A downscaled rotary atomizer, operated in the regime of laminar thread breakup, is presented. The atomizer allows for producing dropsizes of 70 -200 mu m and narrow size distribution. Due to the special design of the rotary atomizer the drops are detaching with low velocity and the spray can easily be deflected. The new technology can be applied in small scale spray dryers for the production of powder samples with quantities of several kg h(-1). Pilot scale spray dryers were equipped with this type of atomizer in order to carry out scale-up experiments in small driers, but at particle sizes comparable to production-scale conditions.