Industrial mixers turn raw materials into products

Types of mixers used in industry

There are many types of industrial blenders and mixers, and different products require different mixing techniques. Depending on the bulk ingredients to be mixed, industrial mixing may be performed at a wide range of different processing temperatures and operating pressures. Mixing equipment is typically engineered with blades and motors specifically designed to carry out particular handling mechanisms. Common examples of different processing methods include blending dry powders, mixing high-viscosity pastes, homogenizing, emulsifying, agglomeration, or reducing particle size.

Some of the most common types of industrial mixing machines for powder processing include:

• Ribbon mixer – a homogenizing mixer with a conical or cylindrical chamber and sharp, helical mixing blades along the shaft.
• Twin shaft mixer – a homogenizing mixer with dual cylindrical mixing chambers and mixing arms.
• Vertical mixer – a homogenizing mixer with a spiral mixing tool that creates an upward flow of unmixed goods at the periphery and a downward flow of mixed goods around the shaft.
• Vacuum mixer – industrial mixing equipment that creates a sealed vacuum in which to blend the materials under different pressure conditions; may be heated to perform industrial vacuum drying functions.
• Mixing reactor – an industrial mixer with a pressurized chamber in which chemically reactive ingredients are introduced for mixing, reacting, and/or coating.
• Rotor stator mixer – also known as a high-shear mixer; a homogenizing mixer with long, rotating vertical mixing blades that lower from the top.
• Drum blender – a small industrial blender with a helical mixing blade and a rotating mixing chamber.
• Pin mixer– a tumble-growth agglomerator in which materials are rolled around the periphery of a horizontal chamber, causing them to granulate.

What defines a quality industrial mixer?

Industrial mixing covers a wide range of handling mechanisms, and so industrial mixer manufacturers must be highly knowledgeable and have extensive experience testing many kinds of equipment and products in order to be able to recommend the optimal industrial mixing machine for any particular application.

For several decades, amixon® has been engineering and piloting custom industrial powder mixers for use in diverse market segments. Our experience has shown that, while industrial mixers may vary widely depending on the product and application, high-quality industrial mixing equipment will always have the following characteristics in common:

1. Built for an evolving market

As global markets grow and change, demands for convenience, quality, and customization increase in turn. amixon® industrial mixers are constantly fine-tuned with the latest technology to maximize efficiency, batch yields, user-friendliness, and reliability. Our mixing technology features state-of-the-art mechanical, electrical, and communications interfaces for seamless integration with modern production control systems.

2. Designed for 100% compliance

Especially in industrial food processing and the pharmaceutical industry, ensuring compliance with safety and sanitation standards is the overarching priority that governs every aspect of the production process. This not only requires that industrial mixers are built from food safe or medical grade materials, but it also requires a sanitary design. amixon® mixers are characterized by smooth surfaces that both prevent the accumulation of residue and facilitate easy maintenance and thorough cleaning.

3. Seamless production line integration

Industrial mixers never work alone. A processing or manufacturing plant can consist of hundreds of machines, all handling the materials at different stages of production. Even a large industrial mixing machine from amixon® is designed to maximize space with a compact, vertical design, simplifying its integration into even the most complex production line consisting of multiple mixers.

4. Proprietary technology for outstanding reliability

All amixon® mixers, blenders, dryers, and reactors, are made exclusively in Germany. We insist on manufacturing all the key parts and mechanisms of our industrial mixers in-house at our product design and manufacturing facility in Paderborn. Our proprietary mixing technology also includes patented designs for mixing shafts and blades. The only part of our mixing technology not built by our in-house team are the gear boxes. Due to the depth of our involvement in the engineering process, we can ensure unmatched performance and superior reliability in all of our industrial mixing machines.

5. Tested and customized to your exact specifications

Every material has unique handling characteristics, and every product is different. With comprehensive customer support ranging from consultation all the way to on-site assembly and implementation,  amixon® engineers are committed to developing application-specific solutions tailored to each customer’s individual requirements. We have piloting plants located in key regions around the globe where we can test and demo any industrial blending, mixing, drying, or reaction process under real-life production conditions.