PSI - Issue 12

Francesco Mocera et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 12 (2018) 213–223 Author name / Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000

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(a)

(b)

(c)

Fig. 1: Feed mixing machines: (a) horizontal augers; (b) vertical augers; (c) shovel based mixer.

Fig. 2: Self propelled vertical feed mixer.

2. Machine description

In this work, the study of a vertical feed mixer for livestock meal preparation is shown. A feed mixer wagon is characterized by a main tank of variable capacity (usually up to 30m 3 ) within which one or several augers are used to work and mix all the main ingredients for the meal. Feed mixers can be classified by their mixing technique. It is possible to distinguish between horizontal augers machines Fig. 1a, vertical augers machines Fig. 1b and shovel based mixing machines Fig. 1c. Each mechanical solution is used to obtain di ff erent results in terms of cutting and mixing performance. It all depends on the characteristics that have to be achieved by the final meal (Vegricht, 2007). These machines may come as pulled or self propelled wagons. The latter is usually equipped with a milling head for silage cutting