General Purpose Feed Mill - Mankato, Minn.
CLIENT
Hubbard Milling Company
lbberson designed and constructed the 125,000 ton per year animal feed manufacturing plant using the fast-track construction method to reduce the overall project schedule. Plant start-up commenced 14 months after construction began and substantial completion achieved a month later.
The plant is designed for maximum efficiency and accuracy to supply Hubbard’s customers with prompt service and high quality products. The plant also provides the flexibility to meet their customers’ changing needs.
An operations center located on the work floor houses computerized central control for all the primary plant functions. The center is near the pelleting and batching systems and overlooks the loadout system.
Safety features designed into the plant include locating receiving and grinding bucket elevators outside the mill’s slipformed tower, bearing heat sensors on the bucket elevators, slow motion switches on conveyors and bucket elevators, belt alignment switches on bucket elevators, relief cover switches on conveyors, and a fail-safe protection package for the main grinder.
Other important features of the plant include dual truck and rail receiving, a full hopper car receiving pit, a pre-screening and soy grinder to improve pellet quality, and a filtered air assist system for the grinder.
Two automated batching and mixing systems with electric variable-speed batching feeders and an automated premix system with hydraulic variable-speed feeders perform fast, accurate batching. Rapid, flexible distribution of finish feeds is accomplished by a receiving and bin-top dust control system and loadout “spoke” system. Mass flow hoppers on all bins insure uniform, fresh, high-quality feed.