PerMix plow mixers and high-speed mixer granulators (HSMGs) can be used for powder granulation, but they serve slightly different purposes and offer unique benefits depending on your specific product, throughput, and process goals.

Here’s a quick breakdown to help you compare them:

🔁 Plow Mixers for Granulation

How they work: Plow mixers use plow-shaped mixing elements that fluidize the powder in a turbulent zone. When equipped with chopper assemblies, they can shear and break up agglomerates or help form granules during liquid addition.

Best for:

• Large batch sizes
• Coarser or less precise granulation
• Granules that don’t require tight size distribution
• Mixing and granulating powders that are heat-sensitive (can be jacketed for temperature control)
• Applications where longer granulation time is acceptable

Advantages:

• Scalable to large volumes
• Excellent mixing and distribution
• Gentle yet efficient (good for delicate ingredients)
• Lower power consumption than HSMGs
• More versatile — can mix, granulate, coat, and even dry if vacuum + jacketed

Limitations:

• Slower granulation time
• Less precise control over granule size and shape
• Granule density can be more variable

⚡ High-Speed Mixer Granulators (HSMGs)

How they work: These use a rapidly rotating impeller (to mix and create movement) and a chopper blade (to break up particles or lumps) to granulate powders quickly. Granulation occurs rapidly as binder liquid is added.

Best for:

• Fine, consistent granulation with tight size distribution
• Pharmaceutical applications (tablets, capsules)
• Products where uniform density is critical
• Fast granulation cycles
• High shear-sensitive processes

Advantages:

• Fast batch times
• Produces highly uniform granules
• Excellent binder distribution
• Ideal for downstream tableting/compression
• Often used in pharma, nutraceuticals, and specialty chemicals

Limitations:

• Smaller batch sizes compared to plow mixers
• Higher energy usage
• More wear & tear from high-speed parts
• Less suitable for heat-sensitive ingredients unless cooled

🧠 So which is better?

It depends on your product and process goals:

Come see the PerMix difference and discuss with our team

John

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