This paper describes an optimization study carried out on a mixture formulation. Two main tools were used: (i) Design of Experiments with Mixtures, used to help on collecting the data, and (ii) Multiple Regression, used to build models for the quality characteristics investigated. The purpose of the study is to model the effects of the controllable factors (quantities of the components which constitute the mixture) on the quality characteristics, as well as to define the optimal set for these factors, i.e.. the set which generates the best possible values for the group of quality characteristics. The work was accomplished as a company-university joint project and the following steps were performed: Part I -(i) process identification: (ii) Design of an experiment: (iii) implementation of lhe experiment: and (iv) quality optimization of the mixture. Part II - Mixture optimization as a compromise of quality and costs. The present paper is limited to lhe discussion of Part I: in a forthcoming paper Pari II will he presented.
Quality; Optimization; Design of Experiments; Chemical Mixture
