Raw Material Handling & Processing Equipment one-by-one, point-wise with detailed explanations.
I can also suggest images for each so you can later add them to a document or presentation.
1. Precision Weighing Balances
- Purpose: To accurately measure raw material quantities before processing.
- Importance: Even a small deviation in weight can impact product quality, potency, and safety.
- Types: Analytical balances (for small quantities, high precision) and industrial platform scales (for bulk materials).
- Image Suggestion: A stainless steel digital balance in a cleanroom environment.
2. Automated Dispensing Systems
- Purpose: Automates the weighing and dispensing of raw materials directly into containers or process equipment.
- Advantages: Minimizes human error, increases speed, ensures traceability.
- Applications: Used in large-scale production to feed powders or liquids accurately into mixers or blenders.
- Image Suggestion: A PLC-controlled dispensing unit connected to silos or storage bins.
3. Silo Systems & Storage Tanks
- Purpose: For bulk storage of powders, granules, or liquids before processing.
- Features: Constructed from stainless steel, equipped with level sensors, dust filters, and discharge valves.
- Benefits: Maintains material quality by preventing contamination and controlling moisture.
- Image Suggestion: Large vertical stainless steel silos in a pharma plant.
4. Vacuum Conveyors
- Purpose: Transfers powders or granules from storage to process equipment using vacuum pressure.
- Benefits: Dust-free transfer, hygienic operation, and easy cleaning.
- Common Uses: Feeding tablet presses, blenders, or packaging machines.
- Image Suggestion: A stainless steel vacuum conveying pipeline with transparent sections.
5. Drum Lifters & Tippers
- Purpose: Lifts and tilts heavy drums or containers for unloading materials into processing equipment.
- Advantages: Reduces manual handling, prevents operator injuries, ensures controlled discharge.
- Operation: Can be hydraulic, pneumatic, or electric.
- Image Suggestion: A mobile drum lifter unloading powder into a hopper.
6. Vibro Sifters / Vibratory Sieves
- Purpose: Separates unwanted particles, lumps, or foreign materials from raw powders.
- How it Works: Uses vibration to pass material through mesh screens of specific sizes.
- Benefits: Ensures uniform particle size and prevents contamination.
- Image Suggestion: A multi-layer vibro sifter with different mesh sizes.
7. Coarse Crushers
- Purpose: Breaks down large lumps of raw material into smaller, manageable sizes.
- Typical Design: Uses blades or rollers to crush materials.
- Application: Used before milling for size reduction of bulk materials.
- Image Suggestion: An industrial stainless steel lump crusher.
8. Hammer Mills
- Purpose: Reduces particle size by impact force using rapidly rotating hammers.
- Advantages: Produces uniform particle size quickly.
- Uses: Milling of dry powders before blending or granulation.
- Image Suggestion: A hammer mill with open inspection doors.
9. Ball Mills
- Purpose: Reduces material size by grinding with steel or ceramic balls inside a rotating drum.
- Advantages: Produces fine powders; suitable for both wet and dry milling.
- Applications: Used in research labs and some bulk production.
- Image Suggestion: A horizontal ball mill with milling media inside.
10. Jet Mills
- Purpose: Uses high-velocity air or steam jets to micronize powders.
- Benefits: No moving parts, extremely fine particle sizes achieved.
- Applications: For heat-sensitive and sterile drug substances.
- Image Suggestion: A compact pharmaceutical jet mill.
11. Multi-Mill
- Purpose: Performs multiple functions such as granulating, pulverizing, and shredding.
- Advantages: Versatile, easy to operate, adjustable speed for different applications.
- Applications: Often used before blending to ensure uniform granule size.
- Image Suggestion: Stainless steel multi-mill with hopper and discharge chute.
12. Colloid Mills
- Purpose: Reduces particle size of liquid or semi-liquid products by high-shear grinding.
- Working Principle: Material passes between a high-speed rotor and a stationary stator.
- Applications: Used for creams, ointments, and emulsions.
- Image Suggestion: Colloid mill with feed hopper and adjustable rotor gap.