by Blake SandnesHow to Obtain Peak Performance on Your Cracker Mill or Cake Grinder
The global demand for soybeans and soy-based products is high and steadily increasing. The U.S. exported 57 metric tons of soybeans in 2022. According to the USDA, the compound-average growth for soybean exports from 2013-2022 is 4.8%.
The growth of exports correlates with the increasing applications for soybeans:
- Soybean oil is used in many different types of packaged foods, dressings, and sauces in addition to being sold as a cooking oil. Biodiesel is also commonly produced from soybean oil.
- Soybean meal is a nutrient-dense supplement widely used as animal feed due to its protein content.
An essential step in the production of soy-based products is soybean crush. This is the physical process of converting harvested soybeans into the oil and meal used to create other products. While it is a crucial step, farmers and producers have various ways to handle soybean processing.
Why a Crush Plant Would Choose a Roller Mill
“The two most common areas that we see roller mills in crush plants is in the dehulling – the cracking of the bean itself, and in the grinding of the soy cake, which most commonly goes to the feed industry.” – Luke, RMS Roller Grinder Territory Manager
Studies have shown that feeding livestock soybean cake produces healthier animals. In response, an increasing number of farmers are feeding their animals soybean meal products. This higher consumption rate is propelling the need for higher and better soybean processing rates.
RMS’s double pair crackers are ideal for soybean crush. The robust design allows for maximum uptime and throughput.
Double pair crackers are available in multiple sizes and capacities. These machines are workhorses in any soy application. Their solid construction and low maintenance can help keep your facility up and operating at peak performance.
12×30 Double Pair Cracker
How to Obtain Peak Performance on Your Cracker Mill or Cake Grinder
Soybeans are one of the more abrasive grains for milling. Unfortunately, many farmers and other soybean processing plants have grown accustomed to dealing with the excessive wear on their mills. This often leads to managers investing more money into maintenance, which means more plant downtime while the mills are serviced.
RMS’s Endurance Roll, on the other hand, lasts 3-5 times longer than standard chills, which mitigates roll wear and the need for frequent replacements. The increased quality of the rolls themselves can reduce the maintenance needed. This in turn increases plant uptime, saves money, and improves production efficiency.
Other Variables for Getting the Most out of Your Roller Mill
In addition to having a longer-lasting roll, an RMS roller mill is designed to help with motor load balancing (a process very hard to achieve in single-motor grinder designs). This enables you to evenly spread the load between the top and bottom set of rolls, which produces a much more consistent grind in your soybean crush. You can also make precision adjustments to your grinder. This helps reduce the strain on the machine already under stress from processing soybeans.
Adjustable Roller Grinder Variables
- It all starts with how evenly the rolls are being fed by the feeder mechanism. Our mills allow you to disperse the material more evenly at the beginning of the process, which is better for the grinder. Plus, even distribution also helps with achieving a more consistent grind.
- Next, you want to ensure the gaps between your rolls are even. We commonly call this your rolls’ parallel. Our grinders offer the ability to make those fine-tuned adjustments so you can get the perfect distance to achieve the perfect grind every time.
- Finally, you want to ensure your top set of rolls works just as hard as your bottom set. The reason why that’s important is you don’t want your top set wearing out before your bottom set, or vice versa. Our machines enable you to keep an even wear through all four rolls of your machine, which adds to the longevity of your rolls.
Advantages of a Roller Mill Vs. a Hammer Mill When Grinding For Soy Cake
“A hammer mill will pulverize the cake down to the desired screen size. But, the most common complaint I hear is that the particle size distribution coming out of the hammer mill is much wider when compared to the tighter distribution you would get out of a roller mill.”
– Luke, RMS Roller Grinder Territory Manager
With any grinding operation, soy or otherwise, control is the key. With an RMS Roller Mill, you have the control to be able to step the meal down from the top set, then move a small portion into the second set, then advance another smaller controlled segment from the top, etc.
The level of control through the grinding process can positively affect the next phase: the animals eating the product. Farmers need that consistency to provide optimal nutrition for their livestock. This processing control is a specific area where a roller mill will often perform better than a hammer mill.
