Introduction 

There are large numbers of industries which require material blending to achieve efficiencies and these industries include processing of powders, granules, pastes and slurries. The Plough Shear Mixer—also called Ploughshare Mixer, Plow Mixer, or Plough Mixer—delivers fast and uniform mixing through a mechanical fluidised bed shearing action. 

 It is high intensity mixing of dry and wet materials with the ability of supporting coating processes as well as granulation, drying, emulsification, and reactive processing all done in one with a compact vessel.  

 

How the Plough Shear Mixer Works  

At the heart of the mixer, there is a horizontal cylindrical drum with several plough-shaped blades that are mounted on a middle shaft that rotates the mixer. When the shaft is rotated as fast as possible, the ploughs elevate and sling the material in every direction forming a three-dimensional vortex motion. The result is a mechanical fluidised bed mixing effect to eliminate dead zones and homogeneous blending in short times.  

The vessel can mount high-speed choppers on the vessel wall when it is necessary to introduce shear to disperse aggregates and enhance mixing, particularly when liquid binders or pastes are added.  

  

Key Features of INCMachine Plough Shear Mixer  

Ancillary features which may be added are optional spray nozzles to add liquid, jackets to cool or heat, a vacuum/pressure system, and discharge valves of different kinds. Mixer is normally combined with CIP nozzles and closed drive to compel the mixer to be hygienic and GMP compliant. 

  

High Power Plough Shear Mixing  

The high turbulence generated by the specially shaped plough arms guarantees rapid three-dimensional (up and down, radial and axial) movement of material to achieve rapid distribution and homogeneity.  

  

Optional High-Speed Choppers  

Choppers provide the cutting shear position that is helpful in breaking lumps and also dispersion of sticky or pasty products, when liquids are being incorporated.  

  

Multifunctional Capabilities  

This mixer can also do coating, wet granulation, vacuum drying, reaction, cooling, or emulsification in a single vessel, by the addition of suitable facilities like heating jackets, or spray system, etc.  

  

Tough Building and huge Capacity Range  

They were offered in capacities of approximately 100 litres to 30 000 litres. These are made of stainless steel or carbon steel with abrasive materials having the alternatives of Teflon lining or harder to abrasion materials incorporated through liners.  

  

Safe Design and Sanitary Design  

internally smooth welds, CIP cleaning ports, pneumatic butterfly or ball valves outlets discharge, seal purges and optional explosion proof certification allow its usage in the food and pharmaceutical industry.  

  

Process Control and Automation  

Adjustable drive speed, using PLC or local panel control, interlocks, and vacuum, spray control and temperature automation, enables consistent processes and compliance with regulations.  

  

Industrial and Uses  

  

Pharmaceutical Industry  

Suitable as a mixer of APIs, excipients, binders, and coloring agents. It has an inert mixer that easily achieves homogenization in a short period and enables an overlapping mixer that allows coating, granulation or vacuum dribble of potent and sterile architectures in a single mixer.  

Food and Nutraceuticals  

Applied in blending of bakery premixes, spice mixtures, beverages in powder form, vitamin powders and coating cereal grains with oil or flavourings. This is because of the quick mixing performance and CIP cleaning ability of the mixer that make it suitable in the food hygiene and in their batch traceability.  

  

Chemical Manufacturing  

It would be used to mix powdered resins, pigments, fertilizers, adhesives, catalytic powders and flame retardants. Optional jackets or vacuum enable in-line mixing, drying or coating processes of reactive mix.  

  

Construction Materials  

Easily dealt with are dry mortar mixes, adhesives, tile grout, cement additives, ceramics and refractory powders. Abrasive heavy solids are handled by wear-resistant liners and powerful drives.  

  

Polymer and Plastics Processing 

It is used in the manufacture of blends in masterbatch pigments, plastic fillers, stabilizers or pre‑compound dry blending. The mixer achieves evenness in distributing such additives with the option of vacuum or heating in the case of thermoplastics.  

  

Personal Care/Cosmetics  

It is ideal to mix powders, clays, talc, or pasty cosmetics foundations. Provides equal texture, smooth dispersing of the pigments or actives with minimal shear and sanitary interior.  

  

Advantages of Plough Shear Mixer  

  

Mixing Efficiency with Short Cycle Times  

Vortex motion and intensive action reduces mixing time often to less than five minutes, which is much faster than ribbon or cone mixers .  

  

Superior Homogeneity  

Even when the difference in the density or particle size is large, uniform blending is attained because of high turbulence.  

  

Sticky and Variable Materials  

Has the ability to process slurries, pastes, powder with additions of liquid, fibre or low moisture content without clumping due to shearing and fluidised mixing forces.  

  

One vessel Multilfunction Process  

Mixing, coating, granulation and drying or reaction can be done in the same drum which reduces the number of equipment and simplifies the transfer of material.  

  

Easy to clear and no retention  

Internal finishes are smooth, ploughs are welded, and options include CIP/nozzle, which minimize the residue and minimize cleaning downtime. Cleaning doors ease access in cleaning to meet the food or pharma standards.  

  

Flexible Capability and Flexibility  

Available in pilot scale 100 L through to large production batches of 30 000 L, as well as heating jackets, vacuum and spray systems or wear resistant treatment according to the needs of the material .  

  

The Energy Efficiency versus Constant Mixers  

Stronger energy consumption than mild ribbon mixers, intense batch cycles and shorter running time, however, lead to competition in terms of cost per batch.  

  

Conclusion  

The Plough Shear Mixer from INCMachine is a powerful and versatile industrial mixing solution ideal for blending powders, granules, slurries, and pastes across pharmaceutical, food, chemical, plastic, construction, and cosmetic industries. The mechanical fluidized bed mixing technology that it uses is of a high shear type which results in rapid and effective homogeneous blending even of difficult materials.  

  

It has a multifunctionality on a small footprint as it has options to add choppers, spray systems, vacuums or temperature control, jacketed vessels, sanitary and rapid cleanliness. Whether used for mixing, coating, granulation, vacuum drying or reactive blending, the Plough Shear Mixer reduces cycle times, improves product quality, and saves processing costs.