Bead mills deserve the center stage in the production process of the coatings and inks industries. The quality requirements from customers are becoming ever more demanding, and the cost pressure is increasing. With standard milling approaches the profit is diminishing, and choosing cheaper raw material is causing troubles in the grinding process, such as clogging screens, out-of-range particle size distribution and longer grinding cycles. Saving on capital goods and pigments leads to the opposite effect – increased costs and quality issues. This article describes solutions that not only help fulfill the quality requirements but also reduce production costs.
A case study in an industrial environment confirms the importance and benefits of choosing the most suitable milling equipment and grinding media size for a specific grinding task. Bühler’s Cenomic™ full-volume bead mill incorporates patented solutions that allow higher flow capability without compression of grinding beads in the front section of the chamber. The Cenomic bead mill allows for a reduction of the specific energy requirement, a narrow particle size distribution and a higher product quality with lower grinding costs. It is highly recommended for processing high-quality products like protective coatings, paints and gravure inks. Table 1 illustrates the technical solutions the mill offers.