Gantry Crane Solutions for Pet Food Manufacturing
Feed & Pet Food Manufacturing (raw corn/soybean meal bulk throughput 50,000–500,000 t/yr; food extruders 5–20 t/unit; dryers 3–10 t/unit; bagging scales 500 kg–2 t/unit) relies primarily on bulk material conveying plus equipment installation & repair. Recommended setup: LD single-girder crane 3–5 t + MH gantry crane 5–10 t with grab bucket + electric flat car + jib crane. Kelude Heavy Industry's feed-industry solution covers the full range of bulk-material handling equipment installation & maintenance.
Feed and pet food manufacturing follows a complete process chain — raw material intake, storage, grinding, batching, mixing, extrusion/pelleting, drying, coating, and packaging — operating as a 24-hour continuous production line. In-plant material handling relies primarily on pneumatic conveying and belt conveyors, so routine lifting needs are limited. However, during equipment installation and maintenance, cranes must provide coverage over critical equipment zones.
Raw Material Intake — Bulk Unloading, Silos & Drag Conveyors
Feed ingredients (corn, soybean meal, wheat bran) arrive by bulk truck and are unloaded through receiving pits, then transferred by drag conveyors and bucket elevators into silo storage. Annual throughput ranges from 50,000 to 500,000 t. Steel silos (φ6–15 m × H10–25 m) are fabricated on-site, requiring crane assistance for plate bending and tack-up. The receiving pit is covered with steel grating (200 mm openings). Maintenance on drag conveyors and bucket elevators requires lifting out the head and tail pulleys.
Recommended model: MH-type single-girder gantry crane, 5–10 t / span 8–12 m, fitted with a grab bucket (unloading rate 60–100 t/h). For on-site silo fabrication, a jib crane assists with steel plate rolling and welding. An electric hoist (500 kg) is mounted above the bucket elevator access hatch for head pulley hoisting.
Price reference: MH gantry crane 5 t — approx. $8,900–$14,800 per unit. Kelude's feed raw-material solution includes grab bucket, silo-fabrication lifting, and bucket elevator maintenance hoist.
Extruder & Pellet Mill Maintenance — Screw, Die & Cutter Replacement
Wear parts for food extruders (5–20 t/unit) and granulators (3–15 t/unit) include extruder screws (200–1,000 kg, L/D = 10–20, replaced every 3–6 months), ring dies (100–500 kg, hole diameter 2–12 mm, replaced every 2–3 months), and cutters (5–20 kg, replaced every 2–4 weeks). The extrusion workshop is exposed to steam at 85–100°C and oil mist.
Recommended model: LD Type single-girder electric crane, 3–5 t capacity with an 8–12 m span, positioned above the extruder and granulator lines. Equipped with a specialized spreader for screw handling — a multi-point lifting beam that prevents screw bending, with suspension point spacing ≤ 1.5 m — plus a ring die clamping fixture with rubber-lined, anti-slip grips.
Price reference: LD single-girder crane, 3 t / 10 m span: approx. $3,700–$7,400 per unit. Kelude's extrusion solution includes the screw spreader, ring die clamp, steam protective cover, and an IP55 motor with oil-mist guards.
Dryer & Coating Line — Flap Replacement & Spray Gun Maintenance
Inside dryers (3–10 t/unit), turning flaps (20–50 kg each, 200–500 per unit) have a replacement interval of 1–2 years. Spray coating machines (1–5 t/unit) require periodic cleaning of the spray heads. The drying workshop operates at 40–60°C, and oil mist buildup must be cleaned regularly. To minimize downtime, 20–30 flaps should be moved in a single lift during replacement.
Recommended model: LD Type single-girder electric crane, 3 t capacity with an 8–12 m span, covering the drying area. Flap replacement uses a dedicated pallet that carries 20–30 flaps per lift. The spray coating machine is serviced by a 250 kg jib crane.
Price reference: LD single-girder crane, 3 t: approx. $3,700–$7,400 per unit. Kelude's drying solution includes the flap replacement pallet and a specialized spreader for disassembling and reinstalling spray gun nozzle modules.
Feed Industry Crane Configuration Guide
| Process | recommended model | tonnage | Main Lifting and transport Material | reference price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raw Material | MHGrab (grab bucket)+Electric Hoist | 5~10t | Bulk Material/Head Pulley | 6~1210K |
| Extrusion & Pelleting | LD+Screw Lifting spreader+Ring Die Fixture | 3~5t | Screw200~1000kg | 2~510K |
| Drying & Coating | LD+jib crane+pallet | 3t | Per Tipping Cycle20~30Pieces | 2~510K |
Service Advantages for the Feed Industry
Kelude's feed industry solutions cover the full process from raw material intake to finished product packaging, providing cranes for equipment installation and maintenance. We are familiar with the replacement procedures for wear parts such as extruder screws, ring dies, and dryer flaps.
Integrated Maintenance Solutions
Our specialized spreader prevents screw bending, the ring die lifting clamp enables rapid changes, and the flap pallet allows for whole-batch replacement—reducing equipment downtime by over 30%.
Plant-Wide Crane Coverage
An MH grab crane handles raw material unloading, an LD single-girder crane covers the extrusion and drying areas, jib cranes provide auxiliary support, and electric hoists assist with bucket elevator maintenance. A single LD crane can service all critical equipment across the plant.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Does a feed mill need overhead crane coverage throughout the entire plant?
A: Daily feed production relies mainly on bulk material conveying; cranes are primarily needed for equipment installation and maintenance, which is infrequent. We recommend installing an LD single-girder crane (3–5 t) only in the extrusion/pelletizing/drying areas and an MH grab crane in the raw material yard. Other areas do not require crane coverage. This approach can cut investment by more than 50% while still meeting maintenance needs.
Q: How can extruder screw bending be prevented during hoisting?
A: To prevent bending when hoisting extruder screws (2–4 m long, L/D = 10–20, 200–1,000 kg): ① Use a multi-point spreader beam (≥3 lifting points, spaced ≤1.5 m apart) and manually adjust the wire rope length at each point to keep the screw level (inclination ≤3°). ② Fit silicone sleeves on the slings or hooks at the lifting points to prevent surface wear. ③ Store screws on V-shaped polyurethane supports (one every 1.5 m). Kelude's screw lifting spreader comes standard with a three-point spreader beam and polyurethane V-supports.
Q: What is the recommended method for replacing 20–30 dryer flaps at once?
A: Use a flap replacement pallet (1 t capacity, 1.2 × 2 m): ① Stack the 20–30 new flaps on the pallet outside the dryer, with PE spacers between each flap to prevent scratching. ② Use the LD crane to lift the pallet to the dryer's maintenance access. ③ Manually slide each flap into the unit's guide rails. ④ Lift the empty pallet out. The entire batch replacement takes ≤2 hours (compared to 8–12 hours for traditional single-flap replacement). Kelude supplies the flap replacement pallet and spacers.
Q: What effects do steam and oil mist in a feed extrusion plant have on overhead cranes?
A: Steam (85–100°C) combined with oil-mist environments poses three key hazards: ① Moisture ingress degrades motor insulation and can cause short circuits — mitigated with IP55 waterproof motors and drain holes; ② Oil residue on crane rails leads to wheel slippage — rails require periodic cleaning with degreasers or the use of self-cleaning wheels; ③ Oil contamination reduces braking force — brake units should be fitted with protective oil shields. Kelude's feed extrusion solutions come standard with IP55 motors, rail-cleaning wheels, and oil-proof brake covers.
