How It Works
Paste Mixers
Choosing a Laboratory Paste Mixer can be a difficult task for even the most experienced mixologist. The choice of a mixer can depend on many factors including the batch volume desired, heat transfer requirements of the raw materials, shear rate sensitivity, viscosity and flowablility of the product, physical size of raw materials, price of the mixer, material handling considerations, and more!
Choices abound and include:
- Multi Shaft Mixers - a combination of a high speed dispersion blade, a slow speed anchor agitator and a high shear rotor/stator mixer for medium viscosity products up to ~ 1,000,000 cps.
- Planetary Mixers - the perfect choice for powders that require gentle blending and pastes up to 8,000,000 cps.
- Kneader Extruder - this mixer has the capability to mix and extrude, all in one mixer, the highest viscosity materials. The kneading blades provide high energy dispersion capabilities
The final decision of a mixer for your application requirements is best made after running product in our "Test and Development Center". The test center is equipped with all of our equipment, in a range of benchtop and production sizes. Once the test is completed, the materials can be instantly evaluated using our "Analytical Lab" to determine the actual results of your test runs.
Multi Shaft Mixers
Dual Shaft Mixer
The Dual Shaft Mixer includes an Anchor agitator and a High Speed Disperser. The anchor feeds product into the high speed disperser blade and ensures that the mixture is constantly in motion. The anchor can be provided with scrapers to remove materials from the interior vessel walls to enhance the heat transfer capabilities of the mixer. Both agitators are available for variable speed operation.
Triple Shaft Mixer
Our Triple Shaft designs are largely built to meet the specific requirements of each customer. The triple shaft design includes: Three Wing Anchor Agitator - moves materials in axial and radial motions and feeds viscous/non-flowing materials into the high speed blades; High Speed Disperser - this conventional disk design is used for dispersion of materials up to approx. 75,000 cps; A high shear rotor-stator mixer or a second high speed disperser. The addition of a high shear rotor-stator mixer adds the capability of emulsifying and homogenizing products that require higher shear to reduce the size of the particles being mixed.
Planetary Mixers
Double Planetary Mixers
The Double Planetary Mixer includes two blades that rotate on their own axes, while they orbit the mix vessel on a common axis. The blades continuously advance along the periphery of the vessel, removing material from the vessel wall and transporting it to the interior. After one revolution the blades have passed through the entire vessel, after three revolutions most materials have been mixed and after only 36 revolutions, the blades have contacted virtually the entire batch.
Planetary Disperser
The patented PowerMix combines a planetary blade and a high speed dispersion blade. Both agitators are in constant motion. The planetary and the high speed disperser blades rotate on their own axes and also rotate continuously around the vessel. The planetary blade feeds materials directly into the high shear zone of the orbiting high speed disperser. This combination of unique mixing actions combine to eliminate the need for multiple mixers that one machine can accomplish.
Kneader Extruder
The Kneader Extruder combines the efficiency of a double arm - sigma blade mixer with the convenience of an extrusion screw for the mixing and discharging of heavy viscous materials. The Kneader Extruder includes a set of counter-rotating kneading blades and a discharge screw. The blades are mounted on a horizontal axis in a u-shaped trough. Below the blades in a separate cavity is the discharge screw. During the mixing cycle the blades rotate toward each other while the mixing screw rotates in a reverse direction, constantly feeding new materials into the mixing blades. After the mixing/kneading cycle is complete, the screw is reversed and it transports the mixed materials from the mix zone out through a discharge die and on to further processing or packaging.