Bin Mixer: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

If you’re looking for the best way to mix pharmaceutical products, then try bin mixers.

With bin mixers, you can achieve homogenous mixture cost-effectively.

Of course, you can only achieve this using high quality and reliable mixer equipment.

Let me show you how to get one.

What is Bin Mixer?

This is an irregular shaped container that charges, discharges, and allows uniform mixing of materials.

It can combine both powder and granules, depending on its design.

It is a dual-action machine that mixes as the product tumbles within the machine.

In addition to this, it also mixes as the bin is tilted towards a direction—for example, 60 or 45 degrees.

What are the Advantages of Bin Mixer?

Bin mixer has many benefits, and this is the reason why many industries are using it.

For example:

 Bin Mixer

It provides efficient mixing of materials: Lack of this machine may prompt you to involve more human resources.

This machine employs the most current technology that makes the whole mixing process easy.

Also, the mixing time is reduced because this machine is accurate, consistent, and reliable.

There is reduced labor cost: Labor cost is one of the expenditures that increase the production cost.

This can reduce the overall returns the company gets.

The use of this machine increases production output saving up to 66 percent if the bin mixer is installed correctly.

This will help you to increase your returns both in the short and long term.

With bin mixer, your safety is guaranteed: This is because this machine is manufactured with air-driven jacks.

These jacks help in ensuring that it remains clamped throughout the operation period.

Also, when the equipment utilities get lost, the machine has an emergency stop button that guarantees safety.

This machine has increased productivity in material mixing: With the stiff competition in the current market, this machine is ideal for mixing high-quality products that meet customers’ expectation.

The safety of products processed through this machine is guaranteed: When you are using this machine, it is not easy for foreign particles to get into the product being mixed.

This makes your product of high quality that can compete in the market.

The bin mixer is easy to operate: This is because the PLC control is easy to use.

In general, this machine is user-friendly, and deep knowledge is not required for you to run it.

Bin blender is a superior throughput: This means that it can operate the whole day without stopping.

You can only stop it for a very short time when you want to exchange the bins.

This characteristic helps in increasing its overall output because it promotes a high production rate.

The machine has an integrated technology: This machine works efficiently because it has incorporated the current technology like the NIR system and Light-induced fluorescent, among others.

The technology also provides an allowance for validating swift new products, and this helps in improving containment and productivity.

Are there Disadvantages of Bin Mixer?

Yes.

This is because it operates through low shear mixing to produce homogenous blends.

For this reason, it is relatively slow in production.

Bin mixing equipment

What is High Shear Bin Mixer?

This is a big mixer that is used to mix batches that have ingredients that agglomerate during mixing.

Which Components make up Bin Mixer?

Bin mixer has many components that facilitate its functionality.

These parts must be superior in terms of quality and performance.

Therefore, knowing this machine component is very critical.

The components that make up a bin mixer are:

Bin mixer equipment

1. Rotation Counter

This is a very important bin mixer component.

It efficiently mixes all the ingredients, thereby producing a homogenous high-quality product.

Apart from these, it lifts and places the IBCs accordingly.

This component allows the machine to accommodate different sizes of bin containers.

2. Laser Guard

This part is positioned at the blending suit corner just above the floor level.

This component guarantees safety to the user and the products because it detects people and foreign materials inside the machine.

However, this doesn’t stop the user from operating it.

This component has an alarm system that is triggered when the operator enters the warming area.

It also has a provision of automatically stopping when the user gets into the danger area.

Some of these are harmless and invisible, like class 1 laser guard.

3. Clamping Bars

These are parts that give support to the bin mixer machine.

They help the machine to remain intact even during vibration as it operates.

Normally, they are welded on the bin mixer machine.

These bars allow easy accessibility and opening to both the valve and the lids.

4. Operation Control

Bin mixer is one of the technology-oriented machines that have integrated the use of a PLC system.

Therefore, you should know the control unit to make your work easy.

All the settings must be keyed in at the control system before you can begin to operate the machine.

5. Light Guard

This is meant to enhance machine efficiency while it operates.

It has transmitters and receiver units that are used to flash mount on the wall for GMP finish.

It can be integrated very easily with other parts and contains infrared beams that are invisible during operation.

6. Blending Container

This is made in different shapes and designs depending on the machine’s unique specifications.

It’s where the process of mixing takes place.

Regardless of the design, the main aim is to produce a uniform product mixture.

What is High-Speed Bin Mixing Machine?

High speed bin mixing machine

This is a bin mixer machine that is highly efficient and can be used to mix different powdered products.

It can also granulate granules in a single procedure.

This technology is applicable in pharmaceutical, foodstuff, and chemical industries.

It has been made in a horizontal cone structure in compliance with FDA and cGMP quality standard for mixing products.

What are Quality Standards for Good Bin Mixer?

Quality compliance standards are very important when it comes to pharmaceutical products.

This is because the products being processed through them target human life.

These quality standards state that:

• They must comply with CGMP standards. This rule states that the manufacturer must follow good manufacturing practices.
• They should be able to meet the highest level of hygiene standards, according to the FDA. The material recommended is SS316 for all product contact parts.

Furthermore, it should conform to the CCC, and CE requirements.

What is Tote Bin Mixer?

This is a type of bin mixer that has a container agitator that aids in mixing viscous liquids of up to 1000 mPas.

It’s ideal for dispersion with a dissolver disc.

This machine is easy to handle, and it can also be equipped with a forklift.

It is available in 400V and 230V in 50/60 Hz.

What is Cone Mixing Machine?

Cone mixing machine

This is a machine that is used for efficient and homogenous mixing of powder and granules.

It is made from stainless steel, thus making it ideal for many industrial productions.

When operating it, you have to fill it to a capacity of two thirds to facilitate proper mixing.

Cone mixing machine is used for pharmaceutical, food, chemical, and cosmetic product mixing.

What is the function of the Bin Lifting Column in Bin Mixer?

Bin lifting column is used to lift, tilting, and pour the ingredients in a container, thereby facilitating mixing and homogenizing.

This is done continuously so long as the bin mixer machine is operating.

How does Single Column Bin Blender- wedge Type compare to Twin Column Bin Blender?

Single column bin blender is one of the perfect examples of batch blending.

The granules are put in the bin container, and they are lifted from one end and mixed for a specified time.

Single column bin mixer can be loaded faster, discharge completely, and works in short cycles.

It can work well with low power, and its maintenance cost is relatively low.

It is a flexible machine because it is available in capacities of 200, 400, and 600 liters.

Single column bin mixer has an arm that does not have a nylon roller or pin.

It is a sliding system that has a wedge arrangement for resting.

 Single column bin mixer

On the other hand, the twin column bin mixer is also a batch blender.

The difference is that its bin is lifted at the two ends as it rotates.

The mixing, in this case, takes place in a diagonal plane.

Twin column bin mixer

The twin column bin mixer can achieve the flexibility of mixing a variety of volumetric capacities.

The products can be discharged into containers of different heights.

In addition to these, large outputs can be shifted to another location via the wheel.

 What has Split Folk Bin Blender?

These are typically conventional bin blenders that have two-cavity lungs on each side.

Its mixing arm has two folks with an opening slip end at each end.

When you insert the bin into the arms, the two arms will enter well, opening the folks like a flower.

This locks up the bin completely, thereby preventing it from getting out of the arm as is operates.

The split ends are opened via a hydraulic cylinder, and they are connected through a tensile spring.

The split arms are kept from collapsing by using a hydraulic switch.

This switch helps in stopping the main motor when the pressure becomes low against the set target.

This triggers the switching on of the pneumatic, another safety limit switch that aids in completing the stroke.

If the 50mm stroke is not complete, the main drive motor does not start.

This machine is available in capacities of 500 to 1500 liters.

The machine locks the bin hydraulically and, in turn, gives feedback to the PLC.

This makes manual intervention impossible.

It’s very easy to operate it so long as you can understand and set the mixing parameters at the PLC.

Why use Hydraulic Clamping in Bin Blender?

It is used because it helps in keeping the bin blender in place during operation.

This is relevant when the bin is holding materials of large quantities, for example, between 1500 to 3000 liters.

Which Parameters Influence the Operation of Bin Mixer?

It is very important to understand how this machine works.

Many factors influence their effective performance, especially when dealing with solid materials.

Therefore, let me take you through some of these determinants of its operation.

· Cleaning of the Bin Mixer

When you mixing different products simultaneously in the same unit, cleaning is very important.

For this reason, the cleaning of this machine should be done easily through the available enough openings.

However, sections like corners, seals, crevices that are at baffle support, and discharge chute are a bit challenging to clean.

· Arrangement for Charging and Discharge:

When operating the bin mixer, you have to be aware of the quantity it can handle at a given time.

This will facilitate the optimum charging and discharging of the machine.

It is, therefore, important to use weight hoppers, surge bins, and the location of the discharge gates.

Apart from this, minor ingredient pre-mixing and addition of other devices that can improve the continuous process can also help.

· The Mixing Homogeneity

This is achieved when the settings are done correctly in the batch mode.

You can evaluate the rate of product mixing homogeneity using a design graph.

But if the machine is a good one, it will produce a homogenous mixture at a very short duration.

Both loading of the machine from rest and increasing the operation speed as you desire requires enough power supply.

· The Formation of Dust

This should be prevented to enhance safety to both the machine and the operator.

When there is dust, the batch composition will be affected.

To reduce dust formation, you can use less dusty materials that are equally good.

Alternatively, proper venting in the machine helps to filter the displaced air and prevents dust accumulation in the bin mixer.

Therefore, analyzing the design of a bin blender is very important because dust accumulating machines degrade efficiency level very fast.

It’s also very expensive to maintain it, and this will eventually reduce the equipment lifespan.

· The Residence Time

A short residence time produces homogenous products than a long residence time.

· The Nature of Ingredients and Operation Conditions

This also influences the machine operation.

Materials being mixed determines the overall machine effectiveness.

For example, some have large particles, and their properties like flow rate vary.

In some cases, the proportion to be mixed may also differ as well as the flow properties of the final product.

All the ingredients have different temperature sensitiveness, corrosiveness, and compaction properties, and all these influences the efficiency of this machine.

How do you Specify Pharmaceutical Bin Mixer?

Having the right specification for a pharmaceutical bin mixer is very important because it guides you to the right machine.

The following are some of the specifications.

• It should handle product capacities of between 25 to 500 kg batch sizes.
• The machine must be a standard design type.
• This equipment must work with electricity, and therefore the electric power supply is very important.
• It has to be made from stainless steel approved by FDA, which allows easy cleaning and maintenance.

What are the Common Problems of Bin Mixer?

A bin mixer, also likes other machines have some problems.

These problems are outline below:

• The machine can have too long mixing time. This can take place if the batch size is too large. To help this situation, work with fewer product quantities at a time.
• Apart from this, too little capacity is also another challenge. To resolve this, consider reviewing the mixing time and use parallel tumbling stations.

What are the Applications of Bin Mixer?

The applications of this machine are many. For example,

· It is used to Enhance Material Blending Efficiency

This machine is consistent, efficient, and accurate in the mixing of ingredients.

It has an irregular shaped intermediate bulk container that provides a wide range of options.

· Various Materials can be evenly Mixed using this Machine

This equipment is ideal for both powder and granule mixing.

The bin mixer is positioned at an angle that facilitates the efficient mixing of its content to a required standard.

This equipment can be used to automatically blend two different ingredients and still end up with the right proportion.

· The other Application is to Prevent Cross-contamination of Dry Products

Mixing of solid ingredients tends to expose them to unfavorable conditions, which may lead to cross-contamination.

Fortunately, bin mixer takes care of such precautions by preventing cross-contamination through a first product change over.

This will result in increased production, high income, and low product wastage because of the good quality of the product.

· It is also used Inefficient Speed Blending Applications

This machine is ideal for mixing ingredients in less than 10 minutes, which is relatively fast.

If you have a large container, your output will increase within a short time.

Increased productivity is very important in all industries, whether pharmaceutical or any other.

The Bin Mixer is used for Blending Lubricants into Powder

This machine is ideal for mixing lubricants into powder.

It can also be useful in pre-mixing applications, for instance, the blending of active low-dose materials with other rations of excipients.

How does Bin Mixer Work?

The mixing container may be fully fixed on to the machine, or it may not be fixed at all.

Nevertheless, even with different designs, the principle of operation is the same.

It works through three different steps, which are illustrated below.

Fill the Machine with the Right quantity of Materials

Every machine has a capacity.

Therefore, it is important to fill it according to its capacity.

From the PLC HMI Set the Time for Mixing

After filling the container, clamp it well on the main stand of the machine, and then key in the appropriate parameters.

These will include mixing and blending speed and time.

Start the bin mixer so that it can begin to rotate in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction depending on the configuration.

This rotation will prompt the random movement of the materials, thereby producing a uniform mixture of two or more ingredients.

Stop the Machine and Discharge the Product

Upon completion of mixing, stop the machine and discharge the content into an appropriate container.

Inspect the product quality to make sure they have met the correct quality standards.

This means you have to end up with a uniform mixture.

What should you Consider when Buying Bin Mixer?

You should consider the following:

· Quality Compliance is also very Important

A good bin mixer must be of the highest quality that has got the approval of compliance organizations.

For example, it should have the following approvals:

i. cGMP

It states that the machine must be made through good manufacturing practices.

The materials for making the bin mixer must be approved by the FDA.

ii. CE

It is a quality mark from the European economic area.

It states that the machine must be made in conformity to safety, health, and environmental protection.

iii. EN

This is also from the European economic area.

It states that the bin mixer should conform to European norms of quality standards.

· You should also Consider the Materials

A good machine is a dream for every industry.

Therefore, you should look for a durable machine that will serve you for a long time.

Other than this, it should be made from materials that should not react to ingredients that you intend to mix.

Therefore, you are advised to purchase a machine that has a variety of tools that can be ideal for different ingredients.

This will allow you to change the tools according to the ingredients and materials you intend to blend.

· The Purpose or Use

The specific application you want to use the machine for is a factor to be considered.

It could be for mixing corrosive or other chemical substances.

Therefore, it is essential to choose the equipment that suits your purpose.

· Mixing Speed

Some ingredients need slow mixing speed while others require faster-mixing speed.

For this reason, a good bin mixer should allow adjustment for mixing speed.

· Some Additional Functionality

It’s good to source a bin mixer that can perform other functions other than mixing ingredients.

This is perfectly in order because you will get more than you expected.

In short, these are some of the fundamental aspects you should consider when shopping for a bin mixer.

It is a sure way to prevent contamination while getting homogeneous mixer.