PowderHandling - Formulation, Mixing & Blending Seminar

Formulation, Mixing and Blending Seminar - 26th March 2009

Dry powder blending is at the heart of many processing industries today, yet it is most likely the least understood of all the processes.

Mixing and blending of dry ingredients occurs frequently in food processing, pharmaceutical processing, petro-chemicals and plastics, to name but a few. Yet the uniqueness of each individual product formulation, usually means that no two blending processes are ever the same.

From the basic blending of two similar materials to the blending of many different ingredients with different characteristics, today's mixers have a wide variety of possible applications.

Although mixing and blending technology has greatly improved over the years and many blenders are now capable of mixing all kinds of powders, the process of selecting the best blender and the correct overall system design for a specific application, still remains an art form because of the many variables involved.

In today’s 'Lean Manufacturing' environment, it is more critical than ever that careful consideration is given to blend times, equipment flexibility, ease of cleaning and product segregation (demixing of the blended product) in post blend handling.

This seminar will helped to take the mystery out of today's blending operations, with an interesting range of topics covered.

Seminar Agenda & Presenters

Product Formulation using 'Lean Manufacturing' Principles
Dave Newell, Business Development Director - Matcon Pacific Pty Ltd

This presentation discusses the handling of the raw materials once received into a factory.

Criteria and considerations when designing a Formulation System
Different types of Lean Formulation Systems
Automatic formulation of a batch
Batch tracking
Case study

Technical Considerations in the Selection and Evaluation of Dry Materials Blending Operations
Dennis Forte - Dennis Forte & Assoc

Choosing a suitable solids mixer from a vast array of designs involves an understanding of the mixing process and dispersion dynamics. This presentation provides a selection
guide for a mixer based on operating characteristics and target application, as well as some useful methodologies for measuring mixing progress, mixture stability and scaling-up of the mixing process.

Lean Batch Blending in IBCs (Intermediate Bulk Containers)
Dave Newell, Business Development Director - Matcon Pacific Pty Ltd

What is Lean Mixing?
Solutions for achieving Lean Mixing
How to increase the Mixers Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) level
IBC Blender operation and features
Mixer cleaning
Batch mixing examples

Design and Assessment of Continuous Powder Mixers
Dennis Forte - Dennis Forte & Assoc

Continuous Mixers offer a viable alternative to batch processes, however, they receive little attention in literature. This presentation will discuss the key selection criteria (such as the economic and performance characteristics) and the design criteria when considering the use of a Continuous Mixer.

The Continuous Mixer has principally two tasks: The Ingredients have to be mixed both radially and if the feeding is not accurate, then they must also be mixed axially. The effectiveness of the process may be monitored via the Radial Variance and the Axial Variance and the role of the Froude Number and the Residence Time Distribution as means of controlling the process performance will also be discussed in this presentation.

Quality Control in Powder Blending Operations
Peter Wypych, Associate Professor - University of Wollongong

Demixing, or segregation of a blended product during processing, can cost manufacturers a great deal in rejected material due to inconsistent product quality. Yet with proper consideration to the process, this can be avoided.

This presentation will look in depth at the problem of demixing and discuss the solutions available to overcome it, covering;

Filling and discharging process equipment
Product properties and characteristics
Effect of flow patterns
Full implications of demixing and segregation
Minimising and quantifying segregation
Physical demonstrations

Mass Flow Measurement in Solids
Ryk Jansen, Managing Director - SWR Engineering Pty Ltd

The measuremnt of flows of solid materials in continuos blending applications, is sometimes very difficult because of "process real estate" constraints. This presentation discusses the new technology of measuring vulumetric flow, mass flow, density and velocity of solid materials, using microwave and electro magnetic philosophies.

Dave Newell, Matcon Pacific Pty Ltd