How a Decanter Works
April 14, 2016
The process of mechanical oil pressing yields two final products: meal and oil. With our customers, the meal is typically the primary product, but some producers target the…
Category: Engineering & Maintenance
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Process Flow: Shaped Feeds
January 7, 2016
The popularity of producing shaped products and feeds is increasing. This includes pet foods, fish feed, and treats. While end products are vastly different, inputs determine the final…
Which Cooler is Right For You? Part 2
December 17, 2015
In part 1 of this series on coolers, we discussed the use of rotary drum and counterflow coolers when cooling extruded and/or pressed oilseeds. In Part 2, we…
Which Cooler is Right For You? Part 1
December 10, 2015
When using high shear dry extrusion for oilseed processing, the final product typically only needs to be cooled. This is the case when making either full fat soya (FFS)…
Expansion & New Equipment Start-up
November 5, 2015
I’ve traveled a lot over the years, but this trip was special in that it was my first start-up for our new Model MS3000 medium shear extruder. We…
How Safe Are Employees in Your Facility?
August 27, 2015
I have traveled to several countries over the last few years and have seen a big difference in the safety practices in processing facilities. Safety is a job…
Is There True Value in Housekeeping in my Facility?
July 23, 2015
Housekeeping is valuable for many reasons. • It is much easier to repair clean equipment • A dirty machine has to be cleaned prior to working on it…
Local Parts Availability
July 16, 2015
Extrusion machine operators are usually looking for, and find ways to make, extrusion machines more efficient or more convenient to use. Insta-Pro Intl extruders are known to endure through years…
Key Factors in Developing Vendor Relationships
June 4, 2015
We often discuss the importance of developing a partnership with our customers, but another very important relationship is the one we have with our vendors. Without strategic partners,…
Importance of Good Operators in a Production Line: Part 2
May 14, 2015
In a previous blog, I discussed how operators play a key role in running an efficient operation. This week I will take that discussion a step farther and outline…
Key Role of an Operator in the Business
April 23, 2015
High quality equipment, ingredients and employees are three main factors that go into running a successful business. One thing I have noticed over the years is that while…
Safety: A Key Ingredient In Productivity
April 2, 2015
Equipment and employee safety is key in maintaining a successful business. In a previous blog I discussed the need for proper equipment cleaning, but I did not address on…
Benefits of Scheduled Maintenance and The Service Plus Program
February 26, 2015
Scheduled maintenance to avoid down time is important to an operation because it proactively identifies issues, minimizes the risk of uncontrolled down time and avoids costly repairs. Depending…
No Option But To Properly Cool Extruded Products
January 14, 2015
“Why do I need to cool extruded products?” The answer is simple; it controls the water activity, product quality and nutrient value; all important aspects in producing a…
Why Start-Up?
December 18, 2014
You have decided to purchase new equipment to grow your business. The next step in making your business operation a reality, is completing the start-up appointment with trained…
How Much Quality Nutrition Are You Paying To Ship?
October 30, 2014
I recently spoke with one of our customers, and the topic of shipping costs came up. He relayed to me some information on this expense, and I was…
Is it Time to Rebuild Your Equipment?
October 23, 2014
We have all done it. We know our equipment will need new parts soon but you put off ordering them until your machine breaks down and you really…
Feeders for Extruders
September 18, 2014
Just as the extruder is capable of making a wide variety of different products, there are different ways to feed the extruder. I’ll use this discussion to explain…