Extrusion equipment innovations at Interpack

A new generation of extrusion equipment for the food industry will be launched by Baker Perkins at Interpack (Hall 4 Stand C21). The SBX Master twin-screw extruder range for cereal, snacks and other food applications has been re-designed and a new pre-conditioner added to the range to increase flexibility. An 80mm extruder, a pre-conditioner and an MPF24 pilot scale extruder will all be on display for the first time. The flexibility of the extruder has been improved by increasing power, torque and speed. This, along with a range of barrel lengths, increases the variety of end products that can be made while barrel diameters between 50mm and 125mm give an output range from 500 to 2,300kg/hr. Improved cooling also contributes to broadening the range of products that can be made, and also improves quality and consistency. The new design features water distribution channels located closer to the internal surface of the barrel to improve both responsiveness and the rate of heat transfer. Flow rate is increased, and cooling can be controlled and adjusted to individual product profile. The SBX Master is now a totally modular machine, so future extension of the barrel and all the associated services to expand or change a product portfolio is speedy and uncomplicated. The arrangements for mounting the die and cutter have been simplified to make changeover, cleaning and maintenance faster and safer. The die is supported on a hinged arm that enables it to be moved quickly and safely, especially when hot, while the cutter slides in and out of position on rails. This is a pneumatically-operated, pushbutton-operated system that automatically puts the cutter directly in front of the die as soon as the extruder is ready, leaving only fine adjustment to the operator. This minimises time and waste generated during set-up, changeover or if a blade change is required during a run. A gearbox condition monitoring system that reduces unexpected downtime is available on all new SBX extruders and can also be fitted to existing machines. This simple system continuously monitors the frequency and amplitude of vibrations within the gearbox, allowing the ongoing condition of vital components to be measured. The principal benefit is elimination of unforeseen loss of production due to gearbox repair or replacement: maintenance scheduling is significantly enhanced. The pre-conditioner is an addition to the Baker Perkins SBX Master range. The pre-conditioner mixes, hydrates and heats wet and dry ingredients plus steam in a two-chamber system. The first stage inputs energy in a high intensity mixing phase; the second allows the energy and moisture to equalise throughout the pre-conditioned mass, eliminating any tendency to clump and achieving a mix profile for successful extrusion processing. It adds flexibility in the cereal and snack sectors when applied to denser materials such as half products formed in the extruder and expanded elsewhere – flaked cereals and multi-grain loops are typical. It is also ideal for high-protein products where energy input in the preconditioner replaces mechanical shear energy in the extruder. Hygiene levels are high: a wash-in-place water spray system is an option and there is unrestricted access for manual cleaning. The MPF24 is a laboratory tool for product development. It is used to try out new ideas, assess ingredients, provide test marketing samples, and even make small production batches of product with high-value ingredients. It does so without loss of production time - scale up is accurate thanks to comparable geometry. The machine can be stopped and the clam-shell barrel opened at any time to note the state of processing, allowing screw and heat transfer profiles to be optimised. The machine is mobile; available with a full selection of cutters and dies; and sophisticated controls include data capture, trending, and recipe management. Twin-screw extrusion brings significant benefits to the food industry. Extrusion is hygienic and energy efficient: all the action is in the short barrel – ingredients in, product out seconds later. If it is possible to make a product with an extruder, it is almost certainly the cheapest, most efficient and most compact method of making it. Conventional processing typically involves a great deal more equipment, time and cost. Twin-screw extrusion technology is at the heart of versatile systems producing a wide range. A standard system is a flexible way to enter a market at a low capital cost; extrusion systems can be expanded as a business grows and more complex products, or even a completely different product range, are required

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