Linear actuator drives innovation into lab mixers

Even the most conservative industries can be won over by design innovations, as high shear mixer maker Silverson discovered when sourcing difficulties encouraged it to rethink the only standard product its in entire range.

Silverson has adopted an Origa linear actuator as the lift mechanism on its laboratory scale high shear mixer, replacing a complex chain drive built in-house with an out-of-the-box mechatronic unit. It also acts at a structural member, the 'column' to support the shear drive head above its base.

Silverson builds about 95 per cent or more for export, a business level that has built up steadily over the 20 years the product has been in production.

"Mixer buyers know what they want, and that is proven technology for what is in fact a heavy duty application," says Alan Pepper, Chief Engineer for the company.

"We do put a lot of design effort into developing high shear mixer heads for particular applications - which can be as diverse as toothpaste, downhole slurry, bitumen and feedstocks for the brewing and distilling industries.  But they tend to want the same mixer drive and stand again and again, a design they trust from years of good experience."