To manufacture products like paint, inks, specialty oils, and agro-chemicals involves the science of breaking down particles to microscopic sizes. Years ago manufactures of liquid materials used basic wet grinding techniques to process their products. As the demand for finer particles increased manufactures began to seek out new developments in technology to stay competitive in the market. Better mills, stronger materials of construct, smaller media and computerized techniques were all incorporated into the process.
Many countries overseas, like Brazil, have seen an increase in large companies setting up production in their areas. These companies are taking advantage of the growing economy and the ability to expand their international market. Cities like Sao Paolo, Curitiba, Port Alegre, and Rio de Janero, are some popular destinations for companies that are expanding their production.
To custom process materials it requires specialized equipment to be able to achieve those microscopic particle sizes in the liquid materials. When you have materials mixed and blended they can form what is known as a homogenous blend; solid particles are suspended and evenly distributed throughout the liquid. Depending on your product the finer you make the particles the greater dispersion you will have.
- For example, paint, when your pigment particles are not broken apart or evenly dispersed you will see an uneven coating when it is applied to a surface area. You will have areas where you can almost see through to the surface and other areas where it is fully covered. If you have a higher quality product that contains very fine evenly distributed particles you will see an even smooth coverage on the surface.
Wet grinding mills in Brazil are referred to as ball mills, media mills, or bead mills. Many mills like the horizontal media mill and a submersion batch mill use media to shear and break down large agglomerates or particles to process the raw materials. The size of your media, materials of construction, and speed of attrition will all affect the grinding will affect the grinding abilities of the equipment.
Benefits to fine grinding:
- Finer, consistent dispersion
- Less energy consumption
- Higher efficiency in production
- Reduction of particle size
- High shear performance
- Reduced production times
- Increased capacity and higher yields
- Ability to handle diverse viscosities
- Size of media can be adjusted for varying applications
- Safe for products with heat-sensitive, hazardous or contamination related issues
If you are located in Brazil or the surrounding countries and you are producing products that utilize wet grinding contact CMC. They offer toll milling services to a wide range of industries and can assist you with your fine particle needs. They offer horizontal media mills, submersion style batch mils, and mixers. If you have any question please feel free to contact us at sales@cmcmilling.com.
