Design and design features of a household grain crusher
For use in small production and household conditions, many different devices and types of equipment are created. One of these is a grain crusher. Designed for grinding various solid crops, which are subsequently used as feed for livestock and other purposes. Mainly used for preparing feed for domestic animals in small farms in rural areas.
Home grain crushers are produced by many manufacturers and have different design features. However, the principle of operation is the same for all devices. In the production process, the device is very similar to a regular home coffee grinder. Grain is poured from above, which is lowered through a chute into the working part, where the grinding process takes place. There the grains are crushed, and the output is feed. In this form, it is better absorbed in the body of animals.
Grain crusher
Making feed by hand is a very labor-intensive process. A grain crusher greatly simplifies feed production.
The device consists of several nodes:
- Housing made of metal or plastic. Grain is poured into it for grinding.
- Work zone. Knives or hammers are located here, depending on the type of structure. The grain grinding process takes place in this zone.
- Electric motor. It is the “heart” of the device. Activates the work area.
- Housing for the output of crushed feed.
Note! The design of the mini grain crusher is extremely simple, however, when using it, you must take into account the operating rules described in the instructions.
Types and classification of units
DIY grain crusher
There is a wide variety and many types of grain crushers. By design they differ in three types:
- Drum and disc. In this type of design, grains are crushed using hammers that are attached to disks. They are in limbo. The drum crusher is distinguished by the fact that its device also includes counter-cutting plates for cutting feed that releases juice. The plates are fixed to the knife drum and make chopping vegetables easier;
- Roller grain crusher. Can grind grain, feed and malt, which is used to make beer. A grain crusher for malt has a slightly different operating principle, unlike a drum crusher. Grooved rollers are installed here, and as grains pass through them, the grinding process occurs. These rollers have flat teeth, thanks to which the device can be used not only for crushing, but also for flattening feed. This grain crusher is manual, it is called a crusher. Flattening has several advantages over crushing; in this case, the grain retains its integrity, since only the outer shell can be destroyed;
Important ! When processing grain in crushers, you need to know that its moisture content must be at least 35 percent. If the level is lower, then the grains can be moistened with water.
After the roller crusher, several types of product can be obtained. They depend on the special settings of the device and the shape of the teeth on the rollers. You can set different rotation speeds of the rollers and set the required gap between them. With the correct selection of all the necessary parameters, it is possible to obtain feed of varying degrees of grinding, which can be fed to different groups of animals.
Grain crushers are a popular product not only for small households. Industrial devices are produced that can grind several tons of grain per hour.
Types of crushers
Grain crushers feed cutters
During the development of the production of portable mills, a large number of types of these devices were created. There are mainly two types of these products on our market: a rotary grain crusher and a hammer crusher. Their main differences are in the principle of operation, since different grinding tools are used. Their performance, weight and other parameters may be different, but the quality of both types of machines is approximately the same.
Hammer grain crusher
Unlike the rotary one, it has a more complex design and operating principle of the grinding mechanism. It consists of such units as the main hammer drum, auxiliary sieve and deck. The principle of operation is that grain enters the hammer drum, which rotates inside and is subjected to impacts from special hammers. During the impact process, the grain is crushed and turned into compound feed. The size of the grains after grinding is determined by choosing a grid with different cell sizes.
Hammer Grain Crusher
A hammer grain crusher, unlike others, has a lower grinding speed and lower productivity. However, in this case, the quality of the processed feed greatly benefits. Thanks to the design features, any desired size of crushed grain is achieved. It is possible to set the quality level of the food received so that it suits different categories of pets.
Impact crusher
The main difference from a hammer machine is that a rotary machine works on the principle of cutting grains using knives. These knives are located in a special drum and attached to the shafts. They are sharpened on both sides. Processing occurs on the principle of cutting crops into small pieces. The downside is that the pieces come out in different sizes and shapes, unlike hammer milling. The level of grinding and the size of pieces of feed are set using different speeds of rotation of the shafts with knives.
What to look for when choosing
To choose a grain crusher for your farm, determine for yourself how loaded it will be: it makes no sense to buy an expensive device so that it sits idle.
In addition, pay attention to the availability of equipment maintenance services.
. You will need spare parts, so you should give preference to a domestic manufacturer.
Look at the thickness of the steel
: the more massive the walls, the greater the chance that they will not deform soon.
If the walls of the grain crusher are thinner than 2 millimeters, the first deformations will appear immediately. And they will continue to appear until the moment when you have to equalize them yourself. Therefore, the thickness of the metal must be sufficient to support heavy weight.
Grind size
.Who is the food prepared for? If you are engaged in poultry farming, then it is better to take a hammer crusher; For cattle, a rotary one is more suitable. It has been proven that the smaller the fraction in the finished feed, the better it is absorbed by the animal. Accordingly, cattle gain weight faster, receiving more nutrients.
As for the grinding method
, it is more secondary than key for choosing a grain crusher, but it still depends on what kind of grain you are focusing on, which one will be the main one.
Hard grains, for example, are best crushed by impact and pressure, plastic grains are best processed by abrasion, and brittle grains are easiest to crack.
Before choosing a grain crusher for your household, you must immediately decide for what purposes and for what grains it will be used.
Crushers with different grinding mechanisms:
| cheek | They are based on two plates - movable and fixed. This mechanism grinds grain like a mill, and they are well suited for plastic grains. |
| Cone Crusher | It works on a similar principle, the only difference being that cones are used instead of plates. |
| Roll crusher | grinds grain using two shafts - falling between them, it is flattened. |
| Impact crusher | Perfect for fragile grains - the most common option. This is exactly what a coffee grinder looks like; you can grind anything with it. But best of all, the design of its mechanism is suitable for dealing with hard grain. And if necessary, such a crusher can grind any grain along with hay into a homogeneous mass |
Also, you need to take into account the volume of grain that will need to be ground during the day - it is clear that a crusher with high power will cope with a large volume much faster than a low-power one.
Also, the quality of painting of the product is important. It should evenly cover all surfaces of the product in order to protect the metal from corrosion. The quality of the paint is also of great importance - powder paints are perfect for this purpose, they are resistant to impact and abrasion. As for enamels, chips from small impacts will not keep you waiting. This is about appearance.
Performance. How much do you want to pay? If the farm has reached payback, and plans include expansion, then you need to buy a productive crusher that will save time by processing a large volume of raw materials in a short time. Especially if you have a lot of different livestock: you not only need to feed them every day, but also prepare food for the winter. Grain mill power options: 170 kg/h, 250 kg/h, 350 kg/h, 400 kg/h.
Dimensions. Focus on the place where you plan to install the unit. It is necessary to ensure a convenient tray of raw materials, removal of finished feed, as well as good ventilation of the room. This is especially true for hammer grain crushers, which generate dust.
The size of the storage bin also plays a role. Determine the grain supply volume that is convenient for you, and then choose the appropriate model.
Hammer or rotary?
Walk-behind lawn mower
It is impossible to say for sure which crusher is better. Even crushers of the same type can differ in size, build quality, and different levels of settings and adjustments. The hammer has a number of advantages over the rotary. The quality of grinding is much higher, it is achieved thanks to a completely different operating principle. Due to the fact that the processing is carried out with hammers, the grains are crushed into a smaller fraction. The advantage is that with the help of a special grid, the ground grains are selected. Insufficiently processed ones are automatically sent for further grinding.
Rotary grain crusher
The impact crusher has a simpler operating principle. The tools are knives that cut the grains to the required fraction. The feed is tougher and has lower processing quality.
The rotary machine has more power. It takes much less time to work, unlike a hammer machine, which requires a long period of time. Another advantage is that it is cheaper to maintain and the initial price, due to the simplicity of the design.
The advantages of the hammer feed are the higher quality of the feed and the ability to set its level, selecting it separately for each group of animals.
It's difficult to say which car is better. Both types are quite good, but are suitable for different purposes and conditions.
Operating rules
The following recommendations will help extend the service life of the grain crusher:
- do not overload the device (uneven grain loading also negatively affects operation);
- for permanent placement, choose a dry, well-ventilated room;
- do not leave the device outdoors unattended;
- clean parts in a timely manner;
- Check the integrity of the sieve before starting work.
On some models, the sieve can be turned over if one side begins to collapse.
How to choose a grain crusher
To choose the right device, you need to determine the goals that need to be achieved with the help of the device. If coarse grinding is sufficient, and product quality and time play a role, then you definitely need to choose a rotary grinder. If the quality of processing and the ability to obtain different fractions are more valued, then you can choose a hammer one.
Grain crusher
Among the crushers on the market, you can make a product rating:
- Grain crusher Grain DZ-350P. This is one of the best devices for home use. It has compact dimensions and a high level of energy saving. This is a household appliance designed for preparing food for poultry and animals. Has a power of 1450 W and a productivity of 350 kg per hour;
- Bison It is a hammer crusher with high functionality and simplicity of design. It is possible to install a grater for green feed. Its productivity is 600 kg per hour.
Common features
Impact and hammer crushers are the most common types of structures for grinding rocks. The same principle is often applied in the grain processing industry.
Both types of mechanisms are distinguished by their reliability, small size and reasonable prices. And also some other positive qualities:
- high performance;
- economical energy consumption;
- for operation there is no need to construct a capital foundation.
Often the equipment is installed on mobile machines, which allows it to be used in a wide variety of conditions.
It should be noted that both types of devices belong to impact crushers. What does this mean? Factions are split due to the force of impact on the shield. Although the standard sizes of equipment depend on the length and width of the rotor and the number of finger elements.
