Laboratory performance is one part of the scale-up question. A team also needs to understand whether the material can be made consistently, with suitable equipment, quality controls, and a workable production process.
Technology readiness and manufacturing readiness provide two ways to organize that discussion. In Delta3CoreTec's existing scale-up guide, they are used together to connect technical progress with the practical work of manufacturing.
Start with the next decision
Define the decision that the next test or pilot campaign must support. It might be choosing a process route, committing to equipment, or preparing a material for customer qualification. Then identify the evidence that would make that decision defensible.
Useful questions include:
- Which result has been reproduced, and under what conditions?
- How does feedstock variability affect the product?
- What needs to be measured at the next production scale?
- Which quality and operating procedures are already established?
A readiness assessment is most useful when it leads to specific work packages and acceptance criteria. Revisit the assessment as new results become available.
Use the existing reference
The TRL/MRL Scale-Up Guide provides the original reference material. Its illustrated framework is also preserved in the archived resource accompanying this article. The archived guide's automated assessment tool has been retired.
For a project-specific discussion, explore plant scale-up and processing.
The original illustrated resource is preserved as a historical reference. Its information reflects the dates stated in the resource.
Open the illustrated resource