Parting Shots: Fines removal system teaches old process new tricks to mold dog treats

Excessive fines in any resin can lead to inherent structural weaknesses: ribs that crack, bosses that give way, and in the case of a unique product line molded by Kansas Plastics Co. (Wellington, KS), dog bones that break apart. Kansas Plastics owner Richard Bloomer took on the dog treat project after a regular customer needed a source for edible dog bones and found out that Bloomer’s equipment could do the job. Created from a plant-based material, the treats are composed of organic pellets that come in 1¼8-inch-diameter granules in their virgin state.

A Fine Mess
Originally Bloomer ran the pellets in a standard process, feeding them directly to his machine’s injection unit, but a high level of fines in the material led to unacceptable failures in the bones, as they crumbled under duress.

After receiving a tip on a possible process solution from a friend, Bloomer contacted Kice Industries for that company’s 6DT4 MultiAspirator. Kice’s system mounts directly to a machine’s feedthroat to remove any dust-like particulates that might hinder molding. After assessing the situation, Kice proposed a modified unit, which Bloomer agreed to try.

In its standard design, the MultiAspirator uses terminal velocity to vacuum fines up and away from the pellets. Once the dust is removed, newly cleaned raw material is gravity-fed down. No screens or moving parts are needed. Instead, the material is sent through six passes that are each said to remove 75 percent of fines, which are collected into a hopper for disposal.

The system was so efficient and generated such high throughput that cleaned pellets were building up in the aspirator. To alleviate this, a small hopper was installed to sit between Kice’s unit and the press. Using a level sensor, the additional hopper ensured there’d be no excess material buildup. The completed system did the trick, knocking down scrap by 40 percent and creating a treat that could stand up to vigorous gnawing.