Miller Magazine Issue: 135 March 2021

60 COVER STORY MILLER / march 2021 standards these had become outdated both in terms of hygiene and safety, and mechanical components had reached the end of their lifecycle. A complete replacement was necessary. The millers therefore decided to replace the old system with Bühler’s 0-series Arrius grinding systems. Altogether fourteen MDDC roller mills were replaced with 12 Arrius Integrated Grinding System (IGS). After the old roller mills were removed, the floors had to be reinforced to bear the additional weight of the new system. The complete realization of the project including the neces- sary building adaptation took approximately one month. Me- chanical works started end of July and lasted until August 26, 2018. Commissioning was then completed within a week. “With the introduction of Arrius we skipped three generations of roller systems,” says Kollmann. “Not everything went smoothly at the beginning. We knew the set up would be a real stretch for us. Both teams at the mill and Bühler had to rise to the challenges. For example, the control and setting of the feeding module was a task that required good collaboration between Bühler and the Vorarl- berger Mill. All parties did a fantastic job which paid out in the end.” POSITIVE IMPACT - TODAY AND TOMORROW The business is seeing the benefits already. The amount of manual work has decreased, there is less need to change ma- chine settings, and overall efficiency has increased. “‘Set it and forget it’ is what I like to say – we set the grinding gap once and we know it will remain stable,” says Kollmann. Arrius not only brings added automation, it also provides the flexibility required to change recipes quickly and to accurately control the starch damage, ensuring a highly stable grinding per- formance. Safety and ease of maintenance have also improved. The IGS stays closed when it is in operation. When it is not oper- ating, it is easy to access the feeding module and grinding cham- ber, making it much faster to carry out roller changes and regular maintenance works. “A nice side effect of Arrius is also the reduced noise emis- sion. It runs really quietly which has improved the working con- ditions within the mill,” says Kollmann. “Next to the commercial factors, it really enriches the work experience.” The business is now not only well set up to meet today’s re- quirements in terms of technology, hygiene and safety, it is also ready for the future. “With the installation of Arrius we can easily increase capacities should the market demand it and grasp the opportunities offered by further digitalization,” says Kollmann. “This project has definitely secured the mill’s success for generations to come.” Arrius MRRA is the first fully integrated grinding system (IGS). It sets a new benchmark in grinding performance for wheat, durum, rye, barley, corn and spelt. Energy efficiency Enabling mechanical energy recovery, the integrated drive unit consisting of motor and gearbox the efficient sys- tem allows for energy savings of up to 10% compared to conventional systems using belt drives. Building investments savings Direct suction and integrated drive unit allow for instal- lation on one floor reducing building investment costs. An alternative version with outlet hopper is also available. Fast installation The plug-and-play design features an integrated drive unit and switch cabinet, significantly reducing installation time. The system setup requires only three connecting cables (power supply, emergency stop, communication) and com- pressed air and product inlet/outlet. Best grinding efficiency The feed module with asymmetrical inlet and distribution screw ensures uniform mixing and distribution of the grain over the entire grinding gap. The pre-stressed rollers allow for up to 10% higher starch damage with the same energy consumption compared to conventional roller mills. The pre- stressed rollers ensure a precise and stable grinding gap. Maximum food safety All surfaces in contact with the product are made of stainless steel and other food-grade materials. The entire inlet area of the feeding module is accessible for cleaning through the inlet door. Product deposits are reduced by a simplified grinding chamber design and improves aspiration. Hygienic levelling feet allow for cleaning under the machine. Highest operational safety The grinding chamber is secured by an electronic lock. Roller and bearing temperature are continuously monitored, an alert activation and stop function of the drives ensure safe operation. The grinding chamber doors are fitted with hand guards for safe product sampling. Best-in class usability An intuitive user-interface simplifies the operation of the Arrius. All main operating parameters of the grinding system are displayed on the main screen. Operating parameters can be easily monitored and changed via touch screen fitted on each side of the Arrius. The touch screens are mounted on swiveling arms allowing for a direct view even during product sampling. Improved flexibility Thanks to the integrated web server, Arrius can be operated by smartphone, tablet or PC within the mill. ARRIUS IGS: OVERVIEW OF BENEFITS