Capabilities

• The role of particle size on function and flavor is important for food, chemical and pharma
• Particle size reduction – milling options to reduce size via different mechanism for feedstocks ranging from high and low fat powders to high and low moisture grains, seeds, carbohydrates, protein, fibers and nutmeats. Mechanisms for particulate breakage includes shear, compression, impact.

Particle size reduction is a process that involves breaking down materials into smaller particles. There are several technologies used for particle size reduction, including mechanical milling, jet milling, and ball milling.

Mechanical milling is a process that involves the use of a mechanical force to break down particles. This can be achieved using a variety of machines, including hammer mills, attrition mills, and roller mills. Mechanical milling is often used in the food industry to grind up grains, spices, and other ingredients into smaller particles.

Mixing is likely the most common unit operation for manufacturing , and likely the least understood. Many legacy processes exist that were designed through empirical and trial and error approaches. The rationale and good engineering principles employed as a fit for purpose operation is often lost or not understood. These then become the ‘black box’ step which leads to issues as new ingredient or recipes are introduced or operational desire to improve capacity.

Mechanical mixing is a technology used to mix materials using mechanical forces such as stirring, shaking, or tumbling. It is a widely used method in many industries, including food, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. The process involves using equipment such as mixers, blenders, or agitators to combine substances and create a homogeneous mixture.

There are different types of mechanical mixers, each with its unique design and mixing principle. Some of the most common types include:

1. Ribbon mixers: These mixers have a ribbon-shaped agitator that rotates in a U-shaped trough. The ribbon agitator moves the materials in one direction, then the other, creating a consistent mixing motion.
2. Paddle mixers: These mixers use paddles or blades that rotate around a central shaft to mix materials. Paddle mixers are commonly used in the food industry for mixing dry ingredients, such as flour or sugar.
3. Planetary mixers: These mixers have a planetary motion, where the agitator rotates on its own axis while orbiting around the central mixing bowl. Planetary mixers are commonly used in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.
4. Sigma blade (aka Banbury, Double Z blade): these mixers typically have two sigma shaped geometry blades overlapping or independent rotating at nominallly 60-100 rpms. These mixers can be jacketted and provide high torque capable of handling materials that flow, but have very high viscosities.