Matcon cone valves: why they are perfect for animal nutrition

Firing Industries offers cone valves by Matcon.

Firing Industries supplies processing systems by Matcon, which is known primarily for its Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC), but also manufactures cone valves. These devices are popular in the animal-nutrition industry, which relies on flexible processors to meet the production demands of today’s fast-paced market. Among the challenges Matcon solves in this sector are frequent recipe changeovers, consistent product flow, blend segregation, and delivering high-quality products efficiently.

Handling virtually any powder type

The three most common challenges that animal-nutrition manufacturers face: ingredient segregation, adding liquids, and product integrity. Since powder formulations discharge at different rates, segregation can occur if particles are handled incorrectly, resulting in waste. Introduction of new liquids changes powder consistency, which can lead to segregation and/or powder bridging. To maintain hygiene standards, manufacturers must create consistent batches with the same nutrient balance.

To address these frequent issues, Matcon has invented, patented, and developed cone valves. These discharge devices handle virtually any powder type, reaching the highest product standards in such industries as food processing, infant nutrition, and pharmaceuticals. Proven success in these fields makes cone-valve technology production-ready to eliminate blend segregation, powder bridging, powder blockage, rat-holing of powder in containers, and lack of flow control in powder recipes.

Matcon cone valves from Firing Industries lift and lower to ensure correct, measured discharge of powders when they flow via internal cone vibration. Controlled and complete discharge eliminated “bin rash” and the necessity of hammering bins to release ingredients, thereby reducing waste. The valve’s ability to handle more free-flowing powders without extra feeders via a variable height lift results in high performance and substantial return on investment.

Maintenance of blend integrity through to the final pack depends on quality of discharge equipment. The cone valve is essential to maintaining recurrent quality and regulatory conformance of products. Re-segregation can result from particles moving around during transfer and discharge, causing costly rejected batches. The Matcon cone valve protected blended products during these stages by facilitating mass flow of material through a ring-shaped opening at the gateway of each IBC.

To learn more, contact Firing Industries’ application-sales engineers at ddubuc@firing.com or (877) 688-0974.

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