When you work within the factory-level food production industry, having the proper equipment is essential. Whether you need to have a barrel mill for dry grain milling or for another purpose, you want a machine that is going to perform optimally. You also want to make sure that your machine is the correct size to perform the necessary functions.
Barrel Mills and Full-Circle Hammer Mills
If you need to engage in dry milling with materials of low and medium hardness, then the 2-compartment barrel mill is designed for this purpose. When you need up to a 20% coarser grind, then the full-circle hammer mill is recommended.
The Horizontal Octagonal Barrel
The horizontal octagonal barrel is almost always used for dry tumbling. In addition to often having a metal skin, this type of barrel may also have a hardwood lining. One of the benefits of this is that it can be easily replaced when necessary.
The standard size for these barrels tends to be 30 inches in diameter by 36 inches or 42 inches in length. Dry tumbling barrel speeds are usually maintained between 28 rotations per minute to 32 rotations per minute.
General Barrel Processing Information
When determining the number of parts that can safely fit into a barrel, it’s important to consider these factors:
- Barrel size
- Part size
- Part fragility
- Shape
- Weight
- Desired result
It’s important to note that the parts generally comprise 1/3 of the barrel’s total load. The load heights, which include the combination of parts and media, also have important specifications. The total barrel load heights should be no lower than 45% and no higher than 60% of capacity.
The optimum height, however, is considered to be 50%. When the ratio of media to parts is roughly 3:1, this can keep the parts from touching. While you will have more action with heights between 40% and 45%, the end result will be a poorer finish.
Tumbling Drums
With tumbling drums, there are different dimensions available. There are a variety of popular sizes, though, and these tend to range between 18 inches to 36 inches in diameter, along with 18 inches to 42 inches in length. The diameter tends to be smaller than the length.
The speeds for horizontal barrels also vary. These may range from 20 revolutions per minute to 38 revolutions per minute. The barrel size and items to be tumbled do influence the speed.
The time it takes to tumble will also vary. This depends on how much material is being processed. In general, this can range from 6 hours to 24 hours.
If you have any specific questions on the type of machines you may need, you can contact the machine manufacturer for more information.
