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Cubes An interesting niche product
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by Amandus Kahl GmbH, Germany
he market for petfood and horse feed has grown strongly in recent years and continues to rise. In this market segment, high margins can be achieved compared to fattening feed, which consists mainly of the same components. Petfood is, therefore, particularly attractive for feed manufacturers. The German machine manufacturer Amandus Kahl produces pelleting presses with flat dies with different bores. These different bores ensure the production of large and small pellets in various shapes. Larger pellets for cattle, horses and goats are called “cubes” - a reference to their shape. With over 70 years of experience, Amandus Kahl is an expert in pellet production. Thanks to the horizontally arranged die, Kahl machines can produce a wide range of different pellet diameters and densities.
Facts about cubes and pellets from Amandus Kahl
Apart from the usual cylindrical feed pellets, cubes or pellets with other special sections are in high demand. On the one hand, such pellets facilitate feeding (no rolling), on the other hand, a supplier can thus visually stand out from his competitors. However, the production of these specially shaped pellets is a challenge. In particular, the production of the necessary dies is not possible with any type of machine. 48 | July 2020 - Milling and Grain
The Kahl flat die pelleting press is particularly suitable for the production of cubes. The disk-shaped flat dies can be provided easily with the special hole cross-sections. As a result, the costs of the die are significantly reduced. Over the years, Amandus Kahl has developed a cost-effective method for producing square holes. With the Kahl method, square holes can be drilled as simply as round holes. By means of a special contour, the pellets also obtain an additional recognition effect. Our specialists in the manufacturing department have accumulated countless years of experience in the production of different contours, such as “flower” or “clover”. Wear is reduced by using so-called sandwich dies: Only the “lower plate” is provided with the specially shaped holes. An additional upper plate protects the lower plate against wear and can be easily replaced if necessary. As the die is not moved in the machine, even very long pellets (of up to 10cm) can be produced, which are not flung away prematurely. Thus, very large pellets are produced, for example as a reward feed for horses also referred to as “treats”. With the Kahl press, also coarse formulae with a high fibre content can be processed due to the flat die principle. Thus, the pellets have a high nutritional value. The Kahl press also allows quick die change. For the feed producer, this results in a high flexibility in the production of different shapes. info@akahl.de www.akahl.de/en