ASTEC’s heart is its Research & Development Centre.
In its Research & Development laboratories, ASTEC develops and tests innovative systems and solutions for the delicate solid-liquid separation process. Its relentless commitment, supported by and associated with extensive field tests, is the secret that has led ASTEC to hold several internationally-acknowledged industrial patents.

<<Its know-how is the company’s true asset, and the real secret to client retention is just to be always ahead of the market, so one can be sure we are real and dynamic; this is in the genes of ASTEC and the staff who believe and invest their time in it, day after day>>.

Once they have defined the optimum features of a filter press, a design team composed of engineers, software programmers and designers develop the entire order. Every design is completely developed with 3D Computer-Aided Design tools. Such techniques enable the company to quickly test all clearances and allowances, as well as perform accurate tests and simulations on the filter presses.




Another one of ASTEC’s strengths is that every filter press can be widely customised:
it is not just the size, the construction material, the coatings or the painting cycles that are selected according to each application, the instruments, the mechanics, electrics and electronics too may be selected by the client.

The development of the specifications to be used in a project is one of the major criticalities in a dehydration process. ASTEC decided to address the problem clearly and selectively, through neatly-defined research stages. In this way, the engineering team, with the support of the client’s technicians, determine the filtration specifications of the tested products. This optimises the client’s production process and suggests the expected performance of Astec’s proposed equipment.

Key work steps

Analysis of wastewater
Before properly sizing the plant, the sludge specifications must be understood. To do this, a number of preliminary tests are performed on a sample sent by the contractor, such as: grain size, pH, most effective poly-electrolyte and volumetric weight of solids and residual liquid.


Filtration tests
This is a very critical, extremely important step which involves lots of hours spent performing tests and analyses. For each kind of material, an intensive series of experimental tests is performed to understand the trend of residual humidity in the panel, using different sludge feeding pressures, filtration times, cloth draining performance, and many other specifications.

Sizing specifications

At the end of the experimental testing process, ASTEC, in consultation with the contractor, develops the right layout, based on which they will eventually draw up a final quotation, inclusive of overall dimensions, weights and one that will actually fit in with the existing production process. Through its parametric design system, ASTEC can adapt any machine or plant to the client’s specific requirements.

The field tests

In addition, ASTEC has specific solutions to conduct filtration tests at the client’s site as well. Usually, after a comprehensive sludge analysis at Astec’s Laboratory, an on site demo can be performed. Then, the dried cakes are cut and analysed with the contractor so the expected final result becomes transparent and the technical target may be jointly selected.