FAQ's
For which types of mills does Jacobs make hammers, hammermill screens, pellet mill dies, and roll shells?
Jacobs supplies aftermarket performance replacement parts for every mill manufactured. Our parts are high performance; we are not the cheapest up front. But we guarantee our technology and quality will provide the lowest overall cost per ton for your operation.
Does Jacobs supply the Biomass/Wood Industries?
Yes, Not only does Jacobs supply replacement parts but our engineers are constantly working with our customers to lower the cost per ton. We also have several Innovative products that no one else can supply. The Dominator roll shell lasts twice as long as any other rolls shell and the new Lightning die process quality and throughput like no other die. Contact our sales and engineering department today and you will see drastic improvements.
Is Jacobs Hiring?
Jacobs is always looking for aggressive employees in engineering quality, manufacturing, production and sales to provide and manage executable solutions. See current positions at the following link: Jacobs Careers
A standard Jacobs die can produce how many tons of poultry feed?
Life of the die is highly variable based on the following inputs:
- Size of the die
- Formulations
- Different ingredients (DDG`s, Soy, bakery, corn) and recipes can have a drastic impact on the life of the pellet die. Abrasive ingredients will wear faster.
- Grind size of the formulations affects abrasiveness and changes the wear properties.
- Conditioning temperature
- Roll Shell configuration
Contact Jacobs directly with your setup and we can provide some guidelines for expected life. Life ranges from 1,000 tons to over 150,000 tons with the different variables mentioned above!
For one example, in a 15 ton CPM 7000, typical life of a Jacobs die is 15% better than OEM dies.
Do any of your customers run polyurethane through their dies?
Yes. Depending on the size of pellet we can design the correct die for you to avoid melt down, plugging, and pellet fractures. If you send your contact information we would be glad to assist you.
What are some causes for meltdown within the die if you run polyurethane through them?
This is very specific to the operation. Hole size, effective, grind size, etc. With a quick 10 minute conversation we can provide very detailed answer specific to your operation. Please contact Jacobs corporation we would be glad to assist.
If the bearing in the rolls are collapsing very often, could it be that they are assembled incorrectly or using the wrong bearings?
There are many factors in determining bearing failures in the roll shell assembly. Jacobs does offer free failure analysis if possible to send in a failed assembly. Some of the major failure factors are:
- Grease compatibility
- Frequency of lubrication. To check this purge the assembly and run for one hour under normal greasing and pelleting conditions. Open the mill and purge again measuring how much grease is consumed. Run for three hours and repeat and then run a 8 hour period and repeat. If you find that as time goes on your consumption in purging increases then you need to increase the regular greasing frequency.
- Bearing Preload during assembly; this is dependent on the application and Jacobs can assist on what preload to utilize.
- Reusing seals that are worn; this allows foreign material to enter the roll shell cavity
- Assembly process of pressing in bearings versus freezing and heating assembly.
- Shell design. Hardened Internal diameter or not.
- Shaft wear; a worn shaft (under spec) will cause premature failure.
What is the price difference between a lightning die and a normal die?
Lightning Die prices are disclosed after a Lightning Die Non-Disclosure Agreement (Confidentiality Agreement) has been signed. Lightning Dies are custom designed to every individual pellet mill to maximize their return on investment. Please contact a Jacobs Corporation representative to express your interest and an Agreement will be sent your way and an Engineer will quickly be in contact with you.
What is the best brand of grease to use in rollers?
There are plenty of greases out in the market designed for a wide array of applications so a common question we receive is, which one is best for pellet mill rollers? It`s important to first point out that this is a complicated subject with many possible responses about what millers are using, why they are using it, and what the pros and cons of their decisions are. We highly recommend contacting a Jacobs Corp Engineering Representative to learn more.
- Non-Food Grade Grease: "Jacobs High Temp-L" is a lithium complex thickened high temperature grease designed specifically for pellet mills. Offered in 14oz tubes (item # 125141), and 120lb kegs (item # 125143) both in stock and ready for immediate shipment.
- Food Grade Grease: "Pro-Roll Food Grade Grease" is a calcium sulfonate complex thickened food grade grease designed specifically for pellet mills. Pro-Roll is a top tier performing food grade grease and has proven to reduce the risk of roll failure by 72%. Contact a Jacobs Corp Engineering Representative to run a head to head ASTM test report to prove it. Offered in 120lb kegs (item # 125146), and 400lb drums (item # 125147) both in stock and ready for immediate shipment.
Where can I find technical help for the website?
If you have any questions please use the Contact Us Form form or send your salesman an email and we will respond as soon as possible.
Jacobs has the answers you need. If you can't find it here, contact us.