In today’s industrial production field, powder atomization equipment plays a crucial role and is widely used in many industries such as metal powder preparation, pharmaceuticals, and food processing. For enterprises, it is crucial to choose a powder atomization equipment that meets their own production needs. This not only affects product quality and production efficiency, but is also closely related to cost control. The following will elaborate on the key points and steps for selecting such equipment.
1.Clarify production requirements
(1) Powder characteristics
Firstly, it is necessary to accurately determine the characteristics of the required powder. Including powder particle size distribution, does it require fine and uniform micron or even nanometer sized powders, or relatively coarse particles; The shape of the powder, such as spherical or irregular, has significant differences in subsequent product molding and performance; There are also chemical purity requirements for powders, which are almost strict in high-end fields such as medicine and electronics, while some general industrial applications are relatively broad in terms of purity. For example, when 3D printing metal parts, it is usually required to use metal powders with high sphericity and narrow particle size distribution to ensure the density and mechanical properties of the printed parts; In the production of ordinary coatings, the requirements for powder shape are relatively flexible, and a slightly wider particle size distribution may also meet the requirements.
(2) Production requirements
Calculate the required powder output per unit time based on the production scale of the enterprise and market order situation. Small startups may initially only need to produce a few kilograms of powder per hour for research and development, as well as small-scale trial production; Large manufacturing enterprises, in order to meet the demands of large-scale production lines, may produce hundreds of kilograms or even several tons per hour. After clarifying the production target, it is possible to select the series that can be adapted during equipment selection, avoiding delays in delivery caused by insufficient equipment capacity or waste of funds caused by overcapacity.
2.Understand the principles and technology of the equipment
(1) Types of atomization technology
At present, the mainstream atomization technologies include aerosolization, water atomization, centrifugal atomization, etc. Aerosolization utilizes high-speed airflow to impact liquid metal or solution, causing it to break down into tiny droplets and solidify into powder. It can produce powders with high sphericity and fine particle size, commonly used in the preparation of high-end metal materials; Water atomization uses high-pressure water flow as the atomization medium, which has a relatively low cost and is suitable for large-scale production of ordinary metal powders, but the powder has slightly lower sphericity; Centrifugal atomization relies on high-speed rotating disks or cups to eject liquid and form droplet atomization, which requires high equipment accuracy and can achieve continuous production. Enterprises need to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of different technologies based on the requirements of powder characteristics.
(2) Progressiveness and stability of technology
Inspect whether the technology used by the equipment is progressiveness and has innovative process optimization, such as intelligent temperature control and accurate flow regulation, to improve the consistency of powder quality. At the same time, stability is crucial, as frequent malfunctions and shutdowns not only result in high maintenance costs, but also disrupt the production rhythm. Check the technical research and development background, patent ownership, and long-term stability performance of the equipment from existing users, such as average time between failures and ease of maintenance.
3.Evaluate equipment quality and performance
(1) Material and Craftsmanship
The material of key components of the equipment directly affects its service life and powder purity. Containers, pipelines, nozzles and other components that come into contact with materials, if used in the food and pharmaceutical industries, must be made of stainless steel materials that meet hygiene standards and have a fine surface treatment to prevent material residue and contamination; Components that work in high temperature, high pressure, and highly corrosive environments should have characteristics such as high temperature resistance, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance, such as being made of special alloy materials. Observing whether the welding and sealing processes of the equipment are exquisite, whether there are gaps or sand holes, these details are related to the long-term operational reliability of the equipment.
(2) Precision of granularity control
High quality equipment should be able to accurately control powder particle size, and achieve customized particle size according to demand by adjusting atomization parameters such as gas pressure, water flow velocity, rotation speed, etc. During the trial operation phase of the equipment, professional testing instruments such as laser particle size analyzers are used to detect the actual particle size distribution under different parameter settings. The smaller the deviation compared to the nominal control range of the equipment, the better, to ensure stable production of powders that meet quality standards.
(3) Energy efficiency
The energy consumption of powder atomization process is quite high, especially for large-scale continuous production enterprises, and the energy cost cannot be ignored. Compare the energy consumption indicators of different devices, such as electricity consumption, gas consumption, or water consumption per unit output, and choose energy-saving devices. New efficient atomization equipment often adopts optimized fluid dynamics design to make the atomization medium more fully utilized, reduce energy consumption without affecting powder quality and output.
4.Consider equipment compatibility and after-sales service
(1) Requirements for supporting facilities
Powder atomization equipment does not operate in isolation and needs to work in coordination with upstream and downstream supporting facilities. Upstream consideration should be given to the compatibility of the raw material supply system, such as the ability to accurately connect with storage tanks and conveying pumps to ensure stable and uniform transportation of raw materials; Downstream attention should be paid to the smooth connection of powder collection, screening, and packaging equipment to prevent powder leakage and secondary pollution, and improve the overall production automation level. For example, in a highly automated production line, the powder produced by the atomization equipment can be directly transported to a multi-stage screening machine through a closed pipeline, and the qualified particle size powder can be automatically packaged, reducing manual intervention throughout the process.
(2) After sales service
The full lifecycle service of the equipment is crucial. Understand the coverage of the manufacturer’s after-sales service network, whether it can respond quickly in case of equipment failure, and promptly dispatch professional technical personnel for on-site maintenance; Whether the supply of spare parts is sufficient and timely, to avoid long-term downtime caused by shortages of key spare parts; Does it provide equipment operation training and regular maintenance guidance to help enterprise operators master equipment operation skills proficiently and extend equipment service life.
5.Cost benefit analysis
(1) Procurement cost
The initial purchase price of the equipment is the direct financial expenditure of the enterprise, and the prices of powder atomization equipment of different brands, models, and configurations vary greatly. On the premise of meeting the core production requirements, compare quotes from multiple suppliers and pay attention to the content included in the price, such as equipment body, supporting accessories, installation and commissioning costs, to avoid hidden costs. But do not solely rely on low prices as the selection criteria, ignoring equipment quality and performance.
(2) Operating costs
Covering long-term operating expenses such as energy consumption, consumables, equipment maintenance, and labor. If the energy consumption cost is estimated based on equipment energy consumption indicators and local energy prices; Consumables include atomization media and replacement costs for vulnerable parts; The cost of equipment maintenance depends on the frequency of failures and the complexity of repairs; The labor cost is related to the degree of equipment automation, and if the automation is low, more operators need to be equipped. Comprehensive accounting of operating costs, combined with the service life of equipment, evaluating the long-term input-output ratio, and selecting the optimal total cost plan.
In summary, when selecting powder atomization equipment suitable for their own production, enterprises need to consider all aspects, starting from clarifying production needs, deeply understanding the technical principles, quality performance, and supporting after-sales of the equipment, conducting detailed cost-benefit analysis, and screening step by step and rigorously, in order to select the ideal equipment that helps enterprises achieve efficient, high-quality, and sustainable development.
Post time: Jan-07-2025
