The Mastersizer 3000 from Malvern Panalytical is one of the most trusted and widely used laser diffraction instruments in the world. Laboratories across pharmaceuticals, chemicals, mining, food, and advanced materials rely on Mastersizer for fast, accurate particle size distribution measurement.
But many users don’t realize something important:
Adding the HydroInsight is the perfect Malvern Mastersizer complement — because it expands particle sizing into particle counting, concentration, and shape analysis.
If your lab already uses Mastersizer, HydroInsight may be the missing piece that completes your particle characterization workflow.
Why Mastersizer Users Often Need More Than Particle Size
Laser diffraction is a powerful and highly reproducible technique for measuring particle size distributions.
However, laser diffraction is fundamentally an ensemble, volume-based method, meaning:
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Large particles dominate the measurement
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Individual particles are not directly counted
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Particle concentration is not measured
So while the Mastersizer provides excellent PSD results, it cannot directly answer questions such as:
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How many particles are present in the sample?
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What is the particle concentration per mL?
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Are there unexpected contaminants or agglomerates?
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Do particles have the shape and morphology expected?
This is exactly where the HydroInsight adds value.
HydroInsight as a Malvern Mastersizer Complement
HydroInsight is a dynamic imaging particle size and shape analyzer designed to work alongside Malvern’s laser diffraction systems.
As a Malvern Mastersizer complement, HydroInsight provides measurements that Mastersizer cannot, including:
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Particle counting
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Real-time concentration measurement
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Particle shape parameters
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Direct particle images for verification
Rather than replacing laser diffraction, HydroInsight enhances Mastersizer by adding particle-by-particle insight.
Real-Time Particle Concentration Measurement
One of the most important advantages of the HydroInsight is its ability to measure particle concentration in real time.
Because HydroInsight counts particles individually as they flow through the system, it can report:
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particles per milliliter
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concentration trends during measurement
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changes in particle population over time
This is critical for applications where particle load matters as much as particle size, such as:
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pharmaceutical suspensions (Api / Excipient concentration differences)
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dispersion stability studies
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contamination monitoring
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advanced powders and battery materials
Mastersizer provides “how big.”
HydroInsight adds shape, images and “how many.”
Below is a picture from the Hydro Insight showing the total particle concentration of particles in real-time.
The Added Benefit: Concentration by Size Range
A unique capability that makes HydroInsight an ideal Malvern Mastersizer complement is the ability to calculate:
Particle concentration by size band
Instead of only reporting total concentration, HydroInsight can answer questions like:
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How many particles per mL are larger than 50 µm?
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How many particles fall within an agglomerate range?
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How many oversized contaminants exist in the sample?
This is extremely valuable when you want to quantify a specific sub-population.
Agglomerate Monitoring Example
In dispersion processes, your primary particle population may appear acceptable…
but a small number of agglomerates can still cause performance or quality issues.
With HydroInsight, you can calculate:
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particles/mL of agglomerates
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particles/mL of oversized material
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concentration of specific contaminant populations
This provides direct quantitative control over the particle populations that matter most.
Below is an example from the Hydro Insight where a user can customize their dashboard to show classifications of particles as well as their concentration within the sample. So for example, if you had a mix of an active pharmaceutical ingredient and excipients, you can classify they using our built-in classification tool and the software can report the total concentration of that one specific class of particle or the concentration within a specific size range.
HydroInsight + Mastersizer: A Complete Particle Characterization Platform
Together, Mastersizer and HydroInsight provide one of the most complete particle analysis workflows available today.
| Capability | Mastersizer 3000 | HydroInsight |
|---|---|---|
| Particle size distribution | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Individual sizing |
| Fast QC measurement | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Particle concentration | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Particle counting | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Shape analysis | ❌ Limited | ✅ Full morphology |
| Particle images | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
This combination makes HydroInsight the perfect Malvern Mastersizer complement for labs that need more than size alone.
Why Many Mastersizer Users Don’t Realize This Capability Exists
Many laboratories assume particle counting requires an entirely separate contamination instrument.
In reality, HydroInsight allows Mastersizer users to add:
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particle population analysis
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concentration measurement
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imaging verification
…without changing their trusted laser diffraction workflow.
For many organizations, it is the most straightforward way to expand beyond PSD into true particle intelligence.
Conclusion: Beyond Size — Toward Particle Intelligence
Particle size will always remain foundational.
But modern industries increasingly require deeper insight:
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How many particles?
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What concentration?
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What shape?
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What sub-populations exist?
HydroInsight is the ideal Malvern Mastersizer complement because it adds particle counting, real-time concentration, and concentration-by-size-range analysis to laser diffraction workflows.
If your lab already relies on Mastersizer, HydroInsight may be the missing link to complete your particle characterization capability.
FAQ
Is the HydroInsight a replacement for Mastersizer?
No. The HydroInsight is designed as a Malvern Mastersizer complement, adding counting, concentration, and imaging alongside laser diffraction sizing.
Can the Mastersizer measure particle concentration?
Mastersizer provides volume-based particle size distribution but does not directly measure particle counts per mL or concentration.
What does concentration by size range mean?
It means HydroInsight can calculate particles/mL within a selected size band, such as agglomerates, oversized particles, or contaminants.
Learn More or Book a Demo
Visit www.ParticleShape.com to learn how Vision Analytical’s Dynamic Image Analysis solutions can enhance your existing Mastersizer system.
