same market;

Second, domestic and foreign granular instrument manufacturers will achieve some form of integration. The gap between particle size analyzers at home and abroad is only two aspects, one is performance and the other is price. Cooperation with foreign manufacturers can speed up the performance of domestic particle size analyzers; cooperation with domestic manufacturers can reduce production and service costs and increase the competitiveness of foreign products. It can be seen that such cooperation is beneficial to all parties. At present, this kind of cooperation has already begun to emerge. For example, Dandong Baxter Instrument Co., Ltd. and France CILAS have already cooperated in sales and R&D. This is the cooperation between the first domestic particle size instrument manufacturer and foreign counterparts. In addition, some foreign manufacturers have been discussing cooperation with domestic manufacturers; third, the application field of laser particle size analyzer will be further expanded. Among the particle size analyzers currently on the market, domestic laser particle size analyzers account for about 70%, and continue to grow. The sedimentation particle size analyzer accounts for about 10%, showing a trend of continued decline. The resistance method, the Fischer method, the dynamic light scattering method, and the electron microscope method account for about 10% in total, and are in a stable state. Although the image size analyzer grows faster, it is limited by performance and its market share will not exceed 10%. In addition, the sedimentation particle size analyzers sold in the market in the past few years are close to the renewal stage. Most of the market will be occupied by the laser particle size analyzer. Fourth, the domestic wide-range laser particle size analyzer will be more and more sought after by users. Direction of the research. With the further development of ultra-fine powder and functionalization, the market demands that the lower limit of the test of the particle size analyzer is getting smaller and smaller, the upper limit of the test is getting larger and larger, and the product of the micron order can no longer meet the needs, covering the two quantities of nanometer and millimeter. The grade laser particle size analyzer will be the focus of future domestic product development; fifth, in terms of standardization, the domestic particle size analyzer will be in line with international standards. At present, the domestic particle size analyzer is also facing the problem that the unimplemented standards and standards are not uniform. To further develop and improve, it must be in line with the international standards and strictly implement the ISO 13320-1 international standard. Sixth, the foreign market is a broader world. According to the survey, in addition to China and Japan, there are no companies producing particle size analyzers in other countries, and the price of laser particle size analyzers in China is only one-third to one-fifth of that of similar products in Japan and Europe, as long as they are in performance. Taking another step, coupled with the advantages of price and service, the domestic particle size analyzer will have strong competitiveness in both domestic and foreign markets.

4 Conclusion

After more than 20 years of development, China is already the world's largest market for particle size instruments, and the fastest growing and most competitive market. Particle size testing plays an increasingly important role in the research, production and application of powder materials, and has broad development prospects. Domestic particle size testing instruments have a certain technical foundation and a good market environment, and imported particle size testing instruments have also established numerous marketing and service organizations. In the future, China's particle size testing industry will continue to improve in terms of technology, performance, quality and service, and the market will develop healthily and steadily.