Why is the quality of the fish food extruder pellets poor? - Knowledge

content

Loose and brittle pellets are the most common molding defect, characterized by pellets that crumble easily when squeezed and have poor water resistance (disintegrating within one hour of soaking in water). The core causes include excessively low temperature, insufficient pressure, and unsuitable raw material moisture content in the small floating fish feed pellet machine. Troubleshooting steps: First, check the pellet maturation degree; if the starch gelatinization rate is below 80%, the temperature is too low. Next, check the extrusion chamber pressure; if the pressure is below 3 MPa, the pressure is insufficient. Finally, check the raw material moisture content; both excessively high and low moisture content will affect molding. Solutions: Adjust the temperature control system to raise the temperature to 130-140℃; reduce the feed speed, increase the screw speed, and increase the extrusion pressure; adjust the raw material moisture content to 12%-15%.

Uneven pellet size is another defect, characterized by large differences in pellet length and diameter. Causes include a mismatch between the cutter speed and the output speed, uneven wear of the die orifice, and fluctuations in the feed speed. During troubleshooting, first observe the cutter's operating status. If the cutter speed is too slow, the pellets will be too long; if the speed is too fast, the pellets will be too short. Next, check the die head aperture; if it is severely worn, the aperture size will be inconsistent. Finally, verify whether the feeding speed is stable. Solutions: Adjust the cutter speed using a frequency converter to precisely match the output speed. The recommended cutter speed is 500-800 rpm. Replace worn die heads with high-quality die heads with an aperture error of no more than 0.1 mm. Ensure a uniform feeding speed and avoid pouring in large amounts of raw material at once.

Other molding defects include rough pellet surfaces and cracks. Rough surfaces are often caused by uneven raw material particle size, requiring re-grinding the raw material to 80-100 mesh. Cracked pellets are often caused by sudden pressure changes or excessively high temperatures; the pressure and temperature parameters need to be stabilized. In daily production, it is recommended to sample and check pellet quality every hour to promptly identify and adjust molding defects, avoiding batches of defective products.

Related equipment

What is Wet Pet Food Manufacturing Process Dry vs. Wet pet food manufacturing process: Tips for Nutritional Retention with Dog food extruders? Small home use dog food making machine：Step-by-Step Operation Guide Top 5 Misconceptions About small floating fish feed pellet machines and solutions

about Us

MIKIM's fish feed pellet production lines and supporting machinery offer excellent value for money. Not only are they affordable, eliminating middlemen markups and allowing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and fish farmers to purchase complete sets of equipment at reasonable costs, but they also boast exceptional efficiency. The fully automated process, from raw material crushing and precise ingredient mixing to extrusion pelleting and maturation, is completed in one continuous flow. This results in high starch gelatinization rates and uniform pellet formation, significantly improving production efficiency and feed quality, truly achieving "low cost, high output." Choosing a MIKIM fish feed pellet production line means enjoying comprehensive pre-sales and after-sales service, including 24-hour online customer support, a one-year warranty on the entire machine, professional on-site installation, commissioning, and maintenance, and a stable supply of spare parts. Customers can buy with confidence and use with peace of mind, with both excellent value and service quality!

Customer visit

20240314111719