Bühler complements its grinding portfolio with Arrakis
Reinventing an icon – Bühler complements its grinding portfolio with Arrakis. Performance, robustness, and simplicity in a contemporary design
Bühler’s endless commitment to innovation is bearing new fruit for customers. The Swiss technology group is launching the new roller mill Arrakis, the successor of the Airtronic, considered an icon in the history of milling for its durability and straightforwardness in operation. The Arrakis takes these qualities to the next level with increased efficiency, reliability, and simplicity of operation.
Arrakis is Bühler’s latest addition to its state-of-the-art grinding portfolio; it is the result of the commitment to excellence of a research and development team. At the heart of Arrakis is the grinding unit – a true pillar that customers can rely on thanks to its stable grinding performance.
The patented grinding gap adjustment ensures rigidity and stability over time to maximize grinding performance.
A cast stand is used as the load-bearing element. Cast stands dampen vibrations from roller mills and thereby increase the longevity of the installed components. Product detection is carried out via a load cell, a proven and widely adopted method for accurate measurement. The load cell sensor regulates the feeding gap to provide a stable product flow across the grinding rolls for maximum efficiency. In addition, foreign object protection prevents damage to the rolls, increasing longevity of the roller mill.
“Airtronic was a solid machine, and its durability is exactly what made it beloved by millers all around the world,” says Marcel Scherrer, Head of Business Unit Wheat & Rye at Bühler. “We took what we learned from the success of this icon and used it as a foundation to build upon when developing Arrakis.”
Urs Schwendener, Product Manager in Milling Solutions at Bühler Group, adds: “With the Arrakis, we are completing our grinding portfolio, addressing the different needs of customers. We can provide our customers with the right solutions to meet their daily challenges.”
Easy and straightforward to use
Another highlight of Arrakis is its ease of operation. Its intuitive interface makes controlling and monitoring simple and straightforward. Thanks to its secure remote access function, the machine can be operated through various digital devices such as a PC, tablet, or smartphone and from anywhere in the plant.
As the new solution is built on the same footprint of its predecessor, Airtronic, replacements can be made one-to-one, simplifying the installation process as no complex building adaptations are required. Connecting the fixed speed feeding roll to the main roll’s drive guarantees a more streamlined system that is easy to install and maintain.
“We also thought of our customers who want to upgrade their systems. Conversions of existing productions are usually very complex, and the available space is limited. With the Arrakis, we have the opportunity to replace Airtronic and other roller mills in a short time, thereby saving valuable production time,” says Urs Schwendener.
The feeding unit is equipped with a cleaning flap, which ensures the complete discharge of the remaining product and easy cleaning of the feed module. Brushless scrapers remove grain fragments jammed in corrugations. These scrapers significantly improve food safety compared to the traditional scraping brushes that are still in use to this day. The new patented knife scrapers automatically adjust to the surface of the smooth rolls, eliminating the need for manual adjustments and keeping the rolls consistently clean.
“Being the successor of such a beloved roller mill places high expectations on Arrakis. Nonetheless, the introduction of the Arrakis is driving advancements in the industry and helps our customers maintain their competitive edge,” says Marcel Scherrer.
Leading the industry into the future
With more than 160 years of market experience, Bühler is a leading provider of solutions for the milling industry with about 2,500 roller mills produced per year. About 65% of the wheat milled worldwide is processed by customers using Bühler solutions. Bühler with Application & Training Centers present in 25 locations around the world, has been a force for innovation through collaboration with partners, academia, and customers and has established itself not as just a supplier but as a lifelong partner for its customers.
About Bühler
Bühler is driven by its purpose of creating innovations for a better world, balancing the needs of economy, humanity, and nature in all its decision-making processes. Billions of people come into contact with Bühler technologies as they cover their basic needs for food and mobility every day. Two billion people each day enjoy foods produced on Bühler equipment; and one billion people travel in vehicles manufactured using parts produced with Bühler solutions.
Countless people wear eyeglasses, use smart phones, and read newspapers and magazines – all of which depend on Bühler process technologies and solutions. Having this global relevance, Bühler is in a unique position to turn today’s global challenges into sustainable business.
As a technology partner for the food, feed, and mobility industries, Bühler has committed to having solutions ready to multiply by 2025 that reduce energy, waste, and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers. It also proactively collaborates with suppliers to reduce climate impacts throughout the value chain. In its own operations, Bühler has developed a pathway to achieve a 60% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scopes 1 & 2, against a 2019 baseline).
Bühler spends up to 5% of turnover on research and development annually to improve both the commercial and sustainability performance of its solutions, products, and services. In 2023, some 12,500 employees generated a turnover of CHF 3.0 billion. As a Swiss family-owned company with a history spanning 164 years, Bühler is active in 140 countries around the world and operates a global network of 105 service stations, 30 manufacturing sites, and Application & Training Centers in 25 locations.
