Mill overcomes grinder overheating problem

Grinder breakdowns caused by raw ingredient overload at Burniston Mill in Scarborough have been eradicated after the installation of a variable speed drive (VSD).

Regular stoppages of a grinder used in the production of animal feed have been eliminated with the installation of an ABB VSD to control the input of ingredients.

The VSD regulates the speed of a screw conveyor to ensure the grinding mill is not overloaded with raw material. The system has also increased the amount of soft ingredients the grinder is able to process, improving productivity.

The original installation used a vibrating table that fed the grain into the grinding mill. However, because of its age, the table was unreliable and often over-fed the mill.

The motor had to work harder, resulting in current overloads that tripped the motor and stopped production. This was happening every two weeks.

Electrical systems specialist MP Electric worked with ABB agent Halcyon Drives to provide an alternative method for feeding the grinder, which overcame the motor overheating problem.

Contact ABB for more information.