Selection
Product selection and formulation compatibility.
Technical Troubleshooting
Troubleshoot with Evidence — Not Guesswork
When a formulation suddenly changes, replacing one additive immediately may hide the real cause.
Unexpected performance can be connected to product selection, dosage, formulation compatibility, raw-material changes, water level, mixing conditions, test methods, temperature or the application environment.
MICHEM uses a structured troubleshooting process to organize the evidence, narrow the possible causes and identify the next useful test.
Evidence Gate
Before You Change the Formulation
Ask four questions:
Evidence Gate
01–04 must clear before a material change
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01
What exactly changed?
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02
When did the change first appear?
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03
Which raw material, process or environmental variable changed at the same time?
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04
Can the result be repeated under controlled conditions?
Cause matrix
selection · dosage · raw · process · test · climateDosage
Dosage and water level.
Raw
Raw-material changes.
Process
Mixing conditions.
Test
Test methods.
Climate
Temperature or the application environment.
A clear problem statement is more useful than changing several materials at once.
Information to Collect
Information to Collect
The most useful technical-support file may include:
- 01 MICHEM product name and grade
- 02 Batch information
- 03 Customer formulation and dosage
- 04 Binder, fillers and other additives
- 05 Water level
- 06 Mixing and production conditions
- 07 Test method
- 08 Test time
- 09 Observed result
- 10 Photos or videos
- 11 Relevant test records
- 12 Samples, when appropriate
- 13 Recent raw-material changes
- 14 Temperature or application environment
- 15 Comparison with a previous normal batch
The objective is to create enough evidence to separate a product issue from a formulation, production or application issue.
Troubleshooting by Symptom
Troubleshooting by Symptom
Review
Workability or Consistency Changed
- Water level
- Cellulose ether / rheology direction
- Filler or aggregate change
- Mixing time
- Other additive compatibility
- Temperature
- Resting time
Next step: reproduce the current and previous formulation under the same conditions before adjusting dosage.
Review
Flow Is Too Low or Too High
- Water-to-binder relationship
- Water-reducing admixture
- Thickener or starch ether
- Filler grading
- Mixing energy
- Air content / defoaming
- Changes in cement or gypsum system
Next step: isolate the rheology and water-reduction variables rather than changing all additives together.
Review
Open Time or Working Time Is Different
- Cellulose ether selection
- Water retention
- Binder behavior
- Retarder / accelerator system
- Temperature
- Wind or drying conditions
- Water level
Next step: compare the formulation under controlled temperature and timing.
Review
Sag or Slip Resistance Is Insufficient
- Rheology and thickening direction
- Water content
- Cellulose / starch ether combination
- Particle-size distribution
- Polymer / additive compatibility
Next step: compare application stability and workability together. Higher viscosity alone is not always the correct solution.
Review
Adhesion, Cohesion or Flexibility Is Below Target
- Polymer powder type and dosage
- Substrate condition
- Binder and filler balance
- Water level
- Curing
- Open time during application
- Film-forming conditions
Next step: evaluate both fresh-mortar behavior and final test conditions before concluding that the polymer is the only cause.
Review
Water Absorption or Water Resistance Is Unsatisfactory
- Hydrophobic additive
- Polymer modification
- Pore structure
- Air content
- Curing
- Application thickness
- Water level
Next step: compare water absorption and general mortar performance together; strong water repellency should not be evaluated independently from workability and adhesion.
Review
Too Many Bubbles or Low Density
- Defoamer selection and dosage
- Mixing energy
- Surfactant system
- Other additives
- Water level
- Mixing sequence
Next step: record mixing conditions and compare density / air behavior before changing the complete formula.
Review
Setting or Early Strength Is Different
- Binder lot
- Calcium formate or other setting-control additive
- Gypsum retarder
- Temperature
- Water level
- Other admixtures
- Test timing
Next step: repeat the test under controlled temperature and identical timing.
Review
Cracking or Reinforcement Performance Is Unsatisfactory
- Fiber type and dosage
- Fiber dispersion
- Mixing sequence
- Water / binder conditions
- Curing
- Structural or application conditions
Next step: confirm whether the issue is plastic-shrinkage cracking, structural reinforcement, toughness or another failure mode before selecting the fiber solution.
MICHEM Troubleshooting Process
MICHEM Troubleshooting Process
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01
Define the Symptom
Describe what is different and how it is measured.
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02
Collect the Evidence
Gather formulation, batch, test and processing information.
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03
Compare Normal vs. Abnormal
Identify the variables that changed.
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04
Build a Test Plan
Change the smallest number of variables needed to answer the technical question.
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05
Review the Result
Determine whether product selection, dosage, formulation compatibility, production conditions or application environment should be investigated further.
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06
Confirm in Production
Once a direction is identified, validate it using the actual manufacturing and application conditions.
Technical Support
What Technical Support Can and Cannot Do
What MICHEM can do
MICHEM can help organize the technical evidence, recommend suitable products, review trial results and suggest an evaluation direction.
What remains with the customer
Because customers control their own raw materials, production processes, service conditions and local standards, final formulation performance must be validated by the customer under actual conditions.
Technical Support Request
Send Us the Evidence — Not Just the Symptom
The more clearly the problem is documented, the faster the technical discussion can move toward a useful test.