0.4-0.6T/H Dog Biscuit Drying Belt Conveyor in Spain

From the belt dryer table, the DHG-500 (electrically heated) was selected. Why this model?

• No product movement: Biscuits sit stationary on the belt – no tumbling, no breakage
• Gentle airflow: Low-velocity air doesn't damage delicate shapes
• Uniform drying: 5-layer design ensures consistent moisture throughout
• Shape preservation: Biscuits retain their original form
• Capacity: 21 m² drying area – enough for 0.4-0.6 tons/hour

Javier chose the electric model because their facility had no steam boiler. The DHG-500 runs on electricity only.

What He's Drying – Artisan Shaped Dog Biscuits

Spanish pet treat standards are high. Javier's artisan biscuits contain:

• Whole wheat flour (local – Spain grows wheat): 40-50% – base ingredient
• Chicken or salmon meal (local): 20-25% – protein
• Poultry fat (local): 5-8% – palatability
• Vegetables (carrots, spinach – local): 5-10% – color and nutrition
• Natural preservatives (mixed tocopherols): 1%

The biscuits are extruded or rotary-molded into shapes:

Bone shapes: 50mm long, 25mm wide – thin sections at the ends

Heart shapes: 40mm diameter – uniform thickness

Star shapes: 45mm diameter – pointed tips

Custom shapes: Various

Exit moisture from forming: 22-25%

Target final moisture: 8-10% for shelf stability

Challenge: Thin sections dry faster, causing warping and breakage.

Installation – Gentle Drying for Delicate Shapes

The DHG-500 arrived at the Port of Barcelona – Spain's largest port on the Mediterranean.

Shipping time from Qingdao to Barcelona is about 30-35 days. The machine was packed in a 20-foot container with:

• DHG-500 dryer main unit (50kW heating + fans)
• 5-layer mesh belt conveyor system (1.0m wide)
• Control panel with PLC
• Spare belts (one set – standard mesh)
• Installation manual and electrical diagram in Spanish

Customs clearance in Barcelona took about 4 days. Total landed cost was about 22% higher than the FOB price.

Installation took two weeks. Javier's team prepared a concrete foundation – the DHG-500 is about 8 meters long. They poured a 200mm reinforced slab.

The electrical hookup required 400V, 50Hz three-phase (Spanish standard). The 50kW heater required a 120-amp breaker.

The first test run was with bone-shaped biscuits at 24% moisture. The biscuits were spread on the belt (single layer – not touching). Belt speed was set to 20 minutes per layer – total drying time 100 minutes across 5 layers. Air temperature: 85°C. Output moisture: 9%. Breakage rate: <2% (down from 18%). Shape retention: Excellent.

Performance – Breakage Virtually Eliminated

After six months of operation, Javier documented the following results:

Before (oven dryer – tumbling action):

• Breakage rate: 15-20% (thin sections break off)
• Shape warping: 10-15% (biscuits curl or twist)
• Color uniformity: Poor – dark on edges, light in center
• Production loss: 500-600 tons/year of broken product
• Customer complaints: 8-10 per month about "broken treats"

After (DHG-500 belt dryer – stationary drying):

• Breakage rate: 1-2% (90% reduction)
• Shape warping: <1% (virtually eliminated)
• Color uniformity: Excellent – golden brown throughout
• Production loss: 30-50 tons/year (saving 450+ tons)
• Customer complaints: Zero in six months

Production output:

Input moisture: 22-25%

Output moisture: 8-10%

Throughput: 0.5 tons/hour of dried biscuits

Daily output (16 hours): 8 tons

Annual output: 2,500 tons (artisan line only)

Product savings:

Breakage reduction: 17% average to 1.5% = 15.5% improvement

Annual production: 2,500 tons × 15.5% = 387 tons saved

Value of saved product: 387 tons × €3,000/ton = €1,161,000/year

The machine cost delivered approximately €48,000. Payback period was about 2-3 weeks based on product savings alone.

Customer Feedback – Javier's Experience

Here's what Javier said after six months (paraphrased from a conversation, translated from Spanish):

Shaped biscuits are fragile. Bone biscuits have thin ends that break off. Heart biscuits can warp. Our oven dryer was destroying 15-20% of every batch. Customers complained about broken treats in the bags.

The DHG-500 changed that. The biscuits sit perfectly still on the belt. No tumbling. No high-velocity air. Breakage dropped to under 2%. The shapes are perfect. The color is uniform.

The 5-layer design gives us 100 minutes of gentle drying. The temperature is moderate – 85°C. The biscuits come out crisp but not burnt.

A few operational notes: The biscuits need to be spread in a single layer – no stacking. If they touch, they stick together. The belt speed is critical – too fast and they're under-dried, too slow and they're over-dried. We check moisture every hour.

Would I recommend this machine? Yes. For any artisan treat manufacturer, belt drying is the only way to preserve delicate shapes. The DHG-500 paid for itself in three weeks.

Why Belt Drying for Shaped Dog Treats

Shaped biscuits have unique challenges. Here's why belt drying works:

No product movement: Oven dryers use rotating drums or fluidized beds that tumble the product. Belt dryers keep biscuits stationary. No impact, no breakage.

Gentle airflow: Low-velocity air (1-2 m/s) vs high-velocity air (5-10 m/s). Less force on delicate thin sections.

Uniform temperature: The 5-layer design ensures consistent temperature throughout. No hot spots that cause warping.

Single-layer drying: Biscuits spread in a single layer – no stacking, no sticking.

Shape preservation: Biscuits retain their original form because they don't move.

Single-Layer Drying – Critical for Shaped Treats

Unlike kibble, shaped biscuits cannot be stacked. Javier's procedure:

Layer thickness: Single biscuit (8-12mm)

Spacing: 5-10mm between biscuits

Reason: Prevents sticking and ensures uniform drying

The DHG-500's belt width (1.0m) allows Javier to dry about 5,000 biscuits per hour.

Temperature Gradient – Preventing Warping

The DHG-500 uses a decreasing temperature gradient to prevent warping:

Layer 1: 95°C – gentle surface drying

Layer 2: 90°C – continued drying

Layer 3: 85°C – moisture migration

Layer 4: 80°C – gentle finishing

Layer 5: 75°C – final crispness

The gradual temperature reduction prevents the thin sections from drying too fast and warping.

Biscuit Spacing – Preventing Sticking

If biscuits touch during drying, they stick together. Javier's team uses a spreading machine to ensure proper spacing:

Spacing: 5-10mm between biscuits

Method: Vibratory spreader with guide rails

Manual check: Operator inspects belt before drying starts

The spreader cost €8,000 – money well spent.

Shipping – Qingdao to Barcelona

The DHG-500 shipped from Qingdao to Port of Barcelona, Spain.

Shipping time from Qingdao to Barcelona is about 30-35 days. The route goes through the South China Sea, past Singapore, across the Indian Ocean, through the Suez Canal, and across the Mediterranean.

The machine was packed in a 20-foot container. Customs clearance in Barcelona took about 4 days. Total landed cost was about 22% higher than the FOB price.

The truck transport from Barcelona to Catalonia was short – about 50km, roughly 1 hour.

What Javier Learned – Lessons for Other Treat Manufacturers

After six months of running the DHG-500, Javier shared several observations:

Lesson 1: Single-layer drying is essential for shaped treats. Stacking causes sticking and uneven drying.

Lesson 2: Temperature gradient prevents warping. Start at 95°C, finish at 75°C. Constant high temperature causes thin sections to dry too fast.

Lesson 3: No product movement = no breakage. Belt dryers keep biscuits stationary. Oven dryers that tumble product will always cause breakage.

Lesson 4: Check spacing before drying. If biscuits touch, they stick together. Javier's operator inspects the belt before starting.

Lesson 5: Clean belts daily. Fine flour dust builds up. Javier's team uses compressed air every evening. Takes 20 minutes.

What RICHI Provided Beyond the Machine

RICHI provided several services that helped Javier get the DHG-500 belt dryer operational:

• Spanish documentation: The manual and electrical diagram were provided in Spanish.
• Temperature gradient guidance: RICHI provided recommendations for shaped product drying.
• Spreading advice: RICHI recommended a vibratory spreader for uniform biscuit spacing.
• Spare parts kit: RICHI recommended a spare parts kit based on Javier's volume – including belts, heater elements, and sensors.
• Remote support: When Javier had questions about belt tension, a RICHI technician walked him through it via video call.

Is a Dog Biscuit Drying Belt Conveyor Right for Your Operation?

For an artisan dog treat manufacturer producing shaped biscuits, belt drying is essential.

Consider the DHG-500 if:

• Your treats have delicate shapes (bones, hearts, stars)
• You have breakage issues with current drying method
• Your capacity requirement is 0.4-0.8 tons/hour
• Product appearance and shape retention are priorities

Consider a larger model (DHG-1000) if:

• Your capacity requirement is 0.8-1.2 tons/hour

For Javier's artisan treat plant, the DHG-500 was the right investment. It reduced breakage from 17% to under 2%, saved 387 tons of product annually (€1,161,000), and paid for itself in three weeks.

Final Thoughts

If you're a dog treat manufacturer producing shaped biscuits, don't use oven dryers that tumble the product. The breakage will destroy your margins. Delicate shapes need gentle, stationary drying.

The DHG-500 dog biscuit drying belt conveyor keeps biscuits perfectly still. No tumbling. No breakage. Gentle airflow at decreasing temperatures. The result is perfectly shaped treats with uniform color.

For shaped dog treats, the math is simple: belt drying = no breakage = higher yield = faster payback.

RICHI Machinery offers documentation in Spanish, temperature gradient guidance, spreading advice, and remote support. Contact RICHI Machinery through the website with your treat shapes, breakage rate, and capacity for a recommendation. Tell them about your artisan product application – they can help you select the right dryer and settings for optimal shape retention.