A method is provided for preparing a hair dye color mixture. The method includes: accessing a control system having at least a processor, a memory, and user input controls, the memory configured to store ingredients of a hair dye color mixture, each ingredient of the hair dye color mixture being from an initial product brand; receiving user input from the user input controls to change one or more ingredients of the hair dye color mixture from the initial product brand to one or more subsequent product brands; matching the color of the hair dye color mixture made from one or more ingredients of the initial product brand using one or more ingredients of the one or more subsequent product brands, in response to the user input; and displaying the ingredients of the hair dye color mixture in the one or more subsequent product brands on a display.

This disclosure features methods of forming chemical compositions. The method includes (1) mixing a plurality of continuous material flows in a mixing tank to form a chemical composition, each continuous material flow including at least one component of the composition; and (2) moving a continuous flow of the chemical composition to a packaging station downstream of the mixing tank. The mixing and moving steps are performed continuously. This disclosure also features systems that can be used to perform such methods.

A pharmacy formulation preparation system (2) for preparing individual pharmaceutical formulations such as formulations for ointments, semisolid preparations, eye drops, lotions, pills, capsules or teas in quantities of up to 5 kg, according to the invention comprises: reading means (8); weighing means (12); mixing means (14), in particular a stirrer having a drive and a mixing container; display means (10); a data processing unit (4) adapted to have access to data in a pharmacy-associated stock database area (6); a preparation database (18) comprising composition information; and that for the read-in individual prescription data of an individual prescription, by accessing the preparation database (18), the raw materials required for preparing the individual prescription and the respective quantities thereof as well as the time period, the processing devices and the procedure parameters of the mixing procedure can be determined.

Provided is an apparatus and a method for producing a mix of a first type of food products and a second type of food products that fulfills at least two target criteria including a desired weight ratio between the first and second type of food products and a lean/fat ratio of the mix. At least three controllable in-feed channels at an in-feed end of a conveyor supply separate streams of the first and second food products. One of the in-feed channels supplies the first type of food products and two of the in-feed channels supply a second type of food products being distinguished via a different lean/fat ratio estimate. The determined weight of food products and the measured lean/fat ratio of the food products are used as operation parameters so that the mix fulfills the at least two target criteria.

A mixer unit is described, comprising a support, a mixing container which includes a mixing device, and first and second load cells mounted on opposed sides of the mixing container between the mixing container and the support. The mixing container is to receive and mix unfused build materials for a 3D printing system from at least two different sources. The mixing container is mounted to the support in a manner constraining to vertical movement and such that all vertical forces from the mixing container pass through the load cells to the support. In this manner, a vertical force of the mixing container acting on the support is measured to weigh the contents of the mixing container. A method of mixing unfused build materials for a 3D printing system in a predefined weight ratio using the mixer unit is also described.

A gravimetric blender has a frame, at least one material storage hopper at the top of the frame including a hopper cover, a weigh bin located within the frame, below the hopper, for receipt of material from the hopper to be weighed and being adapted for downward discharge of the material in the bin after the material received from the hopper has been weighed, at least one load cell connecting the weigh bin to the frame for sensing the weight of contents of the weigh bin, a mixer within the frame below the hopper, for mixing material weighed in the weigh bin after that material falls downwardly from the weigh bin to the mixer, and a guide adapted for vertical movement of the hopper cover therealong between positions which the cover contacts and thereby closes the hopper and at which the cover is spaced vertically but maintained in a horizontal plane above the hopper so that the hopper is open at the top.

A method is provided for preparing a hair dye color mixture. The method includes: providing a control system having at least a memory, input controls, and a display; storing in the memory at least one formula, the formula including one or more colorants and/or dye blending materials, and wherein each colorant and/or blending material is separately assigned to an initial product brand; receiving input from the input controls to change a colorant and/or blending material from the initial product brand to one or more subsequent product brands, and wherein the control system recalculates components of the formula using the one or more subsequent product brands in response to receiving input from the input controls; and matching the color of the hair dye color mixture made from colorants and/or dye blending materials of the initial product brand using colorants and/or dye blending materials of the one or more subsequent product brands, in response to the input.

A gravimetric blender has a frame, at least one material storage hopper at the top of the frame including a hopper cover, a weigh bin located within the frame, below the hopper, for receipt of material from the hopper to be weighed and being adapted for downward discharge of the material in the bio bin after the material received from the hopper has been weighed, at least one load cell connecting the weigh bin to the frame for sensing the weight of contents of the weigh bin, a mixer within the frame below the hopper, for mixing material weighed in the weigh bin after that material falls downwardly from the weigh bin to the mixer, and a guide adapted for vertical movement of the hopper cover therealong between positions which the cover contacts and thereby closes the hopper and at which the cover is spaced vertically above the hopper so that the hopper is open at the top.

The various embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an automated apparatus, wherein the automated apparatus is configured to formulate a target entity, thereby developing formulations of the target entity by using a high throughput screening (HTS) procedure and method of employing the presented automated apparatus is also disclosed herein. Other advantages that are understood from the present disclosure will further be apparent to the reader.

This disclosure features methods of forming chemical compositions. The method includes (1) mixing a plurality of continuous material flows in a mixing tank to form a chemical composition, each continuous material flow including at least one component of the composition; and (2) moving a continuous flow of the chemical composition to a packaging station downstream of the mixing tank. The mixing and moving steps are performed continuously. This disclosure also features systems that can be used to perform such methods.