Regular maintenance is the key to keeping oilseed processing equipment running smoothly. Facilities can set themselves up for success with accurate, updated records that detail each inspection and every repair over the lifespan of your machinery. Equipment maintenance records are critical to tracking machine performance over time, preventing unexpected breakdowns and unplanned downtime, and avoiding…
The Importance of Lubrication Systems in Oilseed Processing Equipment
Just like your automobile requires regular oil changes to keep the engine running smoothly, industrial oilseed processing equipment like expellers and extruders depend on lubrication systems to maintain peak performance. Failure to keep these critical systems topped off and well-maintained could leave your car broken down by the side of the road—or, in this case,…
Troubleshooting Common Expeller Press Malfunctions
In mechanical oilseed processing plants, the goal of an expeller press is simple: to efficiently crush oilseeds and squeeze out as much oil as possible. But what happens when the machine stops crushing, the oil suddenly stops flowing, or the solids don’t separate completely from the liquids? Suddenly, you’ve hit a processing snag that impacts…
Gearbox FAQ: A Closer Look at Screw Press Gearboxes
Inside a mechanical oil press, the main worm shaft is known to compress seed material to squeeze out valuable oil while the motor powers the press. A critical component connects these two crucial machines: the gearbox. This blog will answer some of the most frequently asked questions about screw press gearboxes to explain their importance…
The Important Role Thrust Bearings Play in Oilseed Processing
The famous physicist Sir Isaac Newton determined that every action has an equal reaction or opposing force. This law of physics applies to oilseed pressing because as the rotating worm shaft pushes seeds through the barrel, the seeds push back against the shaft, exerting a thrust force in the opposite direction. To absorb this force…
Designing a Mechanical Crushing Plant for Toll Processing Services
In the oilseed processing industry, every type of nut, seed, and bean comes with unique processing considerations and opportunities. Each seed requires special treatment to efficiently produce high-quality oil and nutritious meal, from cleaning and cracking to cooking and drying to crushing. So, before MIDIKA International could start offering toll processing services to help its…
Transforming a Crude Oil Refinery Into a Soybean Crush Plant
As soybean production increased in Kentucky over the last few decades, some producers were transporting their harvest hundreds of miles to reach feed mills and soybean crush plants to process their crops. But now, soy producers in central Kentucky have a mill much closer to their farms, thanks to Continental Refining Company’s recent AgriTech transformation…
Capitalizing on Tung Oil Extraction
Unlike most oilseed crops that produce multiple byproducts from all parts of the plant, tung oil is the only product from the tung nut tree. It can’t be grown for food or feed, since all parts of this ancient Chinese tree contain toxins that make it poisonous to consume. Its sole purpose through the centuries…
Benefits Beyond Brewing: The Value of Coffee Bean Processing
Marketed by some as the best part of waking up, coffee is a crucial ingredient in the morning routines of many people around the world. While most of the global coffee supply ends up ground and brewed to create the classic breakfast beverage, the unique properties of the bean and the oil it contains give…