Blending bin systems
With this architecture, the
facility will have a single
production line that will
include the following: raw materials,
extrusion, drying, coating and cooling.
To produce the product defined on p. 4,
follow these steps:

1. Start mixing for red fish;

2. Start extrusion, drying, coating
and cooling for red fish;
3. Store red fish in a dedicated
storage bin for blending;
4. Shut down, clean out and
change over for next piece;
5. Complete steps 1-4 for yellow
triangle;
6. Complete steps 1-4 for brown
drumstick;
7. Complete steps 1-4 for green
pea;
8. Start blending system that will
empty each of the four storage
bins simultaneously into the
packaging system.

This architecture, a blending bin system, consumes a lot of floor space, time and
capital expense.

As you can see, this production scheme is extremely time inefficient—not to mention the four blending bins consuming valuable plant floor space. In short, the pain points of this architecture are:

A blending bin system is a single production line that includes raw materials, extrusion, drying, coating and cooling.

■ Extensive consumption of valuable plant floor space;

■ High capital cost:

• 4-bin mixing configuration costing US$750,000 or more;

• 6-bin mixing configuration costing US$925,000 or more;
■ High maintenance cost;

■ High down-time/changeovers. ■