Easy as pie
UK. A Spiroflow aero-mechanical conveyor has operated successfully at a renowned manufacturer of pork pies since 2002.
Installed as part of an improvement to transfer
gelatine granules to mixers, the 2.4 m unit operates at an angle of 60 degrees with an integral sack tip feed hopper. It is used to transfer 25-kg bags of gelatine into either one of two mixers used to produce the gelatine filling that goes into the pies. Introduction of the conveyor is said to have significantly improved gelatine production efficiency.
The conveyor has a 316 grade stainless steel construction and an integral feed hopper with a mesh grill to enable bags of material to be opened and tipped easily. Conveyor and feed hopper are mounted on a mobile frame allowing movement from one mixer to another and transfer away for periodic cleaning. To facilitate internal washing, the conveyor is also complete with a drain plug.
The simplicity of the aero-mechanical conveying principle is at the heart of the operation, comprising several evenly spaced polyurethane disks attached to a wire rope. The rope and disks travel in a continuous loop at high speed within the steel tube casing. At each end there are enclosed housings within which the rope assembly runs from one tube to the other around special sprockets - one sprocket driving the rope and disks while the other provides tension to the rope. The air stream produced by the movement of the disks fluidises and entrains product in the airflow until it is centrifugally ejected at the outlet.
www.spiroflow.com
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20:43 21/03/2010
Key role in pigment processing
USA. Malvern's Mastersizer laser diffraction particle size analyser is playing a critical role in development and evaluation of speciality mixing systems at the Test and Development Center of Charles Ross & Son Co of Hauppauge, New York.
The company's PreMax mixer with Delta rotor/stator is designed to improve pigment dispersion prior to media milling operations in the production of inks and coatings. Developers and users of PreMax employ Mastersizer to track pigment dispersion as mixing progresses, allowing mixer operation to be optimised for different applications and process conditions.
Despite advances in formulation of pigment-based inks and coatings, production invariably remains a two-stage process - wetting pigment to produce the pre-mix and milling to produce the required particle size.
"Typically, the focus at the premixing stage is simply to achieve adequate wetting of the dry pigment," says Christine Banaszek, application engineer for the Ross company. "We wanted to develop a more efficient solution that also reduces agglomerates of particles, in order to cut milling time. The Delta rotor/stator of the PreMax provides both high shear and vigorous flow in a batch mixing environment. Clearly particle size analysis was essential in evaluating our results, and the Mastersizer proved an excellent choice. Quick and easy to use, it enabled us, and our customers, to measure material at all stages of the process, and fully test the PreMax's performance."
Mastersizer offers versatile laser diffraction for rapid measurement of dry or wet particles, offering a broad measurement range coupled with reproducible sample dispersion and measurement. However, Malvern's applications expertise is a key constituent of the system.
"Malvern has pioneered laser diffraction for more than three decades," says Paul Kippax, product manager for the company. "The extensive knowledge and applications experience we have in this area comes not only from the scientific credentials of our in-house experts, but is also fostered through our strong relationships with customers such as Charles Ross & Son Company. Such relationships enable us to gain an even greater understanding of our customers needs and how to excel in meeting them, and has fuelled the success of the Mastersizer range."
http://www.malvern.com/common/downloads/campaign/MRK1394-01.pdf
• More information about Ross PreMax at:
www.dispersers.com/hsd-premax.pdf and www.highshearmixers.com/pdf/high_shear.pdf
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12:47 20/02/2010
Tangerine’s confectionery dream
UK. Tangerine Confectionery Ltd has relocated manufacture of sherbet products to its factory at Pontefract, West Yorkshire, choosing Spiroflow as its chosen supplier.
The project covers a new sherbet blending and delivery system to produce and transfer finished products to two packing lines which operate three shifts a day, five days a week to keep up with demand for the company’s popular 'Barratt', 'Sherbet Fountains' and 'Dip Dabs' product lines of confectionery.
The setup comprises four vacuum conveyors, sifter with integral magnetic metal trap, mixer and buffer hopper, On the Sherbert Fountain line, sherbet is married up with liquorice stick to create the iconic product known by all schoolchildren since 1925. In this era of global takeovers in the confectionery market, the company remains the UK's largest independent manufacturer of high quality sugar confectionery and popcorn.
Ingredients for Tangerine's Barratt brand sherbet products are pre-weighed into tubs and vacuum transferred by an operator using a wand through the sifter/magnet, removing any agglomerates and then into the mixer. Once mixed, material is discharged into a holding hopper below, ready for further vacuum transfer to the packing lines. The holding hopper ensures that batches of sherbet can be mixed whilst previous batches are packed to meet the requirements of continuous operation.
When asked why Spiroflow was the preferred supplier, project engineer John Williams said that previous experience with Spiroflow equipment on site and its expertise and experience in putting together turnkey processing and handling systems confirmed the decision. Tangerine expressed satisfaction with the performance of the system which has now been in operation for several weeks.
The electronic control system, designed and manufactured by Spiroflow in house, utilises a touch screen to control the main elements of the process. Level controls in the packing machine feed hoppers actuate vacuum conveyors when the hoppers require replenishment and level probes in the buffer hopper below the mixer indicate when it is ready to accept another batch of material. System design meets the requirements of DSEAR/ATEX Zone 21/22 with installation and commissioning undertaken by Spiroflow engineers.
Other popular brands manufactured by Tangerine include ‘Princess’ Marshmallows, 'MOJO', 'Tavener's and 'Butterkist' popcorn as well the production of Jameson's chocolate confectionery including the Ruffle Bar, together with an extensive range of gums, jellies, liquorice and boiled sweets.
www.spiroflow.com
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14:00 09/01/2010
