By Diane Silcock
Adding value to raw materials is one definition of process engineering. This is something that Facet Engineering has been doing for over 30 years, offering value to its clients through expertly-designed conveyor systems and complete process engineering plants.
THE company’s extensive range of conveyors that they design and manufacture, along with their vast experience in handling and moving products, enables them to offer a multitude of solutions to a broad spectrum of industries.
Most of the conveying applications are in a process environment of some description, often forming part of the automation of these plants, highlighting the importance and synergy of conveying and process expertise.
“When it comes to process engineering plants,” says CEO Colin Fairweather, “Facet Engineering specialises mainly in the Agri-food sector, although many of the principles can be applied to related industries. A good example is shown in the 3D model rendering of a recently installed mixing/blending plant which we designed and manufactured. This rendering, as generated in our design office using CAD software, shows the raw material intake system via the 1 tonne bulk bag and 50 kg bag manual feed. The pre-determined product recipe is then conveyed up into a ribbon blender ready for homogeneous mixing. Once mixed, the final product is fed into a buffer hopper which in turn then regulates the flow into a Z-type bucket elevator, taking the product to the packing station. This process of feeding into the hopper, frees the ribbon blender thereby ensuring it is ready for the next mix, and the process is repeated.”
Fairweather continues to explain that this system can be extended to include a bulk intake system into multiple raw ingredient bins. With the inclusions of a feed auger and bucket elevator, a recipe or combination of several ingredients can be presented to the ribbon blender for mixing. This can then be taken one step further to finished product bins, and then onto the packing station or bulk truck outfeed.
Typically, this process can be used for the mixing or blending of a multitude of dry powdered products, spices, a variety of chemicals, additives, organic fertilisers, granules, meal, grains, flours, and animal feeds.
All equipment is manufactured in-house plus they do the structural design and manufacture of any steel supports, platforms, bins and hoppers, where required. Once delivered, the installation team manages all on-site work, including electrical set-up, working to the highest industry safety standards.
Commissioning of plant and equipment is part of their service offering undertaking calibration and testing to ensure that the plant runs optimally and that production capacities are achieved. After-sales service and spares also form part of their offering.
“We recognise the importance of continuously adding value and we constantly strive to innovate, improve, and develop new products in our range, thus ensuring that we always meet the exact requirements of our customers and exceed their expectations,” concludes Fairweather.
For further information on one of the many process engineering plants they offer or individual machines, contact Facet Engineering +27 11 769 1168 or view their website: www.facetengineering.co.za
