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Milling

The milling process industry comprises all manufacturers involved in process technology that is used for breaking down, separating, sizing, or classifying bulk materials. Milling processes can also remove contamination or water/moisture from bulk materials to produce dry particles before transport.

 

The industry of Milling

Milling allows you to control the particle size of your product in the manufacturing process. Particle size consistency enhances product flow rate and reduces the size, which can assist in the downstream process, depending on the product goals.

A milling process refers to the complete process of cleaning, grading, breaking down, sizing, separating, or classifying dry bulk materials. The actual milling process involves the mill that is used to break solid bulk materials into smaller pieces by grinding, cutting, or crushing.

Types of mills

There are a variety of mills that can be used to process bulk materials. Specific mills can grind powders and solids as small as single-digit microns to any specification.

There are various types of Mills

Here is a list of the most common types of mills:

  • Jet mill
  • Air classifying mill
  • Hammermill
  • Ball mill
  • Impact mill
  • Pulverizing mill

The grinding of solid materials occurs through mechanical forces that break up the structure.

After the grinding, the state of the solid is changed: the particle size, the particle size disposition, and the particle shape.

Purposes of the milling process in engineering:

  • Pulping: Converting the bulk materials into pulp
  • An increase in the surface area of a solid
  • Manufacturing of a solid with a desired particle size

Dry milling vs wet milling

Dry grinding creates much dust that results in the need for proper filtering systems. This can be of specific importance during the grinding of substances whose dust can result in explosive mixtures when mixed with aerial oxygen. Elaborate technical solutions such as systems for dust removal and inert gas overlay are often necessary to achieve the required level of safety. The cost for these filtration machines often significantly exceeds the actual mill’s.

Wet milling, also called wet media milling, is a process in which particles are dispersed in a liquid by shearing, impact or crushing, or attrition. Wet milling can be more intensive, but it can reduce a bulk product into more components and finer particles in the micron & submicron (or nanometer) particle size range.

The milling process industry comprises all manufacturers involved in process technology that is used for breaking down, separating, sizing, or classifying bulk materials. Milling processes can also remove contamination or water/moisture from bulk materials to produce dry particles prior to transport.

Milling allows you to control the particle size of your product in the manufacturing process. Particle size consistency enhances product flow rate and reduces the size, which can assist in the downstream process, depending on the product goals.

The Milling Process

Corn milling process

Corn wet and dry milling are the most important methods of processing corn, and each method produces distinct co-products. The corn wet-milling process is designed to extract the highest use and value from each component of the corn kernel. Wet milling involves soaking or steeping whole corn to soften the grains, after which further processing separates features used in a variety of products. In general, ethanol is not the primary focus for wet milling processors.

The corn dry-milling process is a less versatile, less capital-intensive process that focuses primarily on grain ethanol production. In this process, the corn kernels are hammer milled into a medium-to-fine grind meal for adding to the ethanol production process.

Wheat milling process

The wheat milling process is how cereal grains are ground into flour.

The overall aims of the miller are to produce:

  • A consistent product
  • A range of flours suitable for a variety of functions
  • Flours with predictable performance

Waste from wheat milling is often used on agricultural land as fertilizer.

Bulk solids milling is applied to improve the flowability, dissolvability, or volume reduction of blocky, abrasive, or hard-to-process bulk materials to the exact desired finished particle size.

It is imperative to understand which performance can be achieved by a particular type of mill and which type of bulk solids. It will allow the process engineer to properly select a mill type for a new process or troubleshoot an existing process.

The global milling industry is driven by responding to customer and consumer trends and needs. It is challenging to find a source covering all aspects of the milling process.

Many milling process innovations and new technologies are available in the global processing industries. Some current small developments in available machine models, some present agricultural innovations, and some present revolutionary technologies.

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Articles about Milling

Experts for Milling

Nathan Grube is Regional Vice President of Sales for BinMaster covering the central United States including a ten-state area stretching from North Dakota to Texas. He joined BinMaster in 2001, already equipped with five years of experience in agricultural equipment. Grube has worked with end users, distributors, and OEMs across the US. His vast expertise covers many industries including agriculture, aggregates, cement, plastics, and mining, among others.
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Gareth Meese works as Regional Sales Director – EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, India, and Northern Africa) for Eriez-Europe, a global leader in several key technology areas, including magnetic separation, metal detection, and material handling equipment. With nearly 20 years of experience in continuously-evolving positions, Gareth is well versed in bulk material handling applications. When Gareth joined Eriez as an Export Sales Engineer, he led several Eriez teams tasked with expanding business throughout Scandinavia, the Baltic States, and the Czech Republic. Later, as Export Sales Manager, he concentrated on growing Eriez-Europe in Russia, Europe and Northern Africa. His recent promotion expands his geographic responsibilities further with the addition of the Middle East and India. Gareth has been instrumental in pursuing Eriez’ vision and holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Cardiff University. Gareth is more than prepared to discuss and recommend a tailored solution for any unique bulk material handling application.
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Design Engineer, Project Manager, Territory and Sales Manager with 40+ years of experience in capture at source designs, sales and installation projects for high and low vacuum and dust collection and filtration systems and explosion and fire mitigation in dust collection systems.
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Chuck Johnson is the director of sales at National Bulk Equipment, located in Holland, Michigan. His professional experience includes over 25 years in the design, engineering, & sales of bulk material handling equipment & systems. Johnson holds a BS in mechanical engineering from Michigan State University.
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Robert brings over 25 years of experience for bulk material handling and material processing equipment to Material Transfer. At MTS, he is responsible to fostering new business opportunities while nurturing account relationships. His depth of experience and industry knowledge allows our Team to meet the growing needs of our customers as we continue to provide the highest quality systems to the marketplace.
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Chris has been working at Spiroflow for over 10 years and is currently in the role of technical sales manager. He handles all the technical drawings and specifications during the sale and aides our drawing office while the equipment is designed, he also assists the manufacturing department with the build. His vast knowledge of powder handling and mechanical design is why he is involved in every aspect of designing our powder handling solutions.
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Karen Van Aelst, ing., is a seasoned professional with a rich background in sales and engineering, particularly within the dry bulk handling and process industry. Over the course of 12 years, she honed her expertise in selling installations tailored for these sectors. In 2010, Karen transitioned to StuvEx, where she embarked on a decade-long journey as a sales engineer specializing in explosion protection. Her role encompassed managing sales activities in both BeLux and Germany, showcasing her proficiency in navigating diverse markets and establishing strong client relationships. Since 2019, Karen has assumed the position of Product Manager at StuvEx, where she is entrusted with the vital responsibilities of overseeing the development and market realization of explosion protection products. Her extensive experience in sales, coupled with her engineering background, positions her as a valuable asset in driving innovation and ensuring the safety of industrial environments. Karen’s dedication and expertise continue to play a pivotal role in the success of StuvEx in the field of explosion protection.
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As the Sales Manager at Foeth, Michel Terlouw possesses an enthusiasm for international trade and excels in identifying the perfect match for every customer. In a company like Foeth, individuals with a solid technical background are truly indispensable. Clients from across the globe visit to explore our extensive inventory of pre-owned machines, and it’s essential to collaborate closely with each customer to determine which machine best suits their intended application. Michel is impassioned by the collaborative process of discovering the ideal machine alongside the customer because it aligns with our mission. The pursuit of finding the perfect solution is not only gratifying but also contributes to advancing sustainability within the industry.
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Matthew Bailey – Technical Lead

Matthew is a mechanical engineer holding an honours degree from the Auckland University of Technology and has been responsible for BFM® Global’s product development, testing and compliance programme for almost 5 years. Matt’s experience is centered on the powder handling industry with a specific focus on flexible connectors, and all the compliance requirements around them. From food to pharmaceutical and all industries in between, Matt works with our Distributor partners, end users and OEMs from Europe, Asia and the Americas to solve application challenges. He regularly attends industry tradeshows around the world and understands the complex requirements of each different market.
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Arie Srugo was born in 1960 to the late Yaakov Srugo, who established his first factory for the production of industrial machinery in 1954 in Argentina.Ltd. “. In the mid-1970s, the factory was moved to the southern town of Netivot. Arie Srugo was employed in the factory as a salesman from the age of 16 and “pumped” into it the knowledge regarding machines for industry from an early age. In 1981, after his release from regular service in the army, Arie Srugo joined the company and was appointed its VP of Marketing. As part of his role as VP of Marketing and as CEO of the company, Arie Srugo has accumulated vast knowledge regarding industrial equipment in general and mixing equipment in particular. The company under his management began to export its machines all over the world and gained a great reputation among the companies in Israel. As part of his extensive activity in the field, Arie Srugo engaged in consulting, characterization, process planning, and adaptation of various industrial equipment to the company’s many customers. In addition, the company engaged in the planning and management of entire projects that the PerMix company undertook. Here in fact began to accumulate vast knowledge and experience in the field of planning and management of projects in the field of process for industry. PerMix, headed by Arie Srugo, has also managed projects abroad in various and varied fields. Throughout PerMix’s years of operation, the company has grown from primarily manufacturing under OEM contracts, building some of the largest brands in the industry, to complete, turn-key processing lines under the PerMix name.
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