Size Reduction Re-Do

When it comes to size reduction, chemical processors seek to improve product quality, increase flexibility and uptime and, simultaneously, reduce costs. Fortunately, equipment manufacturers are working to develop grinding, milling and screening machines that can help chemical processors meet their size-reduction needs. “Customers always want a better quality product, they always want to increase their output and they always want to do a better job, but they want to do it all at a lower cost,” says Chris Nawalaniec, national sales manager at Stedman (Aurora, Ill.; www.stedman-machine.com). “Energy and maintenance costs are among critical operating expenses related to size-reduction equipment, but there are things we, as equipment manufacturers, are working on to help boost performance while reducing these costs.”   Quality, consistency & flexibility Maximizing the first-yield pass through a milling machine is very important for processors interested in consistent size reduction and capacity, says Nawalaniec. Some of the traditional machines used for these operations are not necessarily the best equipment available for the job, he says. “The grinding elements in traditional machines are wheels and,…