HSP-3DO
Quick Start
HSP allows you to do complex optimization. Combine some Components (in this case polymers) that you need to make compatible, with some Ingredients (in this case solvents)and you can create interesting optimized blends - and it's all much easier in 3D.
HSP-3DO
First, get used to the general features. You can move the 3D view with your mouse down (right click to Pan). All solvents inside any polymer sphere are blue, those outside are red. Move around with your mouse - you get instant feedback on the polymer or solvent. Click the checkboxes of the polymers and you will see them disappearing and re-appearing. You can turn your selected polymers on and off with the checkbox at the top. You can do the same with the solvents.
The golden sphere between the polymers is the Join, the sweet spot where a solvent is most likely to be able to unite each of the polymers.
Now change your list of polymers. Select one from the combobox then click anywhere on the row in the table where you want to replace the current polymer - and there it is. The same for solvents. For a custom ingredient, just type your own values
The real power comes from 3D-Optimization. Click on one of the solvents. It changes colour. Right click on another solvent, it changes colour and a slider appears between them, with a cyan dot showing the current mix between the solvents. Slide the slider and the mix changes. Importantly, you can see the distance (Dmix) between your blend and each of the polymers. This helps you to optimize for close-ness for some components and far-ness for others.
If you don't like one or either of your current pair of solvents, left or right click on another. It's a very fast way to optimize!
Obviously this isn't a full, practical formulation tool. For those who have lots of formulation to do, a powerful version of the 3DO is available in the HSPiP software package.
