Multiple sectors and industries require heavy duty mixing of ingredients. Baking, medicine, cosmetics, and more all require hardware of this nature at one stage or another. From mayonnaise to perfumes, the right industrial mixer is a crucial component of the manufacturing process. However, not everyone knows the right mixer needed for the job. There is more than one type of industrial-grade mixing equipment, and there are models that have features not directly related to the main task.
If you aren’t well-versed in the terminology and types, how do you navigate this arena and walk away with the right equipment? Read on for our quick guide on the things you need to consider.
Batches or Constant Production?
Do you need to continuously create the product or will you be switching from time to time? The needs of a company that produces chemicals by batch will be different from one that makes one product at all times. By knowing if you’re working per batch or one constant production cycle, you can cut out the models that won’t work with your intentions. You can also rule out any features you won’t need because of it.
Capacity
Capacity is your next determining factor. How big do you need it? How much of your product do you need to be produced at any given time or how big are your batches going to be? You’ll want to know details such as tank height, batch height, diameter, and volume. This lets you rule out anything that industrial blender that’s too small or too big, further narrowing the field.
Liquid Types and Viscosity
What sorts of liquids will you be using in your production cycle? Different liquids have different characteristics, and may not mix properly if put into the wrong equipment. The most important part here would be the viscosity, which is determined by the broad type of liquid that it is.
Thixotropic
Thixotropic liquids decrease their viscosity when agitated. Good examples of these are inks, glues, tars, liquid soaps, shortening, and peanut butter.
Pseudoplastic
Gels, lotions, latex, and paints are pseudoplastic liquids. These will decrease in viscosity if you have a mixer that has a high shear rate. The higher the rate, the lower the viscosity of the liquids.
Dilatant
Dilatant liquids are the opposite. As a shear rate increases, their viscosity will also increase. Slurries and clay are the most common examples, along with several compounds used in making candy.
Newtonian
Newtonian liquids are the type most people would imagine when thinking of the word liquid. These include mineral oils, water, and hydrocarbons. The viscosity is constant, no matter the mixing speed or shear rate of your machine.
Mixing Time
It is important to remember the full amount of time needed for a completed cycle. Four-minute blending time doesn’t mean that the mixer only works for four minutes per batch. The estimate doesn’t include things like blending, filling, and packing. These should be considered when you purchase a mixer, and when you make an estimate on how much it can produce over a given period.
Cleaning
Another factor to consider is cleaning. The time it takes to clean a mixer between batches or during maintenance is important. If it takes too long to clean, then you’re cutting yourself out of valuable time that could have been spent making more product.
Ease of cleaning is important. It is inevitable that parts of the product or ingredients will build or remain in the mixer’s tank or pipes. This can gum up the works and have an increasingly negative effect on the machine’s productivity. Regular maintenance is essential, even if it means it’s spending a few hours as downtime.
Pay attention to how the mixer is best cleaned. Many will require being taken apart and the parts cleaned out individually. This can take a long time; even longer once you realize the parts need to be dried out before they can be used again.
The cleaning process can be a significant amount of time, depending on the complexity of the model you’ve chosen. However, is a more convenient and less hazardous way of cleaning a mixer.
Safety features are also important, especially for designs that can’t be taken apart. If the cleaning crew has to enter the mixer itself, you’ll want safety locks and redundancies of those locking mechanisms. You also want to see if people can get into the corners and joints, so the cleaning is more thorough when it happens.
Avoiding Cross-Contamination
For certain products, the purity of the final output is crucial. If this is the case for you, then you want to make sure the mixer you’ve chosen has features that prevent cross-contamination. Your main options here are to either have one dedicated mixer per product or to choose a model that lets you remove the main mixing bin for cleaning without disrupting the process.
Conclusion
In summary, an industrial mixer is essential in many areas. Pharmaceuticals, foods, paints, and more rely on these industrial machines. There are multiple types, and the right choice will be determined by your needs and your products. Keep in mind details like cleaning, components, and your own production cycle, so you can get the right mixer for your company needs.
