A ribbon blender is a common piece of equipment used in the food processing industry to mix powdered ingredients. It consists of a U-shaped horizontal trough with a ribbon or helical agitator mounted in the center. The agitator consists of a series of intermeshing paddles or helical ribbons that move the material through the blender as it rotates.
To mix the powdered ingredients using a ribbon blender, the ingredients are typically added to the blender in a specific order, starting with the heaviest or most dense ingredients and ending with the lightest or least dense ingredients. The blender is then turned on and the agitator rotates, moving the ingredients through the blender and ensuring that they are uniformly mixed.
Once the mixing is complete, the blended powder is typically discharged by gravity into a container located below the mixer. In this case, you mentioned that the container is a stainless steel, food grade IBC located below the mixer. An operator then retrieves the full IBC using a forklift and moves it to a staging location near the packaging area.
It’s important to follow proper safety and hygiene practices when using ribbon blenders and handling food ingredients. This may include wearing personal protective equipment, cleaning and sanitizing the equipment regularly, and following good manufacturing practices.