Material losses in an animal premix plant. Where are they hiding?
Published:March 25, 2013
By:Peter Oldale
In a recently acquired animal premix plant (manufacturing form 0.1% to 2.5% inclusion rate premixes) with standard silos, screw dosing and in process weighing followed by pneumatic transfer to a mixer top hopper, mixer, packing hopper and packer we are experiencing a large range of under and over weights. For instance 1000kg weighed in over calibrated and certified in process scales but anything from 980 kg packed off to 1020kg packed off. We are making an internal investigation but would be happy for any tips
Dear Peter from what I understand they have lost Prepared Premixes weights in your manufacturing process. My Experience in preparing plants where the Loss of Weight Premixes were due to debris that remained attached to the walls of the mixer. It can also be caused by deficits or excesses of weights during dosing Weighing the Balance. Also lost in the sleeves Filters pneumatic transport line. Product tambiem possible without stuck in the hoppers are not stainless steel AISI 304.
The modern system of preparation of premixes are automated, and used from the hoppers Dosage, tubular screw, hopper weighing, pneumatic transport piping, hoppers all stainless steel hoppers. To prevent adhesion of micro hygroscopic ingredients after weighing micro ingredients are dissolved in an excipient or vehicle in the mixer.
Best regards,
Manuel Ruiz
Barinas, Venezuela
A.C Mills Engineering
AgribusinessEngineering
kindly chek your PLC for its accuracy.
Also check all leakages if any,there may possibility of air being sucked in or sucked out.
Check if load cells are being cleand on regular basis every day.
Also ensure that entire machine is cleaned up everyday and no traces of prev day remain inside.
Regards
Dr S.Chandra
Please check load cells and calibration scaling and your PLC system for its accuracy, also clean up hopper scale and all supply bin to scale.
Regards,
Thomas
Dear Dr Chandra and Mr. Thomas and Manuel. Thank you for taking the time to consider this issue and offer advice. In the end we have found the source of the problem. The mixer was holding back some product around the nomb doors and the mixer under hopper was also holding some product.
Best regards
Peter
Dear Peter
I am happy that problem has been diagnosed and steps taken.However pl implement my suggestions too which will help to rectify problems in future.
regards
Dr Chandra
Dear Peter at the end the important thing is to find the source of the problem. Additionally I can you tell that the ideal would be that the gate is discharged from the mixer be an along the mixer and will not separate pneumatic gates. The hopper that receiving the heavy or also called compensation hopper, should have displays, vibrators, sensors and easy access to check and ensuring that all is empty.
Best regards,
Manuel Ruiz
Dear Peter I am happy too that problem has been diagnosed.
So I agreed with Manuel Ruiz, usually always comes vibrator, sensors, and door monitors on the perfect design of the feed mill or premix palnt. but the important thing is always check the scale displays zero position, before doing process the next batch weighing.
This is a very interesting forum. I would like to share some points to avoid material losses in premix plant.
1. As we know, some of the premix ingredients have water absorption properties, so we can avoid long-term storage in silos. 2. In loose condition, If we store long duration, due to moisture absorption properties may be a chance to get a liquid form and also deposited in storage bins/silo side walls. This will affect the material flow rate while batching. 3. We need to use batch weighing scale capacity near above the batching quantity capacity. Too high or low capacity scales will give more deviation in batching quantity. 4. Storage bins leackages to be avoided. 5. Batching scale, packing scale & load cell calibration frequency improved. 6. Mixer & storage bins cleaning schdules should be followed with time frame. And fumigation procedure also followed strictly 7. Premix ingredients storage area need ventilation. And also to be store the items on wooden pallets.
With regards, M.Udhayachandran Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India.
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