Horizontal kneader

For high viscosity products, better results and reduced process times can be achieved with kneading type rather than conventional extrusion type equipment.  Process engineers in a wide variety of industries need to reliably and efficiently mix highly viscous substrates.  Process engineers in these situations need efficient, thorough mixing with controllable parameters.

Better dispersion results with less processing time from a highly controllable process

IKA’s high performance horizontal kneading machines known as HKD and HKS are twin-bowl kneaders with horizontally arranged kneading blades able to process mixtures with very high viscosities. These horizontal kneaders are unique in the selection of kneading elements that they can employ allowing them to process a wide variety of mixes with varying solid content.  This flexibility makes users’ lives easy by facilitating product change over and allowing selection of  blades that are optimized o the particular products being mixed.

The kneading blades are inter meshing and driven at a 2:1 ratio crating an alternating motion of blade surfaces toward and away from one another.  This motion creates highly dynamic pressure gradients and shearing forces which achieve excellent dispersion results.  The blade speed is finitely controllable via a variable frequency drive.  The units are easy to clean and maintain with the entire side wall of the kneading bowl being removable.  This exposes the kneading blades and discharge screw for easy cleaning during product changeover.

Benefits

  • Intensive kneading and dispersion of high viscosity products
  • Shorter processing times with improved product quality
  • All metal components that come in contact with the product are stainless steel
  • Infinitely variable blade rotation speed via frequency converter
  • Automation possible according to the customer's needs