Mixers and Their Types

Mixers for polymer materials are essential equipment in the production process. Before starting production, it’s necessary to premix your materials to ensure consistency and quality. If you’re a manufacturer of PVC products (such as pipes, hoses, profiles, or compounds), masterbatch, or high-filler/engineering compounds, having a reliable mixer in your plant is a must.

There are several types of mixers available in the market. Among the most common are:

  • One-stage turbo mixers.

  • Two-stage turbo mixers.

  • Banbury mixers.

These three types are widely used in the polymer industry and can be found in many production facilities. Below is a brief introduction to each of them:

1. One-Stage Turbo Mixer

A turbo mixer is a high-speed mixer that can be controlled either by an inverter (driver) or a two-speed motor. In a one-stage turbo mixer, a single circular tank is used. This tank is typically double-walled, allowing hot oil to circulate through the outer layer to control the temperature during mixing.

Inside the tank, two or three blades are mounted on top of each other. These blades play a critical role in mixing and homogenizing the polymer materials. If your formulation requires heat during mixing, you can warm the tank using either heaters or circulating hot oil.

This type of mixer is suitable for almost all polymer materials except PVC, and it is ideal for preparing and homogenizing the formulation before production.

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2. Two-Stage Turbo Mixer

A two-stage turbo mixer consists of two double-walled tanks. The first stage operates similarly to a one-stage turbo mixer, where the material is mixed at high speed and heated if necessary. The second stage, however, has a 2 to 3 times larger capacity than the first and is designed specifically for the cooling process.

This type of mixer is particularly suitable for PVC materials, as PVC requires a two-step process:

  1. Hot mixing – to heat and blend the materials.

  2. Cooling – to quickly reduce the temperature after mixing to prevent degradation.

Cooling in the second stage is done using cold water circulation. Therefore, a chiller unit is necessary in your facility to ensure effective temperature control during the mixing process.

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3. Banbury Mixer

Banbury mixers are primarily used in the rubber industry, but in recent years, some factories have adopted them for polymer formulations with high powder content—especially when using mineral fillers such as CaCO₃ (calcium carbonate), TiO₂ (titanium dioxide), or talc.

These mixers offer excellent material dispersion and distribution, making them ideal for formulations that require a high level of mixing uniformity. One key difference compared to turbo mixers is that the output material from a Banbury mixer is in a melted or semi-molten state, not just premixed.

In many countries, Banbury mixers are widely used for producing high-filler compound materials, where achieving a consistent blend of powders and polymers is critical to product quality.

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Each mixer comes with a specific capacity, typically measured in liters (L) — for example, 200L, 300L, 500L, and more, depending on production needs and scale.

At Hoodad Co., we have in-depth knowledge of all types of mixers used in the polymer industry. Our team is ready to assist you in selecting the most suitable mixer based on your production requirements.

We also provide installation support, ensuring your mixer is set up and commissioned in the most efficient and effective way possible.