Problem
A Pet Food Processor needed to increase throughput due to production delays in
waiting for grinders feeding directly to blenders.
Solution
Mepaco engineered a solution that placed surge loaders between the grinder and the
blender, allowing the processor to accumulate and stage a full batch of products to be fed
into the blender. This system allows the processor to select different volumes of products
from a fresh grinder and a frozen block grinder, and feed them together into the surge
loader. As soon as the downstream blender is empty, the surge loader quickly refills the
blender to begin the next batch.
An integral piece of equipment is the Screw Elevator. This equipment was designed
with CIP (clean-in-place) spray ball. It features a fixed based with an elevated pivot track
to reduce sanitation time.
Another vital piece of equipment are the specialty loaders. These hoppers were
designed with extended side walls for high capacity loading.
Product staging and storage was a key factor in getting the maximum throughput from
this grind/blend system. This solution saves valuable minutes off each batch that would be
spent waiting if the grinders were to directly feed a blender.
Mepaco, part of Apache Stainless, is known for grinding and blending systems.
Equipment products, which are customized for the application, include thermal processing
solutions, mixers, blenders, cookers, augers, dumpers, sanitary conveyors and material
handling systems.
