Selecting the right bulk material handling equipment shouldn’t involve guesswork. That’s why Hapman has expanded its full-scale test lab—to give processors a clearer, lower-risk path to system design before equipment is purchased or installed.

By testing real materials on full-scale equipment, the lab allows customers to validate performance, refine system design, and make more informed decisions early in the process.

Full-Scale Trials That Mirror Real Production

The facility now accommodates bulk bag unloading and filling, higher-throughput conveyors and integrated system tests that link multiple Hapman technologies together. Engineers can run end-to-end trials that mirror actual production processes, from loss-in-weight bulk bag unloading through conveying to gain-in-weight bulk bag and container filling.​

Within the lab, customers can test applications involving bulk bag unloaders with conditioning, pinch valve and access chamber options, lump breaking, screening and rotary airlock discharge, all mounted on load cells for precise loss-in-weight control. The space also supports bulk bag filling with adjustable bag height, traversing fill heads and rear hooks, densification features and gain-in-weight load cell control.​

Wide Range of Conveying Technologies Under One Roof

A wide selection of conveying technologies is available for testing, including multiple sizes of Helix® flexible screw conveyors, pneumatic conveyors up to larger 30 and 36 e-line units, as well as CablePro™ and TubePro™ tubular drag conveyor configurations. This range allows Hapman to compare different technologies under identical conditions and make evidence-based recommendations.​

By combining full-scale equipment with integrated system controls, the lab provides a practical, data-driven environment for de-risking bulk material handling projects. Processors gain clearer insight into how materials will behave, which technologies are best suited to each application and what design details will help achieve consistent, predictable performance.​

Collaborative Testing Process Focused on Customer Requirements

Customer collaboration is central to the test lab process, beginning with a review of RFQ data and process requirements before any test is run. A thorough review of the customers process and project objectives, including questions like what has and has not worked in the past, what were the biggest challenges, ect. Hapman then selects and configures equipment to meet those needs and brings the customer’s material into the lab to confirm performance assumptions and validate equipment parameters.​

If a test shows that a chosen technology is not the best fit, the team can quickly trial alternatives and document improved performance for the customer’s review. For customers already operating Hapman equipment, the lab can also be used to evaluate new materials or formulation changes in advance to determine whether existing conveyors will perform as needed or if modifications are recommended.​

Performantee Backed by Real Material Test Data

The new lab reinforces Hapman’s Performantee commitment, which links performance assurances directly to material test data. To maintain the validity of a Performantee, Hapman conducts thorough testing to confirm that the selected equipment will move the customer’s material as required.​

Any necessary design features identified during testing, such as flow aids or configuration changes, are captured in the test report and incorporated into the formal proposal. This structured, test-driven approach helps processors move forward with greater confidence in their bulk material handling systems.

Looking Ahead with Greater Confidence

By combining full-scale equipment, integrated system controls and close collaboration with customers, Hapman’s test lab gives processors a practical, data-driven way to de-risk bulk material handling projects, validate equipment choices and move forward with greater confidence in system performance.