TORREY HILLS

MIXING EQUIPMENT

THREE ROLL MILL

6370 LUSK BLVD, SUITE F-111

SAN DIEGO, CA 92121
(858) 558-6666

OWNER’S MANUAL

MODEL T50
PURCHASER
MANUFACTURER Torrey Hills Technologies
REVISION DATE December 2015

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 Table of Contents
SAFETY INFORMATION ..................................................................................................................... 2
1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 3
1.1 MACHINE DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................... 3
1.2 Technical Parameters .............................................................................................................. 4
2. OPERATION MECHANISM ............................................................................................................. 5
2.1 How a three roll mill works .................................................................................................... 5
3. STRUCTURE OF THE THREE ROLL MILL ................................................................................... 6
3.1 Overall..................................................................................................................................... 6
3.2 Transmission System............................................................................................................... 9
3.3 Rollers ................................................................................................................................... 10
3.4 Feeding Parts ......................................................................................................................... 11
3.5 Hopper................................................................................................................................... 12
3.6 Roller Adjustment ................................................................................................................. 13
3.6.1 Quick Adjustment ................................................................................................................ 13
3.6.2 Fine Adjustment ................................................................................................................... 14
3.7 Discharging Parts .................................................................................................................. 17
3.7.1 Discharging Apron Plate and Scraper Blade ........................................................................ 17
3.7.2 Discharging Apron Removal Rod ........................................................................................ 17
3.7.3 Discharging Blade Tension Adjustment ............................................................................... 17
4. INSTALLATION AND TRIAL OPERATION ................................................................................. 18
4.1 Installation............................................................................................................................. 18
4.2 Trial Operation ...................................................................................................................... 18
5. OPERATION .................................................................................................................................... 21
5.1 Preparation ............................................................................................................................ 21
5.2 During Operation .................................................................................................................. 22
6. GENERAL MAINTENCE INSTRUCTIONS .................................................................................. 23
6.1 General Information .............................................................................................................. 23
6.2 Maintenance Instructions ...................................................................................................... 24

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Thank you for choosing Torrey Hills Technologies as your three roll mills supplier.
This manual is designed to provide detailed information on how to operate, troubleshoot and
maintain your three roll mills.

Contact Torrey Hills Technologies for further assistance on the operation and maintenance of
your machine, or if you have any comments on the content of this manual. Our primary concern
is to satisfy the needs of our customers and your feedback is of great value to us.

Contacting the Factory:

Torrey Hills Technologies, LLC
A Company of G Tech Systems Group, Inc.
6370 Lusk Boulevard, Suite #F111
San Diego, CA 92121
Tel: (858) 558-6666
Fax: (858) 630-3383
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.threerollmill.com

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 Form No.: GEN82001
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 1 of 1

SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING
Before operating this machine, please take the following basic safety measures
to reduce the risk of machine damage and personal injury.

1. Read and understand all instructions.

2. Pay attention to the common knowledge of using mechanical and electronics
equipment.
3. Pay attention to the warning messages and instructions in all attached documents.
4. If you find conflict messages between the operation instruction and safety caution
information, please stick to safety caution information. You may have misunderstood
the operation instruction. Please contact the sales representative or service
representative for help.
5. Tie back long hair and restrict loose clothing that might get caught in the mill.
6. Wear goggles when milling.
7. Do not place any objects on top of the unit.
8. Do not move the unit during operation.
9. Only connect the unit to the electricity supply voltage indicated on the unit’s rating plate.
An incorrect electricity supply voltage may cause damage to the unit.
10. Before cleaning the machine, please shut down the electricity supply. Do not clean
the rollers with erosive liquid or gas sprays.
11. In order to avoid accidents, do not dismantle the machine randomly. Opening or
dismantling the cover can expose you to high voltage or other dangers. Incorrect
reassembly will cause danger to the ensuing operation.
12. If the machine needs repair, please contact suitably qualified personnel who are
familiar with the unit and who have been trained in its potential hazards.
13. Always disconnect the unit from the electricity supply before performing maintenance.

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 Form No.: GEN83001
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 1 of 2

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 MACHINE DESCRIPTION

A three roll mill is a machine tool that uses the shear force created by three horizontally
positioned rolls rotating at opposite directions and different speeds relative to each other to mix,
refine, disperse, or homogenize viscous materials fed into it. They are widely used to mix
pharmaceuticals, electronic thick film inks, high performance ceramics, cosmetics, plastisols,
carbon/graphite, paints, printing inks, chemicals, glass coatings, dental composites, pigment,
coatings, adhesives, sealants, and food products.

Our recently redesigned T50 three roll mill model has demonstrated powerful performance
with its state-of-the-art control, streamlined design and modern all stainless steel structure. In a
compact size, this three roll mill is the ideal tool in laboratories and small-volume production for
mixing pharmaceuticals, electronic thick film inks, high performance ceramics, cosmetics, paints,
printing inks, adhesives, epoxy, sealants, and many other viscous materials.

This three roll mill lab model offers faster roller speeds and higher throughput up to 3.3 gallons
or 11 kilograms per hour, depending on different materials fed. The fast roller runs at 723 RPM.
Variable frequency drive allows stepless speed control and slow speed runs. Roller spacing
adjustment is set manually with quick engagement mechanism by the use of two small marked
knobs. Slow-speed wash-up mode capability and nip guard (optional) make this three roll mill very
safe to operate. Other advantages include self-lubricating gears and Teflon end plates.

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 Form No.: GEN83001
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 2 of 2

1.2 Technical Parameters

Input Voltage 110V 60Hz

Roll Diameter 50 mm / 2.0”

Roll Working Length 178 mm / 7.0”

219

Roll Rotating Speed(RPM) 394

723

Motor 120W

Three Roll Speed Ratio 1 : 1.8 : 3.3

15” x 10” x 9.5”

Dimension L×W×H
380 mm × 255 mm × 240 mm

Weight 45.4 lb / 20.6 kg

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 Form No.: GEN83002
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 1 of 1

2. OPERATION MECHANISM

2.1 How a three roll mill works

As you can see in the illustration, the material is loaded between the rear roller and the center
roller. Due to the narrowing space between the rollers, most of the mixture is rejected to the feed
region. The part that does make it through experiences very high shear force and the fine particles
are well dispersed in the binder. As it comes out from the other side, the material that remains on
the center roll moves through to the nip between the center roll and the apron roll, experiencing
even higher shear force due to the higher speeds. A blade automatically scrapes the processed
mixture off the apron roll and transfers it to the apron. The three roll milling cycle is repeated many
times until the material is perfectly dispersed and the particle size is in the good range.

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 Form No.: GEN83003
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 1 of 12

3. STRUCTURE OF THE THREE ROLL MILL

3.1 Overall

Figure 1: Overview

A three roll mill machine is made up of the following:

A: Front, center and rear rollers
B: Apron plate
C: Rod for dischargeable apron plate
D: Fine adjustment socket
E: Quick adjustment knobs for roller gaps
F: Speed adjustment knob
G: Power switch
H: Fastening screw for hopper
I: End guide
J: Hopper

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 Form No.: GEN83003
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 2 of 12

There are a total of six bearing bases for high speed roller, medium speed roller and low speed
roller supported by base orbit. Among them, the medium speed roller is fixed to the base and cover.
The front and rear rollers can be moved horizontally by turning the gap adjustment hand wheels to
reach the desired grinding fineness.

Figure 2: Top view

A: Rear roller
B: Central roller
C: Front roller
D: Fastening hole
E: Guide positioning holder
F: Quick adjustment knob for front gap
G: Quick adjustment knob for rear gap

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 Form No.: GEN83003
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 3 of 12

NOTES

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 Form No.: GEN83003
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
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3.2 Transmission System

The drive pulley drives the adjustable pulley. The high speed (front) gear on high speed roller
will drive the medium speed roller (central) gear. Consequently, the medium speed (central) roller
gear will drive the low speed (rear) roller gear. The illustration below shows the entire transmission
system.

Figure 3: Transmission system

A: Adjustable pulley
B: Belt
C: Drive pulley
D: Front gear
E: Central gear
F: Rear gear

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 Form No.: GEN83003
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 5 of 12

3.3 Rollers
The rollers are made from 420J2 stainless steel and by centrifuge casting with a hardness of
50-60 HRC. Two axle heads of the roller are made from premium quality steel after heat treatment.
The axle head is connected to the roller by cold pressure technology so that it can be fixed to the
roller body firmly and stably. The left axle head is connected to the transmission gear.

For ceramic models, the rollers are made from cold iso-static pressed and fired 99.5% alumina
(aluminum oxide) ground to 5µm concentricity and 0.5µm surface finish. The hardness is around 9
on Mohs scale of hardness.

Figure 4: Roller

A: Roller axle
B: Roller

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 Form No.: GEN83003
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 6 of 12

3.4 Feeding Parts

This part is made up of two pieces of Teflon end guides and positioning holders. The blade is
installed on the working arc between the rear roller and the central roller. They can stop the material
from flowing outside to the end of the rollers. The Teflon end guides are fixed by the positioning
holders. The end plate fixture has an automatic adjustment feature to accommodate the expansion
of the rollers during operation. The end guides can be taken out for cleaning.

Figure 5: End guides installation

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Effective Date: September 10, 2014
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3.5 Hopper

The hopper can be applied when large amount of input is required.

Figure 6: Hopper installation

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Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 8 of 12

3.6 Roller Adjustment

The adjustment system is made up of two Quick Adjustment Knobs and four Fine Adjustment
Screws with tensioning springs.

3.6.1 Quick Adjustment

Figure 7: Decrease the gap sizes

Figure 8: Increase the gap sizes

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Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 9 of 12

3.6.2 Fine Adjustment

A 3mm hex key may be needed to complete the calibration of the rollers.

Figure 9: Fine adjustment screws

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 Form No.: GEN83003
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 10 of 12

(a) Decrease gap size (b) Increase gap size

Figure 10: Left front gap sizing

(a) Decrease gap size (b) Increase gap size

Figure 10: Right front gap sizing

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Effective Date: September 10, 2014
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(a) Decrease gap size (b) Increase gap size

Figure 10: Left rear gap sizing

(a) Decrease gap size (b) Increase gap size

Figure 10: Right rear gap sizing

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Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 12 of 12

3.7 Discharging Parts

3.7.1 Discharging Apron Plate and Scraper Blade

The discharge apron plate is installed onto a discharge holder frame. There is a scraper blade
installed on the edge of the dischargeable apron. The screw system for the scraper blade can be
adjusted to make the scraper blade move closer or more distant to fast roller surface. The edge
position of the scraper blade should a little bit higher than the center of the roll (approximately 6mm
higher), so that it can remove the ground material from the surface of the fast roller after grinding.

3.7.2 Discharging Apron Removal Rod

The discharging scraper blade can be disengaged by pushing the discharging apron removal
rod.

Figure 11: Discharge the apron plate

3.7.3 Discharging Blade Tension Adjustment

The tension between the edge of the scraper blade and the front roller has been preset for
best working efficiency before shipment. If for some reasons the user needs higher or lower
pressure between them, they can do so by adjusting the connection of the tensioning spring inside
the base of the machine.

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 Form No.: GEN83004
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 1 of 3

4. INSTALLATION AND TRIAL OPERATION

4.1 Installation

This machine has all stainless steel structure and does not need a floor bolt in order to be
stably fixed. A rubber mat may be put underneath the machine to help reduce the vibration. Be sure
to adjust with a horizontal level if a rubber mat is used. If there is a need for the user, a floor bolt
can be used to fix the machine. Please refer to the basic machine diagram while doing so.

NOTE
Before connecting to the power source, check your power supply and confirm whether it is
rated at 110V or 220V. Make sure the emergency stop button is released before turning on
the machine.

4.2 Trial Operation

Get the machine ready before trial operation. Adjust the Teflon End Guides and Apron Plate
and put them against the roller. Check for potential situations that can cause an accident. Then
start trial operation.

NOTE
The lab model is pre-lubricated and ready to be used. The transmission system is self-
lubricated.

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 Form No.: GEN83004
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 2 of 3

Before connecting to the power source, check your power supply and confirm whether it is
rated at 110V or 220V.

The control panel is located on the right side of the machine. When you are ready for operation,
press the ON/OFF button to get the rollers running. To adjust the speed of the rollers (roller speed
ratio remains constant), turn the Speed Adjustment Knob to achieve desired level, from 0 to 9.

Figure 12: Speed adjustment

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Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 3 of 3

To save the current speed, simply turn the switch to the right.

Figure 13: Save the desired speed

During the initial set up, first separate the front rollers by 0.5-1 mm and then adjust the gap of
rear rollers to about 50 microns to 75 microns. Turn the machine on, use the speed adjustment
knob to set the rollers at low speed, put a little material on the rolls (about 2 cm wide) and check if
the material is running smoothly without moving to either end. Adjust the roller gap on one side if
needed until the material stays on the roller in one place for about 1-2 minutes. Then start setting
up the front rollers. Stop the machine and set the front gap to about 25 microns to 75 microns, then
start the machine with a little material on the central and rear rollers (again no wider than 2 cm).
The material should go straight through the rollers. If needed, adjust the gap on one side. Generally,
if the gap on one side is smaller than the other, the material will move towards the smaller gap side.
If the rollers are perfectly parallel, the material should go straight.

During trial operation, check whether the transmission gears engage well and whether there
is any abnormal sound. All the rotary and moving parts shall stay at the correct positions.
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 Form No.: GEN83005
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 1 of 2

5. OPERATION

5.1 Preparation
After installation and trial operation, if it is confirmed no malfunctions have occurred, some key
issues shall be attended to before operation. Please find them in the NOTE below.

NOTE

 Check the rollers to see if the surface is clean.

 Check if the front roller and the rear speed roller keep some distance from the
central speed roller.
 Check if the Apron Blade is at normal position

WARNING

After the machine is powered on, during the production process or when the rollers are
pushing against each other, it is absolutely prohibited that there be no material or material
supply be cut off. This will likely damage the rollers or burn the motor.

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 Form No.: GEN83005
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 2 of 2

5.2 During Operation

The gap distances between the rollers shall be adjusted constantly because of heat expansion.
When they expand too much and the rollers get stuck, the motor will be damaged and cause
accident.

a. Adjust the gap sizes.

b. Adjust the Teflon End Guides. Please do not press the End Guides too tight against the
rollers. The End Guides fixture has an automatic adjustment feature to accommodate the
expansion of the rollers during operation. The working width on the roller can be adjusted
during operation depending on actual situation.
c. Start the machine according to instructions in 4.2 Trial Operation.
d. Feed the material and carry out precise adjustment to achieve desired fineness. If the
material is colorful, the color on the roller surface should be consistent after the correct
adjustment. It is also normal that the material appears slightly lighter in color in the middle
part of roller than on both ends. After a while the color will become same.

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 Form No.: GEN83006
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 1 of 2

6. GENERAL MAINTENCE INSTRUCTIONS

6.1 General Information

To achieve the highest level of equipment performance and maximize the useful service life of
various equipment components, a quality maintenance program is essential. A chain is no stronger
than its weakest link, and maintenance is a critical link in every chain.

We recommend that you establish a regular maintenance program in conjunction with a

maintenance log to record all pertinent data. Information accumulated can be used in predicting
the obtainable length of uninterrupted operation and the kind of spare parts that should always be
stocked in-house. Although a quality maintenance program and a good maintenance log will not
eliminate unexpected problems and/or production stoppages, both have the potential to minimize
these occurrences.

Information in these instructions is of general nature. Part of it pertains to virtually every type of
three roll mill produced by Torrey Hills Technologies.

NOTE
The instructions in this form, Form GEN83006 are of a general nature representing only one
of several sets of standard maintenance instructions available. Maintenance instructions
pertaining to specific equipment covered by this manual are also included in this section of
the manual. Please take the time to read all the information provided for each equipment
category within this manual.
As noted, these instructions are of a general nature. They cover a variety of maintenance
activities. However, the maintenance procedures described below do NOT apply to every
piece of Torrey Hills equipment. Therefore, the User must select those procedures that are
applicable and ignore the non-applicable procedures.

WARNING

Be sure to read the IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE SAFETY INFORMATION, Form

GEN82001, contained in Section I of this manual. It is provided for YOUR safety.

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 Form No.: GEN83006
Effective Date: September 10, 2014
Page No.: 2 of 2

6.2 Maintenance Instructions

a. Disconnect the unit from main electricity supply prior to performing any maintenance.
b. If concaved area in the middle of the roller, roller surface erosion, or roller surface
distortion is found, please stop the operation and repair the rollers (by polishing)
immediately.
c. If the roller has been repaired too many times and the diameter is more than 1mm smaller
than its original size, the gap between rollers would be too big to grind the material well.
The gear must be replaced under this condition to accommodate the reduced diameter, or
the roller must be replaced.
d. The edge of the scraper blade must be very sharp and smooth. Any burrs or splits are
seriously prohibited. When the blade is short, just loosen the screws to take the blade out
more. If the blade is completely worn and you need to change to a new Scraper Blade.
e. If the mill has not been operated for a long time, please apply anticorrosion grease
(Vaseline) on the roller surface and other relevant places to avoid pinholes. Thorough
inspection shall be carried out before the next operation.
f. For information about alignment, please read 3.6.2 Fine Adjustment.

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