by Alesia Stojku, PR Communications Assistant, PLP Systems, Italy
The increased interest in pet ownership, as well the increased demand for petfood, seems like a great news for petfood Industry. However, though pet owners are spending more on petfood and treats, they’re also demanding higher quality products.
The consistency and properties of the kibbles, as well as the consistency and properties of the liquid or powder coating, can all create unique obstacles in creating a uniformed coating. The right extrusion and liquid coating system can help to solve these challenges, with the correct considerations and applications. This is why PLP has developed the best solutions and equipment to ensure a homogeneous coating and a great palatability performance for your kibbles, while still preventing breakage of the croquettes during the coating and mixing processes.
An important area for PLP is the coating process that is used in different sectors including: post pellet coating for feed and aquafeed, petfood coating, seeds coating and fertiliser, as well as crisps, chips and snacks in the food sector. Specialising in machinery and systems for food, petfood, aquafeed, animal feed, chemical and concrete industries, PLP Systems is a company with over 40 years’ experience in dosing, mixing, spraying, coating and handling of liquids and micro powder additives.
Developing a continuous coating system
Initially, testing for new coating applications were done using internal small-scale laboratory equipment, simulating what could possibly be a true production, but this procedure was limited in many aspects compared to real production conditions.
Key changes occurred once PLP developed a continuous coating test plant system in its workshop, which was able to reproduce the full capacity of the demands of the industry and minimise the difference in results between a lab test trial compared to a real production.
After having faced various challenges brought on by following a great variation of projects, we have managed to gain an extensive knowledge, understanding and competence in this field. This in-house continuous coating test plant is used for innovating PLP technology and Know-How in order to compete in the market with an advanced post pellet coating application.
The focus is not only on the coating machine but also on the development of new types of sprayers, dosing equipment and software managing systems. Customers that are looking for creative applications are able to test and develop new products for their Petfood.
Another service that the company provides for new customers, is to let them fully test the PLP coating application before purchasing the system, in order to make them comfortable on deciding to choose PLP technology.
The test plant can be adapted for different products with a production capacity ranging from 300 kg/h up to 40 tonnes/h, managing different densities. It is equipped with an accurate gravimetric continuous dosing of the main product (pellets or mash) done by either a weighing belt or weighing screw.
The test plant can be integrated with three different PLP continuous coating technologies including: Drum Coaters, twin paddle Continuous Coater and Mass Spin Coater.
The Mass Spin Coater
The Mass Spin Coater(MSC) is a revolutionary system, patented by us, for the treatment and coating of additives on solid products.
For the addition of micro quantities with a maximum capacity of one percent, the Mass Spin Coater is the machine to handle this type of coating. It’s an on-line machine that can be easily fitted in any existing plant.
Through an integrated torsion transducer and a processor of Coriolis force data, the MSC is capable of identifying the mass delivery rate of solid products (pellets, flours, kibbles…). This permits a proportional control for adding doses of additives for the process such as oils, enzymes, antibiotics etc.
MT system
The MT system is a continuous double-shaft paddle mixer, which has received the most improvements during the last few years of R&D. There are different models that can cover all production ranges required with high inclusion rates of liquids or fats. The focus of the machine is the retention time, and this is achieved by independent speed regulations of the shafts, internal damps and automatic hatch valve on the outlet that retains the product. Retention time in standard production can reach up to 200 seconds.
Drum Coater
The DC coating systems is a complete machine, consisting of a continuous weight dosage of the product, a mixing and coating system by rotating drum and a proportional dosing system of liquid or powder additives. In the petfood sector, this type of technology is used exclusively for the treatment of semi-moist products, biscuits, snacks, pillows, sticks or other very fragile products. Thanks to its ‘gentle’ movement, the damaging of the product is avoided.
Powder coating additives
Powders are often used to coat the products, if you look at the food sectors a wide range of powders (salts, pepper, garlic, paprika and many other spices) are added on the surface of the crisps and snacks. In petfood a lot of appetising powders are used to coat the kibbles.
PLP applies this science to the feed and aqua feed industry for the use of coating powder additives and medicines. The powders can be injected in a dry form, in a suspension or a solution of powder and liquid more or less concentrated, creating a slurry that is then sprayed on the pellets.
The company has developed different types of sprayers, motorised or statics, that are able to distribute and inject the liquid solution or the dry powder in a even way, avoiding the risk of blocking of the nozzles.
PLP is dedicated to the research and development of the use of other additives in petfood production, in order to improve the quality, the palatableness and the variety of it.
Our offices are located in Lugagnano Val d’Arda (one hour from Milan) and from here we can offer first hand support to all our customers worldwide with the help of our many agents based throughout the main areas the continent.
