Dry Blends
Mixing dry ingredients such as stabilizers, reinforcements, or pigments before use is called dry blending. Dry blends are traditionally created without heat, which reduces the risk of thermal degradation. Often used to improve material handling, this process can be much more economical than melt blending.
Dry blends can also be made by using and blending polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with a liquid plasticizer. Even though the plasticizer is a liquid, its ability to penetrate the resin’s pores results in a final mixture that flows as freely as a dry blend.
The machine used to produce a dry blend is a kind of industrial mixer called a dry blender. Available in several styles, a dry blender creates mixtures in 15 to 30 minutes. Its capacity can be as great as 500 cubic feet.
Product Blends
Product blending can be affected by nearly every property of a given ingredient, including its flow, density, moisture level, cohesion properties, crystal shape, and particle size. In industries such as pharmaceuticals and nutrition, a thorough understanding of these elements is essential. The content of dietary supplements, for example, should be greater than or equal to what the label specifies. As a result, manufacturers need to take the effects of processing and shelf life degradation into account.
Product blends are designed with these considerations in mind. Most fall into two main categories: plow and ribbon. A plow blender thoroughly disperses and intermingles ingredients and uses a chopping method to control particle size, while ribbon blending continuously mixes ingredients with a more gentle motion. Plow blending can produces highly consistent blends in as little as one to five minutes, but ribbon blending usually requires about 20 minutes.
Multiple Component Blends
With combination products becoming more popular than ever, multiple component blending has become an indispensable element of the mixing process.
As soon as two ingredients with different water activity are placed in the same environment, they start to transfer water from one to another. By introducing a protective barrier between these components, however, they largely cease to transfer moisture to each other, preventing spoilage in the process. This barrier is formed by combining milk protein, egg, water and pregelatinized starch together and coating the components with it. After inducing coagulation by heating the egg, the layer becomes impermeable.
Over the past three decades, Econo-Pak has mastered every major blending technique, enabling us to offer top-of-the-line services for any industry. Our team of contract blending specialists has decades of combined experience in all major blending processes and a comprehensive knowledge of the typical demands of every industry. Regardless of the particular industry or application, we can help you ensure that your products are manufactured and packaged to even the most exacting standards. Contact us today or request a quote online to start your search for the perfect blending solution.
