ACA AX-100

Ultra-high shear viscometer for optimum coater runnability

The ACA AX-100 is a modern, capillary-based viscometer designed to measure shear-rate-dependent viscosity under realistic process conditions. It provides coating manufacturers with the data they need to optimize coater runnability, troubleshoot quality issues, and accelerate coating development.

  • Measures shear-rate-dependent viscosity up to 1,000,000 1/s – closely correlating with real coater runnability

  • Provides valuable insights for raw material quality control, coating defect diagnostics, and coating development

  • Ideal for modern high-speed coating lines and R&D environments

Key Benefits of Ultra-high shear viscometer

True coating conditions

Coating colors are rheologically complex, and their viscosity depends strongly on shear rate. Modern high-speed coaters operate at shear rates exceeding 500,000 1/s. While traditional low-shear rheograms often fail to predict coating behavior under these conditions, ACA AX-100 measures viscosity accurately up to 1,000,000 1/s, making it a reliable tool for predicting performance and runnability in real production conditions.

Fast and user-friendly

One measurement takes less than a minute, and the intuitive interface makes the AX-100 easy to operate in both lab and production environments. It helps identify root causes of typical coating issues such as poor runnability, coating defects, or web breaks. It’s also a robust tool for assessing the quality of coating raw materials.

Supports development of new coatings

Challenging materials like water-based barrier coatings (WBBC) demand precise control and understanding of their flow behavior. ACA AX-100 offers valuable rheological data during development – before full-scale trials – enabling faster innovation and more efficient formulation work.

For lab and production use

With a small sample volume requirement (approx. 150 ml) and minimal setup time, ACA AX-100 fits seamlessly into both laboratory workflows and production environments. Its compact design and fast measurement cycle make it an efficient tool for daily quality control as well as demanding development tasks—without disrupting operations.

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Key application areas for paper & Board

  • ACA AX-100 supports optimization of pigment particle size distribution, enabling higher solids content and improved surface quality.

    Binder and co-binder levels can be adjusted to achieve the desired coating structure.

    The device helps identify and prevent coating defects while also improving coater runnability and consistency.

    It is an effective tool for analyzing how temperature affects coating behavior and plays a key role in developing new coating recipes.

    Additionally, ACA AX-100 aids in selecting the right thickeners and other formulation components.

  • In the development of sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging, ACA AX-100 helps formulate and refine water-based barrier coatings. It enables precise definition of the operating window for complex, multi-component barrier materials, supporting efficient formulation and process control.

  • ACA AX-100 makes it possible to evaluate coating rheology at ultra-high shear rates, which closely simulate real coating conditions. It also allows manufacturers to study how different raw materials influence the overall rheological behavior of coated nonwovens and films.

  • Material suppliers and research organizations can use ACA AX-100 as a powerful R&D and quality control tool. It provides reliable data on material flow behavior under process-relevant shear conditions, supporting both formulation work and quality validation.

Words from our users

  • "According to our experiences the screening problems can be identified with ACA ultra-high shear viscometer”

  • "Understanding of the flow characteristics at realistic shear rates is utmost important for us in order to formulate new advanced specialty coatings”

Sales & support

Alongside our industry-leading analyzers, we offer a full range of services—from installation and configuration to long-term maintenance and modernization. Whether you’re starting up a new line or optimizing an existing one, our team is here to help.

We’re always ready to explore the right solution for your specific needs—and if it doesn’t exist yet, we can help develop it. Custom applications are part of what we do best.