When most people think of powder grinding machines, they envision a vertically oriented machine that contains rotary cutters. Traditional milling machines such as this are used extensively in the manufacturing industry to reshape workpieces. However, there are many other types of milling machines, one of which is a ball mill. What is a ball mill exactly, and how does it differ from traditional milling machines?
Overview of Planetary Ball Mills
Ball milling machine are a type of grinding machine that uses balls to grind and remove material. It consists of a hollow compartment that rotates along a horizontal or vertical axis. It’s called a “ball mill” because it’s literally filled with balls. Materials are added to the mini ball mill, at which point the balls knock around inside the mill.
How a panetary mill Works
planetary grinder work by using balls to grind materials. Materials such as iron ore, paint and ceramics are added to the ball mill. Next, the ball mill is activated so that it rotates — either on its vertical or horizontal axis. As the ball mill rotates, the balls bounce around while striking the enclosed material. The force of these strikes helps to grind the material into a finer, less-coarse medium.
For a ball mill to work, critical speed must be achieved. Critical speed refers to the speed at which the enclosed balls begin to rotate along the inner walls of the ball mill. If a ball mill fails to reach critical speed, the balls will remain stationary at the bottom where they have little or no impact on the material.