Milling is a critical step in achieving the desired particle size for a wide range of applications, from pharmaceuticals to industrial materials. Custom Processing Services offers a breadth of milling solutions, all backed by decades of expertise in thoroughly understanding the processes and factors affecting outcomes.
Technical Sales Engineer KT Brickman returns to the Toll Manufacturing Minute to share insights about the milling services CPS offers, and how the team determines the best approach for each material.
Breaking Down Milling Techniques
Different milling methods serve different purposes based on material properties and target particle size. Working with a toll processing partner such as CPS that has a variety of milling options and the willingness to help you understand the basics of each method is essential.
This brief overview provides snapshots of the main milling techniques and their benefits:
- Jet Milling & Micronization: Using high-velocity air, jet milling propels particles into collisions, breaking them down to extremely fine sizes, often as small as 10 microns or less — ideal for tight particle size control
- Jaw Crushing: A mechanical method used for coarser feed materials, reducing large chunks into smaller pieces as a pre-grinding step
- Hammer Milling: Hammers mounted on a rotor strike and break down materials into smaller pieces prior to particle screening, ultimately achieving particle sizes ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand microns
- Universal Milling: This mechanical mill allows for multiple configurations depending on feed type and desired final size, typically producing particles between 50 and 200 microns
- Coarse Crushing & Pulverizing: A sequential system of mechanical mills that work together to reduce large feed sizes down to as fine as 44 microns (325 mesh)
- Wet Media Milling: When materials must be processed in a liquid, wet media milling (or, wet milling) uses small media beads to achieve ultra-fine particle sizes, sometimes reaching 1 micron or smaller
Determining the Right Milling Method
Aligning materials and milling equipment is nuanced, as is selecting the best milling method for a particular application. Typically, the process depends on several key factors:
- Feed Size & Target Particle Size: Understanding the starting size of the material and the desired final size helps narrow down the milling options
- Material Characteristics: The properties a material presents — friability, rubberiness, moisture, fats — largely dictate which milling equipment is best suited for the job
- Safety Considerations: Combustible or hazardous materials must be considered from both project and safety perspectives. Initial evaluation of a material by toll processing experts ensures the appropriate equipment and protocols are in place to mitigate risk
- Industry Requirements: Materials intended primarily for foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics must be processed according to the FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and in compliance with regulations. A toll processor with GMP certification (cGMP) operates within specialized processing environments to consistently meet regulatory standards
- Process Efficiency & Cost: If multiple milling options could achieve the same particle size for an application, process and cost efficiencies are then factored into the final selection
Tailored Milling Solutions for Every Industry
CPS works with customers across diverse industries, providing customized milling solutions to meet unique processing needs. Whether a material has been processed before or requires testing, CPS can accommodate everything from comprehensive analysis and small-scale trials to full-scale production milling — and welcome the opportunity to find the right solution for your challenges and applications.
To further explore particle size reduction technologies and their benefits, check out our Milling Methods Comparison Guide.