granulate

Granulate is a verb meaning to reduce or transform a substance into small grains or granules. The resulting material is described as granulated, and granulate can also function as a noun in some contexts to refer to the granules themselves. The term is used across science and industry to describe both a form and a process.

Granulation is a manufacturing process that converts powdery or viscous materials into granules. This improves flow properties, uniformity of particle size, and handling, packing, and dosing. Common methods include wet granulation, where a liquid binder forms granules from powder blends, and dry granulation, which uses compression or compaction without liquids. Granules are often manufactured to achieve specific dissolution rates, mechanical strength, or release profiles.

Applications of granulation span several sectors. In pharmaceuticals, wet granulation produces tablet blends with consistent content and release characteristics. In agriculture, granulated fertilizers are easier to spread and dissolve predictably. In chemicals and food processing, granulation supports controlled-release formulations, texture, and shelf stability. Metal powders used in additive manufacturing or metallurgy are sometimes produced as granules to improve flow during handling and blending.

Etymology traces the word to Latin granulus, meaning a small grain, and to related French and English derivatives such as granuler and granulate. The term has been part of English scientific and industrial vocabulary since at least the 17th century.

Granulate is also the name of a technology company that develops software to optimize compute resources and reduce latency and costs in cloud and data center environments. It focuses on dynamic resource management to improve workload efficiency, and its status may evolve through partnerships, funding, or acquisitions.