SWISS multinational, Bühler is revolutionising the animal feed industry through continuous investment in grinding technology and customer collaboration. At SA Grain’s Nampo Harvest Day 2024, the company highlighted essential equipment for feed manufacturers to optimise their production processes. Enhancing its credibility, the company is a member of the Animal Feed Manufacturers Association of South Africa (AFMA).
“In addition to exceptional efficiency and ease of maintenance, our Granulex 5 Series is characterised by its high throughputs. Distinguished by flexibility, each hammer mill is specifically configured according to its field of application,” explains Alec Audie, area sales manager at Bühler Johannesburg.
Customer benefits include lower energy consumption (>10% reduction in energy per ton of ground material), increased performance (>10% capacity increase due to optimised modules), and ease of use (50% reduction in changeover speed, an industry best).
“The Granulex 5 Series hammer mill enables a giant leap forward in production rates, energy efficiency, an optimal granulation profile and easier maintenance and operations across a range of industries,” says Audie.
It is used mainly for demanding requirements in stringent industries such as animal feed, which requires grinding of raw materials from very coarse to fine grinding. The feeder is mounted on top of the hammer mill to obtain continuous and even feeding of the raw material into the grinding chamber.
The integrated separator and magnet removes impurities such as stones and metal parts. The mill offers excellent access for screen and hammer exchanges through two large sliding doors. For added safety, the doors are interlocked with the rotor, meaning the mill cannot be started as long as the doors are opened.
Bühler also offers technology for smart pelleting process control. PelletingPro increases yield by up to 1% by controlling the final pellet moisture level. Specific mechanical energy consumption can be reduced significantly with higher throughputs at the same motor rating. Enabling stable production conditions at constant moisture levels allows for a 20% throughput increase.
Pellet moisture is continuously optimised independently of any seasonal effects. The Multi NIR Inline System measures and ensures a constant moisture level in the batch mixer. The final moisture level of the pellet once it leaves the cooler is automatically controlled by up to +-0.5%. This leads to a yield increase of up to 1% and ensures constant product quality.
PelletingPro includes a smart algorithm to continuously optimise pellet moisture independently of any seasonal or weather effects. The Pelleting Essential dashboard on Bühler Insights is an integral part of the service and its purpose is to continuously track performance.
Bühler spends up to 5% of turnover on research and development annually to improve both the commercial and sustainability performance of its solutions, products, and services. In 2023, some 12,500 employees generated a turnover of CHF 3.0 billion. As a Swiss family-owned company with a history spanning 164 years, Bühler is active in 140 countries around the world and operates a global network of 105 service stations, 30 manufacturing sites, and Application & Training Centers in 25 locations.
