What makes FlakeBOSS different from other flaking equipment manufacturers?
Why should you choose FlakeBOSS instead of anything else?
To answer that question, it’s important to recognize how
flaking equipment has been sold, delivered, and serviced for a
very long time.
Historically, flakers and steam chests have been sold by
equipment manufacturers whose designs have seen little
innovation and have been passed down from one engineering
generation to the next. Emphasis shifted from the needs
of an evolving flaking industry to simply manufacturing a
cloned product. The flaking industry needed new options.
In addition to offering insight into new designs, startup assistance
and support are critical to a complete installation. Any new
equipment must be “tuned” to the process it is running. Tuning
is a skill that is learned over time with much of that skill being
instinct. Without proper tuning the equipment will not live up
to expectations.
This, my friends, is where FlakeBOSS enters the picture.
The owners of FlakeBOSS and its parent company, Feed Yard
Industrial Solutions grew up in the cattle feeding industry.
With over 220 years of combined experience, we have
participated in every position available in a feed yard. Including
cleaning water troughs and pens, calling feed, riding horseback,
doctoring cattle, working in, and managing feed mills, and even managing
the millwright division of one of the largest cattle feeding companies in the United States.
We understand feeding cattle.
We understand cost of gain and specifically how it relates to feed performance.
We understand that the steamed flaked grains are typically one of the greatest
input costs to the cattle producer, with the opportunity for the greatest return on investment.
Our number one goal at FlakeBOSS is to provide you, the cattle feeder with the necessary
tools and technology to consistently attain the very best feed conversions possible.
It has been known for some time now that to make good flake there is a triangle
of three points that need to be met once the grain gets to the flaking equipment:
Temperature – Pressure – Moisture
All three of these important factors are influenced by Retention Time, or the
amount of time the grain remains in the cooking process inside of the steam chest.
The energy, or food value, of a corn kernel is tied up in complex protein chains.
We apply heat, moisture, and pressure to break the bonds of the complex protein
chains to make the energy, or starches, more readily available for digestion by the ruminant animal.
The amount of heat required to convert the tightly held protein bonds or solid corn
kernel to a gelatinous state is called latent heat. This process is referred to as
gelatinization and to the degree it occurs is measured in total Starch Availability.
For years, Flaking Mills have operated on these basic principles. Not until recently
has any serious study been given to the science of how to make a better flake product.
“Just because it’s always been done this way doesn’t mean it’s right”
In fact, we found that most traditional flaking equipment manufacturers are doing it all wrong!
Most steam chest vessels in operation today are just not capable of producing the
latent heat necessary to achieve optimal gelatinization.
Why?
– They don’t know why their process is wrong and
– Until now there hasn’t been anyone to challenge the
way things have been done for the last 50 years, so why change?
What’s wrong with the way flaking has been done all these years?
Let’s answer that question by looking at the results we find in a
typical feed yard using the older technology that the other guys are selling.
* We find inconsistent flake weights.
* We find inconsistent processing of the flakes.
* We find an unacceptable volume of fines.
* We find inconsistent flake moistures.
* And, most importantly, we find consistently low starch availabilities.
To find a way of making a better flake product, we needed to identify and find
solutions to several unresolved questions. The problem was that not only had these
questions never been seriously looked at, but there were no tools currently
in existence to measure and adjust the metrics addressed by the questions.
A few of the questions that needed to be addressed and resolved were:
– What temperature do we need to achieve and maintain throughout the cooking process?
– What is the optimal pressure required where the cooked grain meets the processing rolls?- What is ideal moisture for grain to be entering the steam chest?
– What is gained by increasing atmospheric pressure in the steam chest?
– What is the ideal vessel pressure required to increase production rate?
– How do we increase chest vessel pressure without venting the excess steam?
– How do we assure mass grain flow throughout the steam chest vessel? (first in-first out)
The Joule–Thomson Effect
Also known as the “throttling effect,” it’s what happens when you pass a higher-pressure
gas through an orifice into a lower pressure environment. The results of this effect
are cooling and condensation as the gas rapidly expands. This is exactly what is
happening inside our competitors’ steam chest due to their design flaws.
It causes the hot BTU rich heat produced by the boiler plant to be converted back to hot water. What a waste!
FlakeBOSS overcomes this deficiency with the patented FlakeBOSS Steam Sparge Design.
Our unique design introduces more latent heat to the grain. More heat, better cook.
Better Temperature Control
We need to quickly get to the optimal temperature in the top zone of the steam chest and
maintain that temperature consistently (within a half of a degree F) throughout the entire cook process.
FlakeBOSS answers this with our patented multi-zone process control.
Each heating zone in our FlakeBOSS Steam Chest is controlled through an independent acting process control loop.
Better Moisture Control
How do we overcome the problem of inconsistent moistures in the grains entering the flaking system?
What we found is that most available grain conditioning systems available today are interested
in one thing: selling product. Therefore, the technology they use takes a back seat.
We looked at the science of moisture measurement to find a better way. Rather than using
capacitance type sensing like our competitors, our patented HydroBOSS System incorporates
state of the art microwave technology. This allows us to determine the internal moistures
of the product rather than the surface moisture like the others.
Most customers who install a complete FlakeBOSS System find that they no longer require a surfactant product.
Better Flake Density Control
While FlakeBOSS may not be the only group working on this issue, we are the only ones
applying scientific data to our technology rather than relying on theoretical assumptions.
FlakeBOSS does this by using real data and actual measurements.
⁃ We measure the gap between each roll within .001 of an inch – in real-time.
⁃ We measure the density of the flake by automatically collecting
and weighing samples from each side of the flaker.
⁃ We apply the actual flake weight data vs theoretical assumptions (based on amp load)
into our algorithms to make corrections to flaker gap control.
⁃ FlakeBOSS uses a patented “solid-stop” hydraulic fixator cylinder for gap control vs the floating type control in use by others.
Better Data
How can we manage all the data that we are collecting through our advanced control system?
How can we put all of this valuable data into a single, easy to use asset and make it available
to the people who need it, those who are operating the equipment and
those making management decisions based on that information?
The answer: DataBOSS.
DataBOSS is our online product that was created for the collection, management, and delivery
of critical data that is essential for operating your plant in the most efficient way possible.
• DataBOSS delivers a daily Flaking Report to assigned users each morning.
• DataBOSS delivers real-time status of alarm conditions via SMS text, E-Mail, or Voice Message.
• DataBOSS provides remote access, allowing technicians to provide live support.
What makes FlakeBOSS different from other flaking equipment manufacturers?
Very simply stated …. We have been in your shoes.
We have spent the time, effort, and resources necessary to understand the flaking process.
Our patented tools and techniques allow us to optimize the performance of the flaking equipment.
As a result, FlakeBOSS delivers the highest quality flake on the market with gains you can measure!
FlakeBOSS is not your typical equipment manufacture. We are not interested in selling equipment, walking away, and moving on to the next deal.
• We will be a partner in your Flaking operation.
• We will be there during installation.
• We will be there during startup.
• We will be there all along the way to help you.
• We are only successful when you are successful.
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