Wet collectors for steam exhaust
January 10, 2019
In a previous blog, we mentioned the various principles of steam exhausting. One of those was how to handle the discharged vapor. Most places can allow this vapor…
January 10, 2019
In a previous blog, we mentioned the various principles of steam exhausting. One of those was how to handle the discharged vapor. Most places can allow this vapor…
December 27, 2018
In our industry, the screw conveyor is a pretty common method of conveying. They’re simple, inexpensive and relatively universal. We tend to use a “U-trough” style of conveyor…
August 16, 2018
What if investing in initial training at Start-Up and followed up by annual scheduled training and maintenance visits could save you money and help assist you in reaching…
June 21, 2018
When designing an ExPress® line, there are many things to consider. It’s a little like putting together a Lego® set where you can build pretty much whatever you…
June 7, 2018
There are many ways to transport materials horizontally, but what if you need to go vertically? Pneumatics and cable-type methods are options, but the most common ones you’ll…
May 24, 2018
This past year, I’ve had the opportunity to view extruder/press lines with various auxiliary equipment at various locations in multiple countries. Many of them are very well thought-out,…
May 10, 2018
One feature that we put onto our vented conveyors is a diverter valve. Depending on the design, these can sometimes be called “Y” or “K” valves due to…
May 3, 2018
When it comes to extruding materials with higher starch content, such as corn, pet food or fish feed; some type of cutting device is necessary. As these start…
April 19, 2018
The last three months have been a whirlwind of activity with the move to our new facility in Grimes, Iowa. This was no small undertaking considering we moved…
April 5, 2018
A previous blog topic discussed the advantages of using 3D software for engineering and other applications. We here at Insta-Pro have been taking advantage of this technology for…
March 8, 2018
I’ve worked in various settings where quality controls were used. I’ve also developed diagnostic tests that would be used in quality control testing protocols. As a result, I…
January 11, 2018
Our Portable Ingredient Analyzer (PIA) tool uses NIR technology to provide on-the-spot quick analysis of soy products. Additionally, units can be calibrated to add other grains. Our inventoried…
January 10, 2018
In a previous blog, we discussed the topic of how a destoner works. In this blog, we touch on why it is important to prepare materials prior to…
January 4, 2018
We often emphasize the importance of properly cleaning your incoming material in order to produce the highest-quality meal. As the old adage goes “garbage in, garbage out.” The…
November 2, 2017
Driven by customer demand, Insta-Pro has developed a processing solution for corn extrusion. Our customers are excited for this as gelatinized corn has been shown to improve efficiency…
September 7, 2017
A simple, yet often overlooked item required in extrusion facilities are motor starters. This device is essentially a giant switch to supply power to a motor. Several companies…
August 17, 2017
There’s an old quote that says “you don’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been.” While this may be philosophical, it can be relevant to…
August 10, 2017
Equipment efficiency is measured in operating hours, energy consumption, output, processing losses, and so on. Man, too, likes to measure his work time in hours. Managing employee hours…