Mixing machines are used by a variety of manufacturers for quick and efficient blending of ingredients. They remove the margin of human error and give a consistent product every time. They can’t do everything by themselves, however. They need a little help from time to time.
Give Space
Whether you’re using paddle blenders or ribbon blades, make sure your component isn’t touching the walls of the tub. Instead of mixing, it may instead do a lot of spilling since a tight fit can put the wall of the tub at risk for puncturing.
Stay Sealed
Not only does it keep your employees safe and ensures your ingredients stay where they need to be, properly sealing the mixers before use will keep out debris that can harm your blades and tub, such as nuts, bolts, or pebbles. It also ensures the alignment of the mixer blades isn’t compromised. Where the machine discharges from should be kept tightly sealed as well.
Don’t Overload
Make sure you follow the guidelines of your specific machine when it comes to loading capacity and content viscosity. Some mixers are better suited to certain materials and weights than others.
Quality Check
You should be doing an annual check of the coefficient of variation of your machine’s mixtures. This means just taking a sample from a batch of mixed ingredients and sending it off to a qualified lab for analysis. They will tell you if your machine isn’t mixing as well as it’s supposed to, which is a problem you might not have detected otherwise.
Regularly Inspect
Before the machine is used, you should give a quick visual inspection of both the interior and exterior. You should check to make sure it has been cleaned properly and there is no obvious need for repair. Ensure that all parts are present, they fit as expected and that all vents are clean. The latter is especially important if you’re working with dry materials.
Look Inside
Your mixer’s drive system should also be periodically serviced to ensure there’s enough lubrication for operation and that the tension on the belt is at it should be. It is a Goldilocks situation where too loose can cause it to slip, too tight can impact performance and both can potentially damage the machine. It needs to be just right.
A mixer will “get its hands dirty” for you mixing. Just be sure to return the favor when it comes to maintenance and repairs.
