What is a Planetary Mixer?

Mixers come in a variety of shapes and sizes and types. These variances are typically based on the size and type of the job that needs to be performed. While mixing is, in itself, a very general term – most industrial mixing requires very specific functions that, in turn, require very specific mixers to get the job done properly. Some type of mixers include change can mixers, continuous mixers, dispersion mixers, double arm mixers, cone twin mixers, littleford mixers, nauta mixers, ribbon mixers, and planetary mixers. This article will focus primarily on planetary mixers – specifically what they are, how they operate, and what jobs they are best equipped to perform. Grab some popcorn because it is sure to the most exciting article about planetary mixers that you have read in the past twenty minutes!

The planetary mixer is named for its complete three dimensional mixing methods. The blades in a planetary mixer each rotate on their own axis, but also on a common axis – leading to a greater degree of mixing than that of typical mixers. Consider a blender that mixes primarily horizontally. Now, rotate the blender itself in a vertical circular motion (for the purpose of this hypothetical situation, we will pretend that the lid is screwed on and you will not be wearing your pina colada), thus creating a similar effect to that of planetary mixers.

As a general rule, planetary mixers offer a greater degree of mixing compared to spiral or generic mixers. However, there are some limitations involved with scale. The third degree of mixing offers another item that can go wrong – as such, large floor models must be built to be more durable than many of their counterparts. These differences are not nearly as pronounced on the smaller scale where the need for regular maintenance is not as common or as expensive. Obviously, maintenance costs are a huge factor when making any decisions regarding processing equipment for a certain type of business.

Planetary mixers are widely used in the industries for adhesives, pharmaceuticals, pigments, plastics, electronics, foods, and chemicals. However, they can be found in just about any industry that uses processing equipment. They typically hold up well to mixing different chemicals and can operate at a variety of speeds and temperatures, thus leading to a product that can operate with great versatility and function.

An interesting modern day function of planetary mixers is in the field on nano-processing. As nanoparticles and nano-materials find greater use as industrial materials, planetary mixers have emerged as one of the primary tools for their processing. To set the scale, nano-materials are defined as particles that are a maximum of 100 nanometers. The small size of these items offers a number of challenges for processing, some obvious and some hidden. But, when the job requires that they be mixed or incorporated along with other materials, it has been found that planetary mixing provides a much effective and productive option than other types. This will likely only become more true as more and more nano-particles are used in the processing industry.

By Felix Chesterfield; Come learn more about Planetary Mixers and other types of used proces equipment.