In Casca, Brazil, Van Aarsen International built a new factory for MIG Plus for the production of animal feed. Using their own premixes. The feed can be produced according to the specific needs of each customer. The factory is constructed for a production of 75 tons per hour. An extension for two extra pelleting lines has already been taken into account in the construction of the building and process layout.
Intake
For the intake of raw materials, a complete truck is lifted onto a tip bridge. The air is sucked away and filtered on both sides of the intake pit. The raw materials are cleaned with the help of a drum cleaner and a magnet cleaner. Minerals come in big bags, and Mig-Plus’s own premixes in small sacks. Vertical transport of raw materials and semi-finished products to the top floor takes place with bucket elevators. A sensor on the elevators registers the movement of the bucket and warns should any bucket have a problem.
Transport & Silo
Next the products are transported horizontally with chain conveyors. Through slides, the product is led to the correct silo. All silos are equipped with inspection hatch, mandatory in Brazil. Because of security the large hatch may only be opened by two people. Mig-Plus has therefore decided to additionally mount a smaller inspection hatch.
Dosing and weighing
From the dosing silos each product is weighed accurately. In smaller weighing scales with a capacity of 500 kilograms, minerals are weighed. The weighing scales are equipped with platform steps for precise calibration. Micro ingredients such as premixes are emptied manually into the micro ingredient dosing silos. The silos are locked by a magnet lock. The correct silo is unlocked by scanning the barcode on the pre-mix bag to prevent human error. In the MID micro ingredients are dosed in quantities up to 50 kg. Next the raw materials are ground in the hammer mill.
Mixing
The Van Aarsen hammer mills are known for quick and easy changing of the sieves. From the hammer mill the meal is then transported to the mixer. Micro-ingredients do not require milling and are also added to the mixer. In the 12.000 liter, double shaft paddle mixer, all ingredients of the recipe are blended into a homogenous mixture. Liquids are also added in the mixer. In this configuration, four liquids can be administered. From the bin below the mixer the meal can be stored as finished product or can be transported to the conditioner.
Conditioning & Pelleting
The first step in the process of conditioning is heat treatment of the meal by addition of steam in a steam mixer. Steam treatment is necessary to optimize the pelleting process in terms of power consumption and pellet quality. In the LTV, the Long Term Vessel, the meal is hygienized: pathological germs such as salmonella bacteria are destroyed. Next the meal Is compressed to pellets in the pellet mill. The Van Aarsen pellet mills are extremely reliable, even when they are operating 25 hours a day.
Cooling & Crumbling
After pelleting, the product is cooled. Cooling air is sucked in from the outside and blown away via the roof. The cyclone and piping of the cooling air are insulated to prevent condensation. If required, pellets can be crumbled. The pellets or crumbs are sifted to remove dust. The sieved fine particles are returned to the pelleting line, but can also be discharged if required.
The end product can be supplied in different ways. Most of the production goes to the clients in bulk by trucks. But also big bags and small bags are possible.
Hygiene & Maintenance
In producing these top products, Mig-Plus pays a o tog attention to hygiene. The dust in all the transport systems is sucked away and the factory is continuously being cleaned by a dedicated cleaning crew. On all floors, the sides are covered with inclined plinths. This prevents contamination of the underlying floor and ensures that the cleaning is simplified. If there is no product left in the installation, the temperature in the pallet mill and conditioner is maintained with hot air in order to prevent condensation and contamination through cooling.
Materials & Equipment
All connections, silos and bins are constructed in stainless steel and coated to blend in with the rest of the feed mill. In total 500 tons of stainless steel is used in this factory. Compressed air is used for cleaning the filters and operating the slides and valves. On each floor an additional compressed air connection has been installed for cleaning or operating additional equipment.
The new Mig-Plus factory in Brazil is anther proof of an investment that provides maximum added value.
So, no matter if your farmers buy smaller quantities or many tons per week, Van Arsen is the vital link to guarantee the efficient production of top-quality feeds!