This project involves a micro-grinder for a fish feed mill in Bangladesh. A fish feed mill in the Mymensingh region of Bangladesh, about 120km north of Dhaka, was expanding their product line. They had been producing feed for pangasius (a large catfish species) using a feed hammer mill that achieved 300-400 microns. Pangasius are not picky – they eat coarse feed. But then they decided to add tilapia feed to their product line. Tilapia are smaller fish with smaller mouths. They need finer feed – 200-250 microns.
A fish feed mill in the Mymensingh region of Bangladesh, about 120km north of Dhaka, was expanding their product line. They had been producing feed for pangasius (a large catfish species) using a feed hammer mill that achieved 300-400 microns. Pangasius are not picky – they eat coarse feed. But then they decided to add tilapia feed to their product line. Tilapia are smaller fish with smaller mouths. They need finer feed – 200-250 microns.
The production manager (let's call him Rahim) explained the challenge: "We had one grinder for everything. It worked fine for pangasius. But when we tried to make tilapia feed, the hammer mill couldn't get fine enough. The tilapia weren't eating well. We needed a grinder that could do both – coarse for pangasius, fine for tilapia – with easy changeover."
The company produces about 12,000 tons annually of fish feed – 70% pangasius, 30% tilapia. Their customers are small to medium fish farms across northern Bangladesh.
Rahim looked for a fine grinding system that could achieve 200-250 microns for tilapia feed, but also run coarser (300-400 microns) for pangasius without major downtime. He found the SWFL series ultrafine grinder from RICHI.
Name:
Fish Feed Micro Grinder
Country:
Bangladesh
Date:
2025
Capacity:
1.0-2.0 tons/hour
Model:
SWFL90
Main Motor Power:
90kW
Raw Materials:
Fish mea, Soybean meal, Rice bran
Final product size:
75-180 microns
From the ultrafine grinder table, the SWFL90 (90kW) was selected. Why this model?
Rahim chose the SWFL90 micro grinder because it offered the flexibility they needed for multiple species.
Bangladesh's aquaculture industry relies on a mix of local and imported ingredients. Rahim's mill uses:
The challenge is grinding the fish meal, soybean meal, and mustard oil cake to different specifications:
The SWFL90 micro grinder's adjustable classifier wheel allows Rahim to change fineness without changing machines.
The SWFL90 arrived at the Port of Chittagong – Bangladesh's largest port, located on the Bay of Bengal.
Shipping time from Qingdao to Chittagong is about 15-20 days – shorter than to Europe. The machine was packed in a 20-foot container with:
Customs clearance in Chittagong took about 7 days. Total landed cost was about 25% higher than the FOB price.
Installation took two weeks. Rahim's team prepared a concrete foundation – the SWFL90 weighs about 4.5 tons. They poured a 200mm reinforced slab.
The electrical hookup required 380V, 50Hz three-phase (Bangladeshi standard). The 90kW motor required a 200-amp breaker.
The air system required ducting to a dust collector. Rahim installed a baghouse filter (purchased locally).
The first test run was with fish meal for tilapia feed (target 200-250 microns). The classifier wheel was set to 2,800 RPM. A sieve test showed 90% passing through 80 mesh (180 microns). Slightly finer than target – Rahim reduced classifier speed to 2,600 RPM. Second test: 200-250 microns. Perfect.
Second test run for pangasius feed (target 300-400 microns). Classifier wheel at 2,200 RPM. Sieve test: 350 microns average. Perfect.
After six months of operation, Rahim documented the following results:
Before (hammer mill only – 300-400 microns for both species):
After (SWFL90 ultrafine grinder):
Production output:
Quality improvements:
The machine cost delivered approximately BDT 4,500,000 (about €38,000). Payback period was about 10-12 months based on new customer acquisition and retention.
Here's what Rahim said after six months (paraphrased from a conversation, translated from Bengali):
"We had one grinder for both species. Pangasius was fine – they eat anything. But tilapia need finer feed. Our hammer mill couldn't do it. We were losing tilapia customers.
The SWFL90 changed that. Now we run tilapia feed at 2,600 RPM for 200-250 microns. Pangasius feed at 2,200 RPM for 300-400 microns. Changeover takes 15 minutes. One machine does both.
The classifier wheel is the key. We just change the speed. No need for a second grinder. No need to move material between machines.
A few operational notes: The hammers wear – about 600-700 hours. We keep spares. The pre-screen is 2.0mm for both products – we don't change it. The air balance needs adjustment when changing classifier speed – we have a chart on the wall.
Would I recommend this machine? Yes. For any fish feed mill making feed for multiple species, the SWFL90 offers the flexibility to produce different particle sizes from one machine."
Different fish species have different feed particle size requirements. Here's why versatility matters in Bangladesh:
Pangasius (catfish):
Tilapia:
One mill producing feed for both species needs one grinder that can do both.
The SWFL90 micro crusher machine's classifier wheel allows Rahim to change particle size by changing wheel speed. Here are his settings:
Tilapia feed (200-250 microns):
Pangasius feed (300-400 microns):
Changeover procedure:
Total changeover time: 15-20 minutes.
Mustard oil cake is a common ingredient in Bangladeshi fish feed. It has about 8-10% residual oil. The oil can cause standard hammers to gum up. The SWFL90's alloy hammers resist gumming and last longer.
Rahim's hammer life:
The alloy protection extends life by 40%. Rahim bought a spare set with the machine.
Rahim's team cleans the grinder when switching between species. Not because of particle size – because of different ingredient formulations. Tilapia feed has different ingredients than pangasius feed. Cross-contamination could affect growth.
Cleaning procedure:
Total cleaning time: 20 minutes. Rahim does this every time he switches species.
The SWFL90 shipped from Qingdao to Port of Chittagong, Bangladesh – the country's largest port.
Shipping time from Qingdao to Chittagong is about 15-20 days – much shorter than to Europe. The route goes through the South China Sea, past Singapore, and across the Bay of Bengal.
The machine was packed in a 20-foot container. Customs clearance in Chittagong took about 7 days. Total landed cost was about 25% higher than the FOB price.
The truck transport from Chittagong to Mymensingh was about 350km – roughly 6-8 hours.
RICHI provided several services that helped Rahim get the SWFL90 operational:
For a fish feed mill producing feed for multiple species with different particle size requirements, the SWFL90 offers the needed versatility.
Consider the SWFL90 if:
Consider a larger model (SWFL110 or SWFL130) if:
For Rahim's fish feed mill, the SWFL90 was the right investment. It allowed them to serve both tilapia and pangasius farmers with one machine, improved tilapia growth rates by 15-20%, and paid for itself in 10-12 months.
If you're a fish feed mill serving multiple species, don't buy separate grinders for coarse and fine feed. One versatile grinder with an adjustable classifier wheel can do both.
The SWFL90 micro grinder for fish feed mill produces 200-250 microns for tilapia or 300-400 microns for pangasius – just by changing the classifier speed. The changeover takes 15-20 minutes. The alloy hammers last longer with oily ingredients.
For multi-species fish feed production, the math is simple: one versatile grinder costs less than two dedicated grinders, takes less space, and requires less maintenance.
RICHI offers documentation in Bengali, alloy hammers, classifier speed guidance, and remote support. Contact RICHI Machinery through the website with your target species, particle size requirements, and capacity for a recommendation. Tell them about your multi-species operation – they can help you select the right grinder and classifier settings for each species.
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