The MZM & MZF Multi-Plex Zigzag Classifier range by Hosokawa Alpine offers an effective, simple yet creative solution for removing light to heavy impurities such as hair, foil, paper, stems, stones and metal parts from natural raw materials, including potentially challenging oily seed crops and plants, as well as plastics, precious metals and minerals. The gravity classifier equipment also excels at removing dust from a variety of products, from flaxseed and fertiliser to plastic granules.
Conveniently available in multiple sizes to suit laboratory to production-scale processing – in single or multi-tube designs, dependent on the throughput of material that requires processing – the robust air classifier is perfect for bulk materials that are problematic or cost-prohibitive to sieve and produces extremely precise, clean-cut fines of excellent purity, which are qualities particularly favoured by the food, chemical, agriculture, nutraceutical, mineral and recycling industries. Depending on the application, the classifier can create an end product or may be used for post-processing purposes.
This impressive equipment has a number of excellent performance characteristics and is popular for being overload-proof and easy to operate, clean and maintain while being untroubled by changes to the feed material composition, meaning the Multi-Plex Zigzag Classifier can efficiently and reliably perform for long periods of time whilst unsupervised.
The efficient, cost-effective MZM & MZF Multi-Plex Zigzag Classifiers are predominantly used for gently separating natural materials that can be problematic to sieve for various practical and cost reasons. This useful equipment excels at processing spices such as anise and pepper, plants such as coriander, parsley, Camelia sinensis (tea leaves), Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Calendula officinalis, oleiferous seeds, harvested from plants such as sunflowers and flax (linseed), as well as legumes like peas (soybeans).
An extremely popular piece of equipment for the food industry, the Multi-Plex Zigzag Classifier also processes products such as sugar, salt, protein-enriched flour, grains, starch, various dairy products, vegetables such as onions, cocoa powder and chocolate crumb.
In addition, the air classifier is also useful to the mineral, recycling and electrical industries for separating precious metals (such as copper, aluminium and lead) from insulation material taken from previously cut cable scrap and to remove dust from materials such as plastic granules, coke, chalk, fertiliser, bauxite and bentonite.
The Hosokawa Alpine-brand MZM and MZF Multi-Plex Zigzag Classifiers are versatile pieces of classification equipment perfect for a variety of tasks, such as separating plant material, including oily seeds and stems, as well as precious metals from insulation material. The equipment can also effectively and safely remove dust from a variety of materials and products, including chalk, fertiliser, coke and plastic granules.
Using a distributor screw to ensure even distribution and a patented centrifugal roller to disintegrate the material, if required, the classifier utilises one, vertically orientated, zigzag tube or multiple vertically orientated zigzag tubes to process the material in the range d97 = 0.3-10mm. The single tube model variant is usually sufficient for a material throughput of approximately 1 tonne per hour.
Unprocessed material is introduced at a strategically chosen point in the mechanism and is classified in upward and downward directions. Induced resistance occurs as the material crosses the (relatively low speed) classifying air current at each joint of the zigzag, allowing for a grading impact to occur with no clogging and minimal size reduction.
Precise classification occurs at every change of direction within the processing tube, which features a zigzag-shaped inner mechanism and allows for an extremely high, stepless adjustable precise cut, creating high-quality clean-cut fines or lightweight material, even under conditions of overload. Each particle or grain passes multiple sifting zones and if any out of spec material remains, it will be picked up and corrected in the next zigzag stage to ensure the highest quality of material grading.
Course material descends and exits the equipment via gravity and its own outlet, while fine material exits the equipment in an upwards motion via a separate outlet. Mechanisms are wear-resistant and the equipment is overload-proof and very effectively copes with changes to the composition of feed material. These factors ensure that, once the Multi-Plex Zigzag Classifier has been set up, it may be operated unsupervised for long periods of time.
The Multi-Plex Zigzag Classifier range can be supplied as an individual piece of high-performance classification equipment but may also be supplied as part of a classification process system incorporating additional elements such as a feeding bin, feeding screw, blower, filter sleeve, cyclone and control cabinet. Hosokawa Micron also offers a comprehensive portfolio of milling, size reduction, mixing, sterilisation, conveying, storage, filling and weighing equipment, which may be used in conjunction with a Multi-Plex Zigzag Classifier, dependent on the application requirements. The Multi-Plex Zigzag Classifier is just one of a range of classifiers designed and manufactured by Hosokawa Micron.
Process systems can also be supplied to safely handle the potential of a dust explosion, including containment equipment. Hosokawa Micron’s is an expert in containment equipment to complement processing equipment and our process systems are tailor-made for each client and their specific application requirements.
Hosokawa Micron Group is a world-leading expert in the processing of powders, particles, liquids and other materials. Our industry-leading equipment and process systems across the entire portfolio combine high-quality construction materials, aesthetic, practical and ergonomic design and engineering, plus the latest technology and processing theory, with all equipment and process systems meeting and even exceeding current European and international safety standards.
Offering one of the most diverse portfolio ranges available for powder and particle processing in the world, our efficient, robust equipment and process systems are chosen by SME to multi-national blue-chip companies across the globe.
Our highly professional in-house project management and engineering teams, wealth of knowledge and expertise, along with in-house technical services – such as contract manufacturing, particle design, process testing, process optimisation and materials testing – offer you an entirely bespoke solution to match our adaptable high-performance products and the process systems that we can precisely engineer and tailor-make for you.
As you would expect, our equipment portfolio is also underpinned by extensive lifecycle management services and friendly, efficient customer care to support you during the decades of service you can expect to enjoy from Hosokawa Micron Group equipment and process systems.
The Hosokawa Alpine-brand MZM & MZF Multi-Plex Zigzag Classifier range is a well-established solution for cleaning and separating light to heavy impurities from multiple raw products, particularly from natural material, including various seeds, flower leaves, bulbous vegetables such as onions, as well as spices and herbs, along with removing dust.
The innovative equipment is available in a huge variety of sizes to accommodate pilot-scale and commercial-scale production requirements with throughputs of between a few kgs per hour for a laboratory-size MZM version to up to 200 tonnes per hour for a large, industrial-scale version with multiple tubes (MZF). For further details and to find out about incorporating our Multi-Plex Zigzag Classifier into a bespoke process system, please get in touch via our enquiry form.
The Hosokawa Alpine Multi-Plex Zigzag Classifier is trusted by multiple companies in the food industry, for R&D purposes and large-scale food production.
Producing high-quality, protein-rich food ingredients that are plant-based is becoming increasingly popular as technology and a deeper understanding of the effects of climate change opens up exciting possibilities. Now, we can create more sophisticated formulations thanks to new, more versatile processing methods of natural raw ingredients, such as cereal crops, pulses and plants, for protein-shifting purposes and as a way of reducing meat production to lower the impact on the environment.
For creating protein-enriched flour, for example, our Multi-Plex Zigzag Classifier is used in tandem with a collection of other Hosokawa-brand equipment – including a Multiprocessing System for milling – to produce the improved flour. The Multi-Plex Zigzag Classifier is used in the initial stages of production to dehull the pulses that, ultimately, enrich the original milled flour. The pre-cracked pulses are simply and effectively processed in the classifier and the pulses are then ground down into fine flour with a UPZ Fine Impact Mill. Thereafter, the original milled flour and milled pulses are combined to create the enriched flour.
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