Ploughshare Mixer
A plow mixer, also called a ploughshare mixer, is a horizontal cylindrical mixer with plow-shaped tools on a single shaft. As the tools rotate, they throw product off the drum wall and through the free space, creating a three-dimensional mechanically fluidized bed. Every particle moves rapidly, so blends reach high uniformity in typical cycles of 3 to 15 minutes, even with ingredients of very different particle size and density.
Tool size, shape, number, arrangement and tip speed are designed for each application. High-speed choppers mounted in the drum break up lumps and disperse liquids, which makes the plow mixer ideal for coating, wetting, agglomeration and granulation. The mixer can be part of a fully automated batching system or a simple manually loaded line. A full-width discharge door and clean-in-place (CIP) option allow fast recipe changes with minimal cross-contamination or waste.
Ploughshare Mixer - Benefits
A plow mixer gives fast, intensive and highly uniform mixing of powders, granules and liquids. Its fluidized mixing action delivers high efficiency and consistent quality.
Rapid Mixing Cycles −
A mechanically fluidized bed reaches uniformity fast, raising throughput.
Superior Mixing Homogeneity +
Excellent Batch Repeatability +
Efficient Liquid Addition +
Handles Diverse Materials +
Low Maintenance Operation +
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Contact us todayPloughshare Mixer - Features
The plow mixer has a horizontal cylindrical drum with plow-shaped tools that create a three-dimensional fluidized bed. Its modular design adapts to mixing, granulating, drying and coating duties.
- Plough-Shaped Mixing ToolsFast, uniform three-dimensional mixing.
- Horizontal Mixing ChamberOptimized material circulation.
- High-Speed ChoppersChoppers break lumps and disperse additives.
- Material & Finish OptionsCarbon steel, stainless or wear-resistant steel.
- Custom Process OptionsLiquid spray, jackets, sampling and explosion-protected options.
- Wide Capacity RangePilot to production sizes.
- Batch and Continuous ConfigurationsBatch or continuous designs.
More About Ploughshare Mixer
Batch and continuous plow mixers are used where high production volumes of dry products, or dry products with liquid additions, are required.
Batch Plow Mixers
Our single-shaft batch plow mixers suit plants that need precise, high-quality batches and where cross-contamination and residue are critical. The design is heavy duty and highly configurable. Each mixer has a cylindrical drum with one or more inlets, a vent, access doors, and a discharge valve sized for fast, complete emptying.
Benefits of Batch Plow Mixers
Short mixing cycles, excellent batch repeatability, efficient liquid addition, low residue and easy cleaning. Typical batch sizes range from pilot units up to about 424 ft³ (12,000 L).
Continuous Plow Mixers
Continuous plow mixers receive metered streams of ingredients from screw feeders or twin screw feeders and mix them in a short residence time for high-throughput lines such as dry mortar, fertilizer coating and detergent production.
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Benefits of Continuous Plow Mixers
High output in a compact footprint, steady product quality and easy integration with upstream dosing and downstream packaging. For gentler blending, see the ribbon mixer.
Frequently Asked Questions
A plow mixer is a horizontal industrial mixer that blends powders, granules and bulk materials using plow-shaped tools on a rotating shaft. The three-dimensional motion gives fast, uniform mixing with minimal segregation.
Plow-shaped tools on a horizontal shaft lift and throw material in several directions inside a cylindrical drum, creating intensive movement and a consistent mix throughout the batch.
Chemical powders, food ingredients, pharmaceutical powders, minerals, additives, plastics, fertilizers, pigments, coatings and building materials such as dry mortar, including materials with very different particle sizes and densities.
Fast, efficient mixing, excellent uniformity, minimal segregation, effective liquid addition, short cycles, easy cleaning and low maintenance.
A plow mixer mixes more intensively than a ribbon mixer and is better for fast blending, liquid addition, coating and ingredients of different densities. A ribbon mixer is preferred for gentle blending of free-flowing powders.
Yes. Spray systems add oils, binders, additives or coatings during mixing, and choppers disperse them, which suits granulation, agglomeration and surface treatment.
Chemical, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, plastics, agricultural, fertilizer, mineral and building-materials plants.
Yes. Options include 304 or 316 stainless steel, wear liners, jackets, vacuum or pressure operation, choppers, liquid injection, various discharge valves and explosion-protected designs. Hazardous-location requirements are reviewed for each U.S. project.
Consider bulk density, particle size, moisture and flow, batch size, capacity, mixing time, liquid addition, temperature control, cleaning needs and applicable standards.
