Disclosed herein is a shear application system for applying substantially uniform amounts of shear throughout a powder sample. The shear application system preferably includes a cylinder assembly having an inner cylinder, a housing, an inner set of lugs, and an outer set of lugs. The inner cylinder has an external cylindrical surface and the housing has an internal cylindrical surface concentric with said external cylindrical surface. The internal and external cylindrical surfaces form an annular chamber therebetween. Each one of the lugs of the inner set extend radially outward from the external cylindrical surface, and each one of the lugs of the outer set extend radially inward from the internal cylindrical surface and are substantially uniformly spaced. The shear application system preferably includes drive means mechanically connected to the inner cylinder and control means electrically connected to the drive means.