The Ultimate Guide to Hammer Mills: Everything You Need to Know

In the world of size reduction equipment, hammer mills are undoubtedly one of the most popular machines used by various industries. They are a versatile machine that is capable of grinding, crushing, and pulverizing materials into various sizes. But what exactly are hammer mills and how do they work? In this comprehensive guide, we will explore everything you need to know about hammer mills and their applications.

Understanding the Basics of Hammer Mills

Before diving into the specifics of hammer mills, it is important to understand the definition and function of these machines.

A hammer mill is a type of grinding machine that is used to shred or crush materials into smaller pieces. It consists of a rotor with swinging hammers that strike the material and break it apart. The size of the final product depends on the size of the openings in the screen or grates at the bottom of the machine.

Definition and Function of Hammer Mills

A hammer mill is a machine used to shred or crush materials into smaller pieces. They are widely used in various industries such as agriculture, food processing, and mining.

The main function of a hammer mill is to reduce the size of the material through repeated blows of hammers. These hammers are attached to a rotor that rotates at high speed, causing the material to be pulverized.

Hammer mills are versatile machines that can be used for a variety of purposes. In the agriculture industry, they are commonly used to grind grains into animal feed. In the food processing industry, they can be used to pulverize spices and herbs for seasoning. In the mining industry, they are used to crush rocks and ores for further processing.

Key Components of Hammer Mills

Now that we understand the basic function of hammer mills, let’s take a closer look at their key components.

1. Rotor: The rotor is the main rotating component of the hammer mill. It contains the hammers and provides the necessary power to crush the material. The rotor is usually made of heavy-duty steel to withstand the impact of the hammers.

2. Hammers: The hammers are the striking tools attached to the rotor. They come in various shapes and sizes, depending on the application and desired particle size. Some hammers have a flat surface, while others have a curved or serrated edge to enhance the grinding or shredding process.

3. Screen or Grates: The screen or grates are located at the bottom of the machine and determine the final product size. They control the flow of the crushed material and allow for the desired particle size to pass through. The size of the openings in the screen or grates can be adjusted to achieve different particle sizes.

4. Feed Hopper: The feed hopper is the entry point for the material into the hammer mill. It is designed to ensure a steady and controlled flow of material to the rotor and hammers. The size and design of the feed hopper may vary depending on the specific application and material being processed.

5. Discharge Chute: The discharge chute is where the final product exits the hammer mill. It is designed to direct the crushed material into a collection container or conveyor for further processing or storage.

6. Drive System: The drive system of a hammer mill is responsible for powering the rotor and controlling its speed. It typically consists of an electric motor, a belt or chain drive, and a gearbox or direct drive system. The drive system allows for precise control of the rotor speed, which can affect the particle size and overall efficiency of the grinding process.

7. Safety Features: Hammer mills are equipped with various safety features to protect the operator and prevent accidents. These may include safety guards, emergency stop buttons, and interlock systems that prevent the machine from operating when certain conditions are not met.

Overall, hammer mills are reliable and efficient machines that play a crucial role in many industries. Their ability to reduce the size of materials and create uniform particles makes them valuable tools for processing and manufacturing. Whether it’s grinding grains for animal feed or pulverizing rocks for mining, hammer mills are an essential part of the process.

Types of Hammer Mills

When it comes to grinding and crushing materials, hammer mills are a popular choice due to their versatility and efficiency. There are two main types of hammer mills: high-speed and low-speed hammer mills. Let’s take a closer look at each.

High-Speed Hammer Mills

High-speed hammer mills are known for their ability to handle fine-grinding applications in various industries. These industries include the feed, oilseed, and biomass industries. The key feature of high-speed hammer mills is their ability to operate at a very high rotational speed, resulting in rapid and efficient impact on the material being processed.

One of the primary applications of high-speed hammer mills is in the processing of animal feed and agricultural products. These mills are capable of grinding and crushing grains, such as corn, wheat, and barley, into smaller particles, making them more digestible for livestock. Additionally, high-speed hammer mills are often used in the production of ethanol and other biofuels, where they play a crucial role in breaking down biomass materials into smaller, more manageable sizes.

Low-Speed Hammer Mills

Low-speed hammer mills, on the other hand, are specifically designed to handle tough and fibrous materials. These mills operate at a relatively low rotational speed, which allows for a gentler impact on the material being processed.

The wood industry heavily relies on low-speed hammer mills for processing wood chips, sawdust, and other wood waste materials. These mills are capable of reducing the size of wood materials, making them suitable for further processing or utilization. Whether it’s for the production of particleboard, fiberboard, or other wood-based products, low-speed hammer mills play a vital role in breaking down the raw materials into smaller, more manageable pieces.

In addition to the wood industry, low-speed hammer mills are also commonly used in the production of paper and cardboard. These mills are capable of grinding and crushing recycled paper and cardboard materials, allowing for their transformation into pulp, which can then be used to produce new paper products.

Overall, both high-speed and low-speed hammer mills have their specific applications and advantages. High-speed hammer mills excel in fine-grinding applications, while low-speed hammer mills are ideal for handling tough and fibrous materials. Regardless of the type, hammer mills continue to be a reliable and efficient solution for various industries in need of size reduction and material processing.

The Working Principle of Hammer Mills

Now that we have covered the different types of hammer mills, let’s dive into their working principles.

Hammer mills are widely used in various industries for grinding and crushing different materials. They operate on the principle of impact, where the rotor rotates at high speed and the hammers attached to it strike the material, causing it to be crushed into smaller particles. The crushed material then passes through a screen or grates at the bottom of the machine, allowing the desired particle size to pass through.

Step-by-Step Guide to How Hammer Mills Work

The working principle of a hammer mill is quite simple. Let’s take a closer look at how it works:

  1. Material Feeding: The material is fed into the hammer mill through a feed hopper. This can be done manually or through an automated feeding system, depending on the specific application.
  2. High-Speed Rotation: Once the material is inside the hammer mill, the hammers attached to the rotor start rotating at high speed. The centrifugal force generated by the rotating hammers causes them to strike the material with great impact.
  3. Impact and Pulverization: The repeated impact of the hammers on the material results in its crushing and pulverization. The high-speed rotation and the design of the hammers ensure efficient and effective pulverization of the material.
  4. Screening and Particle Size Control: After being crushed, the material passes through a screen or grates located at the bottom of the hammer mill. This screen or grates have specific openings that allow particles of the desired size to pass through, while larger particles are retained and continue to be crushed by the hammers.
  5. Collection of Final Product: The final product, consisting of particles of the desired size, is collected at the bottom of the hammer mill. It can be collected in a container or conveyed to another part of the production process for further processing or packaging.

Hammer mills are versatile machines that can be used for a wide range of applications. They are commonly used in the agricultural, pharmaceutical, chemical, and mining industries, among others. The size and design of the hammers, as well as the screen or grates, can be customized to meet the specific requirements of different materials and desired particle sizes.

In conclusion, hammer mills are powerful and efficient machines for grinding and crushing various materials. Their working principle, based on impact and pulverization, allows for the production of particles of different sizes. Whether it is for reducing the size of agricultural products, processing minerals, or preparing raw materials for further processing, hammer mills play a crucial role in many industries.

Applications of Hammer Mills

Hammer mills have a wide range of applications across various industries. Let’s explore some of their common uses.

Uses in the Agricultural Sector

In the agricultural sector, hammer mills are often used for grinding grains, hay, and straw. They are also used for processing crop residues and agricultural by-products into animal feed.

Additionally, hammer mills are used for the production of ethanol from corn and other feed grains. They help break down the cellulosic material, allowing for the extraction of fermentable sugars.

Industrial Applications of Hammer Mills

Aside from the agricultural sector, hammer mills are widely used in various industries for size reduction and particle size control.

In the food processing industry, hammer mills are used to grind spices, coffee beans, grains, and other food ingredients into powder or fine particles.

In the mining and minerals industry, hammer mills are used to crush and pulverize ores into smaller particles for further processing.

Safety Measures for Operating Hammer Mills

Operating a hammer mill involves certain safety measures to ensure the well-being of the operators and the proper functioning of the machine.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

When operating a hammer mill, it is important to wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent injuries. This includes safety goggles, gloves, and hearing protection.

Safety Protocols and Procedures

In addition to wearing PPE, operators should follow safety protocols and procedures when operating a hammer mill. This includes ensuring that the machine is properly maintained, using the correct settings for the desired particle size, and avoiding any potential hazards.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting of Hammer Mills

Proper maintenance of hammer mills is crucial to ensure their longevity and optimal performance. Let’s explore some maintenance practices and common troubleshooting issues.

Regular Maintenance Practices

Regular maintenance of a hammer mill includes greasing the bearings, inspecting the hammers for wear and tear, and checking the screen or grates for any damage or clogging. It is important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for maintenance intervals and procedures.

Common Issues and How to Resolve Them

Some common issues that may arise when operating a hammer mill include excessive noise, uneven particle size distribution, and hammers getting stuck. These problems can often be resolved by adjusting the machine settings, replacing worn-out parts, or cleaning the machine thoroughly.

If the issues persist, it is recommended to consult the manufacturer or a qualified technician for further assistance.

Conclusion

Hammer mills are an essential piece of equipment in various industries for grinding, crushing, and pulverizing materials into smaller particles. Understanding their working principles, types, and applications is crucial for anyone involved in size reduction processes.

By following safety measures and proper maintenance practices, operators can ensure the safe and efficient operation of hammer mills, prolonging their lifespan and optimizing their performance.

Whether you are in the agricultural sector, food processing industry, or mining and minerals industry, hammer mills can be a valuable tool in your operations.

So next time you encounter the need for size reduction, consider the power and versatility of hammer mills.


Industrial grinders in the Food Processing Industry

The food processing industry plays a crucial role in our daily lives by ensuring that the food we consume is safe, nutritious, and readily available. One of the key components of this industry is the use of industrial grinders. These powerful machines are designed to process food ingredients into various forms, ranging from powders and pastes to emulsions and suspensions. In this article, we will take a closer look at the benefits of using industrial grinders in the food processing industry.

Benefits of using industrial grinders in food processing

1. Enhanced Efficiency

Industrial grinders are designed to efficiently process large quantities of food ingredients in a short span of time. This not only saves valuable time but also increases overall productivity in food processing plants. By automating the grinding process, industrial grinders eliminate the need for manual labor, allowing workers to focus on other important tasks.

2. Consistent Quality

Consistency is essential in the food processing industry. Industrial grinders ensure that the texture, particle size, and consistency of the processed food ingredients remain uniform throughout the production process. This is crucial in maintaining the quality of the final food products and meeting consumer expectations.

3. Versatility

Industrial grinders are incredibly versatile and can handle a wide range of food ingredients. From fruits and vegetables to meat and spices, these machines are capable of grinding various types of ingredients. This versatility allows food processing plants to produce a diverse range of products, catering to different consumer preferences.

4. Waste Reduction

Food waste is a significant concern in the food processing industry. Industrial grinders play a crucial role in reducing waste by effectively grinding and utilizing every part of the food ingredient. By minimizing waste, food processing plants can not only improve their sustainability practices but also reduce expenses associated with waste disposal.

5. Improved Safety

Industrial grinders are designed with safety in mind. These machines are equipped with various safety features, such as emergency stop buttons and protective covers, to ensure the well-being of workers. Additionally, industrial grinders eliminate the risk of contamination by grinding food ingredients in enclosed and sanitary environments.

Industrial Grinder

An industrial grinder is a heavy-duty machine specifically designed for commercial use in the food processing industry. Unlike household grinders, industrial grinders are capable of withstanding high volumes of grinding and are built to withstand the rigorous demands of a production environment. These machines are typically equipped with powerful motors, sharp blades, and sturdy construction materials to ensure optimal performance and longevity.

Industrial grinders are available in various sizes and configurations to cater to different processing needs. Some common types of industrial grinders used in the food processing industry include:

– Rotary Grinders: Utilize rotating shafts with blades to effectively grind food ingredients. These grinders are commonly used for grinding meat and other solid ingredients.

Hammer Mills: Utilize high-speed rotating hammers to pulverize food ingredients into fine powders. Hammer mills are often used for grinding grains, spices, and dried herbs.

– Colloid Mills: Utilize high-speed rotor and stator assemblies to emulsify, disperse, and grind food ingredients into fine pastes and suspensions. Colloid mills are commonly used for processing nut butters, sauces, and dressings.

Industrial Food Grinder

An industrial food grinder is a specific type of industrial grinder designed for processing food ingredients. These machines are specially engineered to meet strict food safety standards and possess features that enhance food processing efficiency. Industrial food grinders are widely used in food processing plants, restaurants, and commercial kitchens.

Industrial food grinders offer numerous benefits over traditional household grinders, such as:

– Large Capacity: Industrial food grinders are capable of processing large quantities of food ingredients at once, making them ideal for commercial use where high production volumes are required.

– Speed and Efficiency: Industrial food grinders are equipped with powerful motors and sharp blades, allowing for efficient and rapid grinding of food ingredients.

– Durability: Industrial food grinders are built to withstand heavy usage and are constructed using durable materials, ensuring long-lasting performance even in demanding environments.

– Food Safety: Industrial food grinders are designed to meet strict food safety regulations, ensuring that processed food ingredients are free from contamination and safe for consumption.

In conclusion, industrial grinders play a crucial role in the food processing industry by enhancing efficiency, maintaining consistent quality, offering versatility, reducing waste, and improving safety. These powerful machines are used to process a wide range of food ingredients, ensuring that the final food products meet consumer expectations. Industrial grinders, including industrial food grinders, are specifically designed for commercial use and are equipped with features that enhance food processing efficiency and safety. By utilizing industrial grinders, the food processing industry can achieve higher productivity, reduce waste, and deliver high-quality food products to consumers.

Industrial grinders
Industrial grinders in the Food Processing Industry

The food processing industry plays a crucial role in our daily lives by ensuring that the food we consume is safe, nutritious, and readily available. One of the key components of this industry is the use of industrial grinders. These powerful machines are designed to process food ingredients into various forms, ranging from powders and pastes to emulsions and suspensions. In this article, we will take a closer look at the benefits of using industrial grinders in the food processing industry.

Benefits of using industrial grinders in food processing

1. Enhanced Efficiency

Industrial grinders are designed to efficiently process large quantities of food ingredients in a short span of time. This not only saves valuable time but also increases overall productivity in food processing plants. By automating the grinding process, industrial grinders eliminate the need for manual labor, allowing workers to focus on other important tasks.

2. Consistent Quality

Consistency is essential in the food processing industry. Industrial grinders ensure that the texture, particle size, and consistency of the processed food ingredients remain uniform throughout the production process. This is crucial in maintaining the quality of the final food products and meeting consumer expectations.

3. Versatility

Industrial grinders are incredibly versatile and can handle a wide range of food ingredients. From fruits and vegetables to meat and spices, these machines are capable of grinding various types of ingredients. This versatility allows food processing plants to produce a diverse range of products, catering to different consumer preferences.

4. Waste Reduction

Food waste is a significant concern in the food processing industry. Industrial grinders play a crucial role in reducing waste by effectively grinding and utilizing every part of the food ingredient. By minimizing waste, food processing plants can not only improve their sustainability practices but also reduce expenses associated with waste disposal.

5. Improved Safety

Industrial grinders are designed with safety in mind. These machines are equipped with various safety features, such as emergency stop buttons and protective covers, to ensure the well-being of workers. Additionally, industrial grinders eliminate the risk of contamination by grinding food ingredients in enclosed and sanitary environments.

Industrial Grinder

An industrial grinder is a heavy-duty machine specifically designed for commercial use in the food processing industry. Unlike household grinders, industrial grinders are capable of withstanding high volumes of grinding and are built to withstand the rigorous demands of a production environment. These machines are typically equipped with powerful motors, sharp blades, and sturdy construction materials to ensure optimal performance and longevity.

Industrial grinders are available in various sizes and configurations to cater to different processing needs. Some common types of industrial grinders used in the food processing industry include:

– Rotary Grinders: Utilize rotating shafts with blades to effectively grind food ingredients. These grinders are commonly used for grinding meat and other solid ingredients.

– Hammer Mills: Utilize high-speed rotating hammers to pulverize food ingredients into fine powders. Hammer mills are often used for grinding grains, spices, and dried herbs.

– Colloid Mills: Utilize high-speed rotor and stator assemblies to emulsify, disperse, and grind food ingredients into fine pastes and suspensions. Colloid mills are commonly used for processing nut butters, sauces, and dressings.

Industrial Food Grinder

An industrial food grinder is a specific type of industrial grinder designed for processing food ingredients. These machines are specially engineered to meet strict food safety standards and possess features that enhance food processing efficiency. Industrial food grinders are widely used in food processing plants, restaurants, and commercial kitchens.

Industrial food grinders offer numerous benefits over traditional household grinders, such as:

– Large Capacity: Industrial food grinders are capable of processing large quantities of food ingredients at once, making them ideal for commercial use where high production volumes are required.

– Speed and Efficiency: Industrial food grinders are equipped with powerful motors and sharp blades, allowing for efficient and rapid grinding of food ingredients.

– Durability: Industrial food grinders are built to withstand heavy usage and are constructed using durable materials, ensuring long-lasting performance even in demanding environments.

– Food Safety: Industrial food grinders are designed to meet strict food safety regulations, ensuring that processed food ingredients are free from contamination and safe for consumption.

In conclusion, industrial grinders play a crucial role in the food processing industry by enhancing efficiency, maintaining consistent quality, offering versatility, reducing waste, and improving safety. These powerful machines are used to process a wide range of food ingredients, ensuring that the final food products meet consumer expectations. Industrial grinders, including industrial food grinders, are specifically designed for commercial use and are equipped with features that enhance food processing efficiency and safety. By utilizing industrial grinders, the food processing industry can achieve higher productivity, reduce waste, and deliver high-quality food products to consumers.

Industrial food grinders for the food processing industry – there’s a lot of confusion around these unique pieces of equipment. Specifically, many people don’t understand what they are and what they’re not, and how to tell whether using one would benefit an organization. This is especially true for organizations that have since relied on batch equipment and aren’t sure when they should make the switch to industrial machinery.  With that in mind, we’re going to spend this blog talking about what commercial food grinders are and what they’re not, and how to decide when you need to purchase one. 

What an Industrial Grinder is Not

Grinder machine grinding meatAn industrial food grinder is not a piece of equipment used for short-batch processes that are manually intensive. You would not find one in the home kitchen, for example. These are large, industrial-grade pieces of machinery that deliver output and uniformity.  As a general rule, these grinders tend to exist in highly automated and controlled processes. They’re popular in settings where companies are trying to create uniform products in uniform batches. This makes them perfect for commercial food production, for example. They’re also a popular go-to in the world of continuous processing, where they stand to enhance productivity While not everyone needs an industrial grinder, most operations reach a point where their old batch-style machines can’t keep up, so they decide to introduce some more powerful equipment. 

When to Invest in an Industrial Grinder for Your Operation

How do you know when it’s time to purchase an industrial grinder? How can you tell when this equipment would benefit your organization? Here are a few signs it’s time to make the change:

Choosing the Right Industrial Grinder for Your Needs

If you’re going to invest in an industrial grinder, quality is essential. After all, the point of an industrial mill is to streamline and simplify your operations. You don’t want a piece of machinery that’s going to break down or require lots of expensive upkeep.  Additionally, the size and variety of grinder you choose will depend on the ingredients your operation processes, and what you want to achieve in terms of output. While many people believe bigger is better, a too-large grinder will be just as problematic as one that’s too small for your operation to use effectively.  As such, it’s smart to work with a company that has a reputation for producing high-quality commercial grinders and industrial food processing equipment. That’s where Corenco comes in. Since every company’s food production equipment needs are different, our customized service is here to help you find the option that works best for you. Contact us today to learn more about our equipment, or to speak with a skilled tech who can help you find the perfect piece of equipment for you.       Wet grinding is a critical part of commercial food production in the United States. Unlike dry processing, which involves no moisture, wet processing requires water activity, both in the products and during the processing of them. This water activity may come in the form of water circulation, steam, pasteurization, or sterilization. Utilized to develop pet foods, as well as foods for human consumption, wet processing involves mixing ingredients and packaging them in a can, pouch, or tray, where they will later be cooked before distribution. While wet food processing has many benefits, one of the largest is that it allows materials to remain shelf-stable for the entire life of the product or until the container is opened. 

What Do You Need to Begin Wet Grinding?

If your organization is considering expanding or entering the wet food grinding industry, you may be wondering what kind of equipment you need to begin. Here’s a breakdown of the five pieces of wet food processing equipment we recommend every manufacturing operation should have:

1. Dicers

2 whole carrots and shredded carrots in black plate on displayDicers are commonly used to make prepared foods, such as veggies and toppings. Take prepared, pre-chopped chicken, for example – it goes through a commercial-grade dicer outfitted with circular blades. This system offers outstanding precision, high output, and less waste.  Dicers also produce visually appealing food products, which can help increase a company’s sales. By supporting faster, more sanitary food production, dicers have quickly become a favorite tool in the commercial food production industry.

2. Shredders

Shredders are a critical part of size reduction equipment. Used to produce materials with uniform thickness, shredders are particularly popular in manufacturing the ingredients for pre-packaged salads and the like. Designed to grate vegetables and other food products rapidly and at scale, shredders can take large blocks of material and quickly reduce them to a size that’s easy to process further. One of their primary applications is in the production of MREs, or Meals Ready to Eat. Shredders make quick work of the various wet ingredients so they can then be packaged and prepared for further production. 

3. Slicers

Slicers are used to reduce vegetables like whole carrots. A critical part of the wet food production industry, slicers are some of the most flexible types of food production equipment and can go a long way toward increasing the output of your processing program.

4. Comminution equipment

Today, many wet food products are pureed. This puree process requires the inclusion of Comminution equipment. Today, comminution equipment is prevalent in the tomato processing industry, for example, and is an integral part of the production of tomato paste, tomato puree, tomato sauce, and more. 

5. Homogenizers

In America, food is homogenized to make it shelf-stable for human consumption. Here’s how the Encyclopedia Britannica defines homogenization: Homogenization is the process of reducing a substance, such as the fat globules in milk, to tiny particles and distributing it uniformly throughout a fluid, such as milk. When milk is homogenized correctly, the cream will not rise to the top. The process involves forcing the milk through small openings under high pressure, thus breaking up the fat globules. Cream and other food products, such as peanut butter, may also be homogenized to produce a stable emulsion, i.e., one in which fats or oils will not separate from other elements. A similar process is used in the manufacture of some cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. As you can see, homogenization is a complex process, and it requires a complex piece of equipment. This is where the role of commercial homogenizers comes in. Designed to serve as the final step in the production process of liquids, including milk, ketchup, mayonnaise, and baby food, homogenizers help protect foods, extend their shelf-life, and deliver value – both to the producer and the consumer. 

Putting Together a Functional Wet Grinding Operation

Wet grinding is a critical part of the overall food production industry. If you’re interested in enhancing your wet food processing equipment, these five crucial pieces of machinery are here to help. Designed to provide a high-quality finished product, improve output, and more, these five pieces of wet food processing equipment are a must-have for any operation.  Not sure what you need for your wet food processing operation? Contact Corenco’s reps. Our team specializes in helping operations identify the most useful pieces of equipment for them, and will be happy to walk you through our selection of products. Let us help you build the wet food processing lineup you need to grow your business.   old food grinding equipment For millennia, people have been processing food. For as long as humans have hunted or cultivated crops, we’ve also preserved, dried, milled, and baked raw ingredients. While these tactics began primitively, they’ve steadily become more advanced over the years. Today, commercial food production and processing is a multi-million dollar industry, conservatively, and most of us rely on it in ways we’re not even fully aware of. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the evolution of one crucial piece of food processing equipment – the food grinder – and how it has changed and advanced from ancient times to now. 

The Original Food Grinder: The Mortar & Pestle

Featuring a curved lip, deep bowl, and thick, oblong pestle, the mortar and pestle is a traditional type of food processing equipment that’s been used since about 35000 BCE. Used to crush and grind foods into fine pastes and powders, mortar and pestle sets have always played a critical role in global food processing.  Chemists and pharmacists, for example, have traditionally used the tools to grind chemical compounds, while ancient and modern people in the Middle East used massive versions of the vessels to pound meat into kibbeh. These tools remain mostly unchanged today when compared to the versions used by the Sioux, ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Romans. 

Stone Mills

After the mortar and pestle came the advent of the stone mill (also commonly called a millstone), which was typically powered by a water wheel or a lone donkey. These mills were popular as a method to grind wheat, spices, and other grains.  Millstones worked in pairs – made of a stationary bedstone and a turning runner stone, which performs the hard work of grinding. These mills were unique in that they crushed the grains fed through them, but kept all parts of the grain, including the germ, bran, and endosperm, intact.  Thanks to their construction, millstones ground materials slowly, which means they produce minimal friction and heat. This, in turn, keeps the germ fat from oxidizing and turning rancid, which can destroy some of the nutrients contained in the grain. Today, some small-batch organizations still use millstones, although they’re much less common now than they used to be. 

Hammer Mills

After the industrial revolution came hammer mills, which were used for grain milling and producing animal feed. More efficient than mill varieties from decades past, hammer mills made it possible to ramp up output without drastically altering the effort or manpower required to make a product.  In terms of construction, a hammer mill is essentially a large, steel drum that houses vertical or horizontal rotating shafts. These shafts provide an anchor point for mounted hammers, which swing freely on the ends of the cross. In some cases, the hammers are secured to a central rotor, which spins rapidly while material filters into the hopper. The hammers pulverize the grains and materials, readying them for the next stage of processing.  Late in the 20th-century food grinding became targeted at human consumption, and sanitation started becoming an issue. As such, new food machinery became made out of stainless steel, which is still the case today.

Modern Mills

Today, food processing relies on a complex and varied system of equipment. Crushers, grinders, slicers, and industrial and commercial mixers all play a role in producing the processed and prepared foods we rely on in our daily lives.  There’s also been an exciting shift in the focus of food production equipment: while it began as something ancient people utilized for their purposes and then became a tool used by companies and production facilities on a widespread basis, it has shifted and become a personal pursuit, again.  Today, personal food grinding equipment is standard in virtually every kitchen. Most people own a coffee grinder, mortar and pestle, or personal food processor. This represents the full-circle nature of food processing: what started as a personal pursuit has become personal once more. 

Corenco: Manufacturing Top-Quality Food Grinders for Decades

As food grinding equipment continues to change, Corenco is proud to stay on the cutting edge of the industry. Creating top-quality food grinding equipment for use in the commercial sector, our products combine longevity, functionality, and durability into one convenient, accessible package.  Want to take your food processing operation to the next level? We can help. Our team specializes in helping manufacturing operations identify the equipment solutions that will work best for them, their goals, and their customers. Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive lineup of commercial food processing equipment and how we continue to drive the industry forward.  The disintegrator machine: it’s durable, strong, and meant to process tough material easily and efficiently. Because of these traits, most people think they can buy size reduction equipment, dump material into it, and just walk away.  In some cases, this assumption isn’t unfounded – many food processing experts are familiar with batch equipment which allows you to do just that. For continuous food processing, though, like the processing of cheese for pizza toppings, that’s not the case. Instead, you need a metered feed. In this piece, we’ll dive into the importance of a metered feed, and how to create it for your size reduction equipment. 

Two Primary Benefits of a Food Disintegrator Metered Feed 

Machine processing meatGenerally speaking. Most pieces of size reduction equipment require a metered feed. This is true for the following reasons:

How to Create Metered Feeding

The traditional way to facilitate a metered feed is to have a person do it. To put this another way, to have someone hand-feed the machine from a five-gallon bucket is the easiest way to facilitate metered feeding. Unfortunately, it’s also not the most efficient, and it doesn’t scale well when production starts to increase. This approach won’t work in large factories, for example.  As a result, most people use mechanical feeding options. You can pump into a machine, like an in-line or angle disintegrator, for example, or use belt conveyors, screw conveyors, or vibratory feeders to create a continuous feed. These feeding methods allow you to maintain a consistent feed rate and free your team up to do other things. When you find the right mechanical feed tool and run it at the right speed for your material, you can conduct your food processing operation at optimal efficiency. Even better, the inclusion of a  feedback loop between the grinding equipment and the variable speed feeder drive allows you to modulate feeder rate with increases or decreases of the RPM of your grinding machine. 

How Variable Frequency Models Work

Ideally, in a process line, you’d have feedback between the grinder and the feeder. This is particularly helpful in continuous situations. If you have a feeder that is set up on a programmable logic controller (PLC), for example, you can have a feedback loop in the mill that tells the feeder what the load is on the grinder.  For example, if the grinder is running at 50%, the mill tells the feeder it can process more and that the feeder should speed up. Variable frequency models are the most efficient way to feed a disintegrator machine and have become much more widely deployed in the food processing industry. This variable frequency model allows your equipment to adapt intelligently to products, processing capacities, and production demands, creating a more efficient operation for you.  

Corenco: Your Source for Metered Feeding for Your Disintegrator Machine

If you need help making decisions about how to feed your disintegrator machine, give us a call. We can help. Our team will provide individualized recommendations based on your specific product, need, and application.  If you’re not feeding your machine fast enough or running at full load, you’re not getting the available capacity out of your equipment. We’ll help you use your machine to its full potential and avoid easily-avoidable production interruptions, both now and in the future.   In the world of commercial food production, grinding is a critical part of many manufacturing processes. Single pass food grinding on it’s own is not enough to produce many of the products we know and love, here’s why: The amount of work you can do in a single pass on size reduction equipment is limited – both by the properties of what you’re feeding and by the target size of the material. Because of this, some material requires double pass grinding. In this post, we’ll discuss the benefits of double pass grinding; where it’s used in commercial food production, and which machines are best for companies who require double pass grinding. Let’s dive in.

First Things First: Why Double Pass Grinding?

Clear Bowl filled with Ground nuts Sometimes, food grinding can’t be a “one and done” process. When it comes to size reduction, the laws of physics dictate that you can only do so much work in a single pass. A classic example is in the reduction of a twenty-pound wheel of parmesan cheese.  Say you need to grate this large wheel of cheese for pizza topping. Pizza topping requires a nice, fine grind with no chunks or large clumps of product. If you try to reduce the entire wheel in a single pass, though, you’ll end up with one of two outcomes: you’ll either overheat your material or destroy your machine.  Instead, begin by reducing the wheel of cheese into small pieces via an initial grinding pass – chunks of  0.75”, for example. Once you’ve made a single pass and reduced the material to 0.75”, you can take this output and grind it once again, through a different machine, to create a smaller particle size. This is called double pass grinding. While double pass grinding is common in commercial uses, it’s also utilized by at-home chefs grinding meats and other products.  The process of double pass grinding is essential for a few reasons. The first and most obvious is that it reduces the load on both machines during passes. The amount of load it takes to process a large product directly into its final form factor can be massive. For example, the rotating imbalance of flinging around a 20 pound block of material is enormous and potentially damaging. The objective for companies is to get the material through the mill as quickly as possible without negatively impacting the product or the machinery. Double pass grinding can greatly increase the efficiency of the size reduction operation. This consideration is especially critical for a product which will melt under high heat loads. 

Which Foods Require Double Pass Grinding?

Double pass grinding is more widespread than you might imagine. Even machines that grind things to super-fine dimensions (think chemical and pharmaceutical processing, for example) requires a head start. As powerful as some machines are, they often can’t take a massive piece of material and grind it down to something superfine in a single pass.  The flour industry is a perfect example of the need for multiple pass grinding. Some flour mills use seven-pass roller mills, for example. These mills process the same material again and again, at an increasingly finer particle size, until it reaches the desired granularity.  Additionally, double pass grinding is exceptionally useful in reducing clumps, lumps, and leftover large particles in many different foods. 

Can You Double Pass on the Same Machine?

It is possible to double pass a product on a single machine. The only consideration is that you cannot undergo the second pass with the same sized screen if you want a finer product. Instead, you must switch to a finer screen, which will effectively deliver the same results as a multiple pass machine, processing the material at an increasingly smaller particle size until it reaches the desired consistency. 

Double Pass Food Grinding: A Critical Addition to Size Reduction Processes

In the world of grinding, double passing is an important and common approach to creating a super fine finished product. By running material through several food grinding machines or using progressively finer screens on successive passes, manufacturers can create the particle size they want for their product without causing excessive heat or load on their machines during the process.  If you’d like to learn more about double pass food grinding, or which machines are ideal for double pass food grinding, contact Corenco today. Our staff will be happy to help.    

55-gallon drums are a convenient way to acquire frozen product, but can be a pain in the neck to deal with.  Not only are these drums large and unwieldy to move around, but they take a long time to thaw. At most plants, food processing companies deal with this problem by leaving drums of material outdoors to thaw.

The big issues with that solution are that they don’t let them thaw out long enough and the center remains frozen. Alternatively, companies let them soften too long, risking spoilage. If you have a frozen kernel in the middle of the drum, the core will mostly be water.

Orange juice concentrate is a great example: the water freezes before the sugar, so you wind up with a frozen drum of juice that’s mostly sugar on the outside with a hard kernel of ice in the middle. To transform it back to orange juice, you then have to break up the ice ball, add water, and mix.  Introducing size reduction equipment not only dramatically speeds up the thawing process, but also prevents damage from under-thawed material in downstream processes.

Thaw 55-gallon drums of Material

How to Quickly Thaw 55 gallon Drums of Frozen ProductThe easiest way to deal with these large drums of material is to conduct the entire process while the material is still frozen. Unfortunately, there’s not much equipment out there that can do it. Most rotary chippers designed for this are ineffective and slow. Other pieces of equipment, like the Reitz Extractor, for example, serve different purposes. The Extractor is a large, stainless steel, high-capacity, meat grinder. While the machinery is robust, it is too expensive or unsanitary for many companies.

Because of that, some companies use Crushers, which is what we manufacture here at Corenco. Crushers are a less costly method of processing large amounts of frozen material, from 5-gallon buckets to 55-gallon drums. Thaw 55-gallon Drums of Frozen Product – These Crushers reduce content down to softball-sized or smaller chunks. Many companies utilize a subsequent milling step to further reduce their material to a “snowcone,” or a pumpable, slurry.

Why Crushers Are So Helpful

Crushers are versatile machines that were designed specifically for reducing large bulk products to manageable sizes. This allows manufacturers much more flexibility in their downstream processes. By running your materials through a Crusher or Grinder, you can streamline production and increase capacity. For an example of these machines at work, check out this video of a Corenco C24 crusher grinding a 55-gallon drum of frozen juice. As you can see, running the ingredient through the size reduction equipment takes a process that would require hours to thaw naturally and reduces it to just a few seconds. The product will then thaw out evenly and be ready for additional processing. 

Thaw Frozen Food the Easier Way

Size reduction improves the efficiency and productive capacity of processing lines that involve large bulk/frozen products. Corenco’s Crushers can be found all over the world tirelessly performing size reduction with minimal upkeep and maintenance.   Our technology helps streamline the thawing process and ensures faster processing times for our customers, and Crushers by Corenco will go a long way to improve and enhance your product thawing efforts.   If you’re interested in investing in machinery that could streamline your thawing or bulk product size reduction process, contact Corenco today. We manufacture many lines of durable, reliable size-reduction equipment meant for a wide variety of applications. We’re happy to help you navigate our selection and find the products that are perfect for you.

 

In the past several years, nut products have become all the rage. An excellent alternative to dairy products, nut milk, butter, and paste offers a higher nutrient content, less fat, and fewer allergens than standard milk products.  And thanks to advanced nut processing equipment, they’ve become more popular than ever before. In fact, the global peanut butter market was worth a staggering $3 billion in 2017, and it’s only grown since then. What’s more, the average American consumes about 6 pounds of nut products each year, with about half of that being some form of nut butter.  If you’ve ever wondered how nuts are processed, and whether it’s possible to make nut milk from butter or paste, here’s what you need to know:

Why People Love Nut Butters

A wide variety of nuts in assorted traysWhen we process nuts by grinding them to make them into nut butters, we change the way people consume and interact with them. Grinding the nuts makes it easier for people to consume them, digest the nutrient content of the nuts, and incorporate them into their daily diets.  In addition to being convenient and easy to consume, nut butters also pack a dense punch of nutrients. Nut butters are high in fiber, micronutrients, anti-inflammatory fatty acids, and omega-3 fatty acids, to name a few. They’re also excellent sources of protein, and are the perfect grab-and-go snack for people who need something healthy and filling in the middle of a busy day.  Today, the average 2-tablespoon serving of nut butter typically contains about 190 calories, 16 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein, and carbs between 0-8 grams. Whether it’s cashew butter, almond butter, or even hazelnut butter, a growing number of people enjoy these tasty treats. 

What is Nut Milk?

Nut milk is, in essence, exactly what it sounds like: milk made from nuts instead of dairy products. Today, most commercial nut milk contains about 5%-15% almonds, soy, or cashew matter, with the rest of the mixture water, sweeteners, binding agents, and thickeners added.  Homemade nut milks generally have a slightly higher concentration of nut products. Usually, homemade nut milks are made up of about 30% nut products. These mixtures have no additives unless the home cook has included them.  Home cooks can make nut milks with a mixture of 1 1/2 cups water and three tablespoons nut paste. The resulting drink will have about 12% nut matter, if the cook leaves it unstrained. 

Dry Roasting: Batch vs. Continuous

Before nuts can be processed, they must be roasted. Dry roasting is either done by the batch, or via a continuous method. Here’s a breakdown of each: While batch roasting may work for some production goals, continuous roasting is better for others. 

A Note on Granulating 

Granulating is another important niche method of nut processing. Granulating refers to the process of making nuts into an ingredient which most people have seen used for the top of ice cream cones. It involves grinding nuts to uniform size and not making a paste. The key to granulation is not producing a lot of fine material. While that seems straightforward, there are not many nut processing equipment technologies available for this. While dicers are applicable and practical, companies also use  Angle disintegrators

Investing in the Right Nut Processing Equipment

Nut processing equipment is critical to ensuring proper nut processing. Investing in the right materials is also essential. When you partner with a company like Corenco, you know you’ll get high-quality, durable nut processing equipment you can rely on.