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• New generation Flashmix revolutionises powder/liquid mixing

  The latest Silverson Flashmix powder/liquid mixer is now two times faster. Large volumes of powder are dispersed and hydrated, consistently and agglomerate free at a rate of up to 15,000 kgs/hour. The Flashmix incorporates breakthrough technology that allows it to bring the benefits of high shear mixing to new applications. “We’ve really broken new ground here,” explains Matt Smith, international sales director, Silverson Machines. “The Flashmix can be used at higher temperatures and with higher viscosity mixes, than was previously possible. This opens a whole new area of processing for high shear mixing.”

  The engineering difference

  Unlike most powder/liquid mixers, which use vacuum to pull in powders, the Flashmix literally forces powder into the liquid stream - there's no venturi, no vacuum. A specially modified Silverson In-Line mixer recirculates liquid from a process vessel through the Flashmix at high velocity with minimal aeration. Since the powder and liquid components are introduced directly into the high shear zone of the mixer, they are subjected to intense mechanical and hydraulic shear, which instantaneously combines them, producing a homogeneous product without agglomerates. “The Flashmix is uniquely suited for mixing higher concentrations of gums and thickeners,” adds Smith.

  The Flashmix is built upon a base of an EHEDG and 3-A Certified hygienic In-Line mixer. Because of its modular construction, the Flashmix can be customised to accommodate numerous applications and batch sizes. “The real beauty of the Flashmix is its simplicity,” says Smith. “No additional pump is needed; it requires only low power; and it’s easy to install, operate and clean. From an operational perspective, this is hugely beneficial.”

  View more information about Flashmix powder/liquid mixers

• Silverson mixers key in scaling graphene production

  New research focuses on challenge of commercializing promising nanomaterial
  
  Scientists at the forefront of research into graphene production identified the mixing process as the key stage in developing this emerging technology from the lab bench to a commercial scale. And they knew just who to go to for help - Silverson Machines.

  Known for the excellent scalability of its mixer range, Silverson recently found itself playing a significant supporting role in research into graphene production. One of the company’s L5M-A High Shear Laboratory Mixers, used to exfoliate graphene from graphite, was featured in a newly published article in the journal Nature Materials entitled, “Scalable production of large quantities of defect-free few-layer graphene by shear exfoliation in liquids.” The research team at Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, used the L5M-A in its initial trials not only because of its excellent all-round performance, but because they knew they could later test their scale-up theory in larger Silverson production scale machines. “Previously we had used Silverson mixers to disperse carbon nanotubes, which had proved to be very effective,” explains Keith Paton, Ph.D., researcher-in-residence, Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices, Trinity College Dublin, and one of the research paper authors.

  “Scale-up can be a tricky problem for manufacturers,” relates Ian Snowball, a Silverson sales engineer, who assisted the university research team. “You need to be able to replicate your lab results on a large scale in production, and many specialized laboratory mixers have no production scale counterparts. At Silverson, we’ve designed, engineered and constructed our laboratory mixers to the same tolerances as our production units. In fact our entire range of mixers produce comparable rotor tip speeds and shear rates. And because of this, our machines produce scalable results.” This reputation is what drew the Trinity College Dublin research team to use Silverson machines in their trials.

  Stronger, lighter, thinner
  Ever since it was first isolated from graphite in 2004, graphene has captivated the collective imagination with its possibilities. Incredibly strong, extremely thin (one million times thinner than a sheet of paper) and highly conductive, graphene is a two-dimensional material consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb structure. Because of its unique properties, graphene is prized as a material for use in electronics, smart packaging, bioengineering, super capacitors and more.

  While the potential applications for graphene are vast, obtaining sufficient quantities to commercialize into large-scale production has been a major roadblock. The researchers knew that high-shear mixing of graphite in a suitable solvent could produce small quantities of usable graphene. In fact, they found this could be achieved with a standard kitchen blender. The challenge though was to scale-up the method to enable them to produce large quantities of graphene for commercial applications. This is when Silverson scale-up expertise came into play. “The availability of the test labs at Silverson’s site, where we were able to test the scalability of the process was a key advantage for the development of the process,” says Paton.

  Using Silverson high shear mixers, the research team was able to develop industrially scalable methods for producing defect-free graphene. The team worked in Silverson’s state-of-the-art Applications and Testing Center in Chesham, England, where they were able to trial various production-scale machines. “By coming to our Applications and Testing Center, the team was able to not only test the full range of our machinery, but also tap into our scale-up knowledge. This is an area in which Silverson has a great deal of experience and has conducted thousands of applications research trials,” states Snowball. “We’re proud to be part of this successful project.”

• Silverson Conversion App Now Available on Android Platform

  Volume calculation tool for processors
  
  Silverson Machines, Inc. announces release of the Android-based version of the company’s latest app – Silverson Conversion Tools – available for free download on Google Play. The Android version of the app contains the same versatile set of conversion and calculation tools as the original iOS platform app. “The app is suitable for use in almost any process environment as a quick reference tool for engineers and operations personnel,” explains Harold Rothman, CEO, Silverson Machines. “Now with the Android version available, all smartphone users should be able to take advantage of the multiple functionalities within our free app.”

  In addition to the tank volume calculator for determining the volume of most types of cylindrical or rectangular tanks, there are additional conversion tools built into the app to assist users in calculating and converting length, flow, motor power, pressure, temperature, volume and fine measurement. The app allows the user to move between U.S. and metric measurements and includes helpful links to the entire range of Silverson high shear mixers and processing application expertise.

  In addition to the Android platform, the Silverson Conversion Tools app is also available on the iOS platform for iPhones, iPads and other devices.

  To learn more or to download the app, visit either Google Play or the Apple App Store and search under “Silverson” or “Silverson Conversion Tools.”

• Silverson Debuts Conversion App

  Volume calculation tool for processors
  
  Silverson Machines, Inc. recently launched a new app – Silverson Conversion Tools – available in Apple’s App Store. The new app contains a versatile set of conversion and calculation tools suitable for use in almost any process environment. “We built this free app as a quick reference tool for engineers and operations personnel, so they could easily calculate the volume of any vertical tank, based on varying parameters,” explains Harold Rothman, CEO, Silverson Machines. “Our app even allows users to share their volume calculation results via email with colleagues.”

  In addition to the tank volume calculator for determining the volume of most types of cylindrical or rectangular tanks, there are additional conversion tools built into the app to assist users in calculating and converting length, flow, motor power, pressure, temperature, volume and fine measurement. The app allows the user to move between U.S. and metric measurements and includes helpful links to the entire range of Silverson high shear mixers and processing application expertise.

  Initially available on the iOS platform for iPhones, iPads etc., Silverson plans on releasing an Android-based version later this summer, according to Rothman.

  Download the app or if you prefer, go to the Apple App Store and search under “Silverson” or “Silverson Conversion Tools.”

  Silverson in the news:
  PowderBulkSoilds.com

• Mobile Batch mixer keeps production moving

  Manufacturer attributes success to reliability and versatility
  
  Silverson medium-range High Shear Batch mixers offer unrivalled efficiency, flexibility and reliability - day after day, year after year. For more than 15 years, a specialty coatings manufacturer in Kansas has had a Silverson mixer in constant service. During this time the company estimates they’ve produced well in excess of a million U.S. gallons of product - which is no small feat for an entrepreneurial company in a niche market. Batch sizes vary, usually around 50 gallons but sometimes up to 200, with a typical process time of between 30 to 45 minutes for the mixing stage of their production process. “Clearly, there hasn’t been a lot of downtime in all those years and the mixer has given ‘exceptional service,’” explains Matt Smith, Silverson sales director. “Our customer developed their entire product range using this particular mixer, and it’s become central to their manufacturing operation - the versatility and reliability of their Silverson Batch mixer has been key to their success.”

  The versatility of the Silverson Batch mixer is such that a single machine can carry out a wide range of duties - blending, emulsifying, disintegrating, dissolving and homogenizing - through the use of easily interchangeable workheads and screens, available for each mixer. This flexibility is further enhanced by the use of a mobile hydraulic floor stand (local safety regulations permitting) for mixers in the small to medium range - models up to 25 hp. This allows the mixer to be easily moved from vessel to vessel and raised and lowered during operation to optimize performance - for example to create a vortex for wetting out powders with a tendency to float or ‘raft’ or, conversely, to minimize aeration. Robust, simple construction ensures Silverson Batch mixers are easy to operate, easy to maintain and easy to clean.

  The Batch mixer has certainly been part of a winning formula in Kansas, where the manufacturer has just recently placed an order for another identical mixer from Silverson. “It’s a pleasure doing business with professionals who make our job easier,” says their president, adding the decision to purchase was easily justifiable based on the performance and reliability of their existing Silverson mixer.

• Silverson Ultramix in-tank mixing

  Production floor workhorse offers exceptional mixing even in tight spots
  
  Innovative design makes the Silverson Ultramix a must-have when mixing in problematic environments, such as the difficult vessel geometry of IBCs and tote bins. Designed for shear-sensitive applications, requiring mixing capabilities beyond the scope of conventional agitators, the Ultramix produces a highly efficient in-tank movement. Because of the small diameter of its single piece dynamic workhead, the Ultramix can provide effective high shear mixing even in vessels with narrow openings.

  Offering one of the cleanest methods of in-tank mixing available on the market, the Ultramix also provides superior performance; rapid blending, dispersion and dissolving of ingredients for a wide range of applications within the food, pharmaceutical, personal care and chemical industries. The Ultramix can process volumes from laboratory scale up to 1,800 gallons, depending on viscosity, with larger units available upon request. This mid-range mixer is also suitable for bulk powder dispersion, deagglomeration, gelation, reaction acceleration, suspension and processing high-viscosity mixes.

  Well matched
  The Ultramix product range includes a series of production models and a laboratory scale unit compatible with the Silverson L5 Series lab mixers. This allows users to accurately reproduce the performance of production mixers in the laboratory, for more predictable scale-up testing, research & development and QA procedures.

  The Ultramix is equally suited to aggressive chemical service and the most demanding sanitary standards—the unit complies with 3A, USDA and cGMP requirements and is designed for clean-in-place (CIP) operation with sterilise-in-place (SIP) as an option.

  For more information about the Ultramix and all of Silverson high shear mixers, click here to contact us.

• Silverson mixers for Cleanroom processing

  High shear mixers made to order with complete documentation
  
  Silverson mixing equipment for use in Cleanroom manufacturing doesn’t just meet the requirements of regulatory bodies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; in many cases, it exceeds them. Silverson is a pioneer in the concept of Ultra Sanitary mixing equipment, and offers a range of options for mixing under sterile conditions. Every unit for Cleanroom use is designed and built to the exacting standards of Silverson engineers, and customised to meet specific customer manufacturing requirements. “Because customer needs vary widely by what is being manufactured, the method of sterilisation being used and so on, our Cleanroom systems are generally made to order,” explains Peter Matthews, Silverson Machines’, technical manager. “Documentation and traceability are also a necessity for Cleanroom equipment, so we plan accordingly during our manufacturing process.”

  Cleanroom manufacturing equipment background
  The many standards and regulations applicable in this field cover a range of criteria. Essentially, process equipment must be easily cleaned, maintained and inspected; it must not contaminate the product either physically, chemically or microbiologically, nor must the equipment allow the product to contaminate other aspects of the process. Some standards also cover the selection of materials - for example, FDA requirements state that equipment must only be constructed from materials on the FDA master list.

  Silverson High Shear mixers available for Cleanroom operation include In-Line, Bottom Entry, Top Entry and Flashblend powder/liquid mixing systems. To achieve the above criteria, a number of modifications would be incorporated.

  These include:

  • “Crevice Free” design to eliminate dead areas and “bug traps”
  • Electropolishing or fine machined finish to all contact parts
  • Self-draining design to achieve as near zero retention as possible
  • All materials (including elastomers, o rings, etc.) are from product-compatible and traceable sources, selected from the FDA master list
  • Special “ultra sanitary” third-party components, such as motors, mechanical shaft seals, etc., are used

   

  Silverson has provided mixers for a range of duties in Cleanroom installations, including use under laminar flow and units for Class 100 Cleanrooms. Typical applications include manufacture of tablet coatings, pharmaceutical syrups and dispersion of active ingredients and excipients for injectables and inhalants. More demanding applications such as the production of sterile suspensions and dispersion of sterile powders into sterile liquids are also carried out using specially modified units.

  For more information on Silverson custom manufactured mixers and the full range of Silverson high shear mixers, click here to contact us.

• New Silverson Verso

  Streamline scale-up with pilot-scale In-Line mixer
  
  Going from the lab to production scale has always been a challenge. With the new Silverson Verso, it’s become less of one. “The Verso reproduces what we can do on a production scale,” explains David Rothman, Director of Silverson Machines. “It gives clients the ability to start scaling accurately with smaller volumes than they were able to previously.”

  A bench top In-Line mixer, the Verso is ideal for pilot-scale or laboratory applications. Controlled from a digital operating touch pad, it offers excellent reproducibility when scaling up, and with a tachometer, ammeter and programmable timer, it provides an accurate and easy method of forecasting the performance of larger In-Line mixers under full-scale conditions.

  The Verso complements Silverson’s lab range of equipment, providing the next step in the scale-up process. The 1 hp machine has a self-pumping flow rate of 6.5 U.S. gallons per minute (depending on product viscosity). “We developed the Verso as a direct response to customer requests. Our customers wanted an interim size machine that could allow them to streamline their scale-up process,” says Rothman. “Our production scale UHS Series In-Line Mixers can be used with single or multistage rotor/stator configurations, so we have included that option with the Verso as well.” A full range of interchangeable workheads is available for the Verso, allowing it to perform the widest range of mixing duties, including blending, emulsifying, homogenising, solubilising, suspending, dispersing, particle size reduction and reaction acceleration.

  For more information on the Verso or other Silverson mixers, click here to contact us.

• Silverson leads in customizing mixers

  When just any mixer won’t do
  
  The engineers at Silverson Machines understand that every manufacturing environment is different, and that every mixing process is different. And because every mixing process is different, one mixer does not meet everyone’s needs. Sometimes a mixer needs to fit into a difficult space; sometimes hazardous or aggressive chemicals need to be mixed without risk to the operator or damage to the equipment; and also sanitary applications present a wide range of challenges. Applications such as these are increasingly common, and they call for a customised solution. “This is one of our strengths,” says Matt Smith, VP of Sales, Silverson. “We are more than willing to customize our mixers, which means we can solve unique mixing problems for our customers. Rather than try to change someone’s mixing methods, we’ll change our mixer to adapt to the needs of our customer.”

  The customisation process begins with research. Silverson’s engineers start by gathering all the information they can on what is being mixed, all the end-product specifications, where it will be mixed, etc. All this information is then used to choose the appropriate mixer and to customise it to the unique demands of the mixing process. Practical testing of modifications and prototypes frequently forms part of the design process. “It’s a true partnership,” says Smith. “While we know our mixers, we depend on our customers’ knowledge of their process. We marry the two to create a customised mixer.” The Silverson philosophy is based on being customer-focused rather than mass-producing a set product design.

• Hygiéne poussée

  Silverson lance une nouvelle gamme de mélangeurs en ligne ultra-hygiénique

  Aucun fabricant ne veut être impliqué dans le prochain rappel de produits alimentaires. A prendre des mesures préventives, les fabricants réhaussent leurs normes, améliorent leur bonne pratique de fabrication et recherchent des matériels appropriés. Les mélangeurs en ligne de chez Silverson y répondent. Ces mélangeurs ultra-hygiéniques répondent aux besoins poussés NEP (nettoyage en place) et SEP (stérilisation en place) exigés de nos jours par les industries pharmaceutiques et agro-alimentaires. Ils conformes aux normes FDA, cGMP et sont certifiés 3A et EHEDG.

  Les mélangeurs en ligne ultra-hygiéniques offre tous les atouts et flexibilité d’un mélangeur en ligne Silverson standard mais incluent aussi de nombreuses fonctionnalités supplémentaires, telles que sortie tangentielle auto-drainante, garniture mécanique ultra hygiénique certifiée EHEDG, joints profilés, toutes parties en contact en inox 316L totalement exempt de zones de rétention. Moteurs en inox en option.

  La conception des mélangeurs en ligne ultra-hygiéniques rend impossible pour tout produit – liquide ou solide – de passer de l’entrée à la sortie sans être soumis à un cisaillement mécanique et hydraulique intense. Le bypass est impossible. Leur conception réduit les temps de cycle de NEP/SEP et minimise l’utilisation d’agents de nettoyage. Le démontage pour un nettoyage manuel n’est pas nécessaire réduisant ainsi considérablement les temps d’arrêt et les coûts d’exploitation.

  L’action de tous les mélangeurs en ligne ultra-hygiéniques Silverson peut être modifiée par le changement rapide de la tête de travail. Ceci rend toutes nos machines capables de mélanger, émulsionner, homogénéiser, désintégrer, solubiliser, mettre en suspension, disperser et broyer des solides.

  Pour plus d’informations concernant les mélangeurs en ligne ultra-hygiéniques cliquer ici.

• In-tank mixing

  The new Silverson Ultramix offers cleanest available method of in-tank mixing
  
  Ultramix is the newest addition to the Silverson mixing line. It is a mid-range machine designed for shear-sensitive applications that require mixing capabilities beyond what is offered by a conventional agitator.

  The new Silverson Ultramix features a unique, single-piece dynamic mixing head for one of the cleanest methods of in-tank mixing available on the market. In addition, the Ultramix offers superior mixing for rapid dispersion and dissolving of ingredients for a wide range of applications within the food, pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries.

  The Ultramix can process capacities from laboratory scale up to 1,800 gallons depending on viscosity. Larger units are available upon request. With its single shaft, no frame arms and small diameter mixing head, the Ultramix is ideal for tanks or vessels with narrow openings, such as tote bins. This mid-range mixer is also suitable for bulk powder dispersion and for processing high-viscosity mixes.

  Typical applications include:

  • Dispersion of powders
  • Dissolving
  • Deagglomerating
  • Reaction acceleration
  • Suspending
  • Gelling

   

  The Ultramix product range includes a series of production models and a laboratory scale unit compatible with Silverson’s L5 Series lab mixers. This allows users to accurately reproduce the performance of production mixers in the laboratory, for more predictable scale-up testing, Research & Development and QA procedures.

  The Ultramix is equally suited to aggressive chemical service and the most demanding sanitary standards—the unit complies with 3A, USDA and cGMP requirements and is designed for clean-in-place (CIP) operation with sterilise-in-place (SIP) as an option.

• Silverson goes digital

  Launches new L5 Series of laboratory mixers
  
  Silverson’s new generation L5 Series laboratory mixers move processing into the digital age. The state-of-the-art L5M model offers a high level of instrumentation and automation via a digital touch screen. Its functions include a programmable timer, infinitely variable speed control with “speedlock,” an integral ammeter and digital tachometer, providing excellent repeatability when performing quality assurance runs or other repetitive, standardised testing.

  In addition to the functional advantages, the touch screen offers increased cleanliness and reliability. Mechanically the L5 Series offers a number of refinements including a redesigned rise and fall mechanism which eliminates overrun, further increasing reliability and operating precision.

  The L5 Series includes the basic L5R, the L5T (with tachometer), the multifunctional L5M and some additional models for specialised applications. More than 40 interchangeable mixing units are available for use with the new L5 range; options include tubular assemblies for narrow necked or small containers, Ultramix assemblies, twin-headed Duplex Disintegrator units and a special In-Line assembly. With a capacity range from 1 milliliter to 12 liters, and In-Line flow rates of up to 20 liters/minute, the new generation of laboratory mixers offers unrivalled efficiency and versatility in all day-to-day laboratory and small scale production duties.

• Flashblend fuels the need for speed

  Silverson powder/liquid mixing system improves operating efficiencies
  
  Claims for great speed mean nothing unless the highest quality standards back-up the manufacturing process. Customers can rely on Silverson for technologically advanced equipment that performs beyond expectations. Silverson, the company that sets industry standards for quality in high shear mixing equipment, introduces a new manual version of the Flashblend powder/liquid mixing system that can rapidly disperse ingredients in a fraction of the time normally assigned to conventional powder/liquid blending equipment. The high shear action overcomes the problems associated with incorporating even the most difficult powders within the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, toiletries and chemical industries.

  The new Flashblend mixing system contains a specially modified Silverson high shear In-Line mixer coupled with a powder injector system and low-level powder feed hopper. During operation, powder is loaded into the low-level powder feed hopper, separated from the powder injector assembly by a manually operated valve.

  The self-pumping Flashblend draws liquid from the process vessel, and forces it through the powder injector assembly at great velocity, creating a vacuum that is boosted by the action of the specially modified high shear mixer. Once the valve is opened, powder is drawn from the hopper into the injector system where it is instantly dispersed into the fluid stream. The powder/liquid mix passes immediately into the high shear rotor/stator mixer, which subjects the materials to intense, but focused mechanical and hydraulic shear, producing a totally agglomerate-free dispersion.

  The entire operation concludes in a fraction of the time normally assigned to this type of mixing process. The Flashblend helps improve processing efficiencies, rapidly dispersing ingredients with varying levels of viscosity for any number of applications within the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, toiletries and chemical industries.

• The ultimate in hygienic standards

  Silverson Ultra Hygienic In-Line Mixers set new hygienic standards
  
  Product safety continues to be a top consumer concern worldwide. A seemingly endless stream of news stories chronicling product safety issues—toxic toothpaste, tainted peanut butter, unsafe toys—has heightened consumer awareness, making many manufacturers more interested than ever in trying to ensure that their products are produced as safely and hygienically as possible. One step in that process is using equipment that is designed to the highest hygienic standards.

  Silverson’s new Ultra Hygienic In-Line Mixers are the most hygienic machines on the market today. Mixers designed for food use in the United States must comply with 3-A hygienic standards. Silverson’s range of Ultra Hygienic In-Line Mixers not only meets 3-A standards, it surpasses them. Every mixer is designed to meet the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG) standard – the toughest in the world – as well. The EHEDG is considered the international benchmark for sanitation because its standards set forth stringent bacterial contamination level parameters for equipment to achieve after cleaning. Silverson is the only manufacturer in the world today producing mixers that meet both of these standards.

  “With more food scares here and abroad, people now have much higher expectations for their equipment, especially those who work in multinational environments,” says Silverson Managing Director Harold Rothman. “The desire for higher levels of cleanliness goes beyond food and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Makers of personal care products and other consumer product industries are seeking it, as well.” It wasn’t that long ago when machines were stripped down weekly and steam or liquid was forced through the system for cleaning. Today more and more manufacturers are demanding equipment that is clean-in-place or sterilisation-in-place, and lines and equipment are being cleaned more frequently.

  When the Ultra Hygienic In-Line Mixers were conceived and built, this changing marketplace concern was taken into consideration. This new generation of mixers was built to meet this higher global standard.

  “The 3-A series of standards is set down for how a machine is constructed, but it does not cover any hygienic conditions,” explains Rothman. “The EHEDG standard doesn’t care how the machine is constructed; it is concerned with the level of sanitation that can be achieved. To meet the standard, a machine must be as clean as a three-foot length of a hygienic pipe.” If a machine has a higher bacterial count than the pipe after cleaning, it does not meet the standard. By building its machines to the specifications of both the 3-A and the EHEDG standards, Silverson ensures its Ultra Hygienic In-Line Mixers deliver the highest level of sanitation on the market today.

  For more than 70 years, Silverson has been helping the world’s largest manufacturers solve their most difficult mixing challenges. The development of a range of Ultra Hygienic In-Line Mixers continues this heritage. In addition to their superior level of sanitation, the Ultra Hygienic In-Line Mixers are extremely versatile. The mixers are available with single or multi-stage rotor/stator configurations that let the user fit them to individual process requirements. Also mixers can be equipped with Ultra Hygienic Single Mechanical Shaft Seals or easily converted to Ultra Hygienic Double Mechanical Shaft Seals.

• Just in-time mixing

  Silverson Flashblend mixing system improves production

  Silver Spring Soft Drinks is the largest independently owned soft drinks manufacturer in the UK. In addition to their own brands, they manufacture own-label products for all of the major UK food retailers and export throughout Europe.

  Established in 1870, Silver Spring has always embraced and pioneered new technology and their twelve acre site in Folkestone is one of the most technologically advanced in the industry. One of the latest improvements has been in the syrup production process, where a Silverson Flashblend powder/liquid mixing system has been installed for dispersing and hydrating functional ingredients. These are prepared in concentrated solutions, however the long mixing times previously required to produce each batch meant that it was a race against time to keep up with the rest of production. “We needed to begin making up gum solutions hours in advance to get a head start, because it sometimes took over an hour to complete a batch,” explains Tom Geldard, syrup room team leader. “With the Flashblend, we can make a batch twice the size in about seven minutes. Gum solutions can now be prepared on a just-in-time basis and we can use the unit for other ingredients such as aspartame, citric acid and maltodextrin.”

  Silverson Machines designed the Flashblend for high speed entraining and instant dispersion of powders into liquids, especially problematic ingredients such as gums and thickeners, caseinates, flour, starches, powdered milk, etc. An agglomerate-free, homogeneous dispersion can be produced in a single pass, with powder incorporation rates of up to 15,000Kg/hr. The range includes 3 production models and a pilot-scale unit. Silverson also has the capacity to customize mixers to individual customer’s needs, and the model supplied to Silver Spring incorporates a number of special features specifically designed for their process.

  At Silver Spring, the Flashblend has taken the strain off one of the critical stages in manufacturing. “These ingredients are only a very small percentage of the finished product but the improvements to the process make a huge amount of difference,” comments Tom Geldard. “The Flashblend gives us the flexibility to react quickly to the needs of production.” And when production exceeds a million liters per day, that’s quite an advantage.