In the milling industry – whether grinding, mixing or filling – where tonnes of grain are moved every day, accurate monitoring of the volumes of product transported is important. Minebea Intec supplies highly accurate weighing and inspection solutions that enable milling companies to organise their processes safely, efficiently and in compliance with the relevant regulations – including in hazardous areas.
In the milling industry, accurate monitoring of the volumes of product moved through production processes is important.
Silos and buffer tanks are central in modern milling plants. This is where raw materials need to be batched precisely and resources used economically. Load cells such as the Inteco® load cell from Minebea Intec, enable precise process control with continuous weight measurement, even under difficult conditions where there are vibrations or moisture is present.
The Inteco® load cell is made of high-quality stainless steel, OIML C6-certified and designed for continuous industrial operation. It covers a wide load range of 500 kg to 75 tonnes – making it suitable for use in smaller raw material containers as well as large-volume silos. With the robust FlexLock mounting kit, it reliably compensates for lateral forces and enables accurate measurements, even with asymmetrical load distribution.
The load cells also meet the highest requirements in terms of explosion protection. Certified variants with international approvals such as ATEX and IECEx are available for applications up to Zone 0 and Zone 20. "The Inteco® load cell combines maximum precision with robustness and flexibility. It is specially designed to meet the requirements of the milling industry so we can offer our customers the highest product quality," says Yannick Salzmann, Product Manager at Minebea Intec.
Safety in free fall - metal detection with MiWave technology
When processing bulk materials such as flour, semolina or flakes, there is always a risk of metallic foreign bodies entering the product flow – through abrasion or from worn machine parts, for example. The free-fall metal detectors Mitus® and Vistus® were developed precisely to provide reliable detection of metallic contaminants in free fall – quickly and efficiently.
The flexible MiWave Modulation Technology is used in the Mitus® metal detector. The system modulates the transmission signal in several frequencies, separates them and analyses them using an intelligent algorithm. This approach increases the diversity of information and makes it possible to achieve a high detection sensitivity with a low false alarm rate. This applies across highly varying product effects (due to shape, moisture or conductivity, for instance). The Vistus metal detector® also offers a robust and proven solution for free-fall applications – without MiWave.
"Product safety and quality are of paramount importance to us," says Willy-Sebastian Metzger, Director of Strategy, Business Development & Marketing at Minebea Intec. "The latest developments such as the MiWave technology mean more security for processing companies, especially when external challenges need to be overcome."
Both systems can be flexibly integrated into existing lines, before packaging or bagging, for example. With the optional True In-Process Validation, performance can be checked directly during operation and without interrupting production.
With the assurance of precise weighing and reliable foreign object detection, milling companies can maintain high product quality as well as operational and economic efficiency. Minebea Intec supports its customers as a reliable partner, providing robust technologies, customised engineering support and global service.
For more information visit: www.minebea-intec.com/en/