From SpeedMixing to SmartMixing: How SMART DAC Mixers Are Revolutionizing Manufacturing

From smartphones to smart homes, smart devices have changed our daily lives. In the manufacturing sector, smart machines using automation and Ai are revolutionizing how products are conceived, tested, produced and brought to market. 

In the world of industrial mixing, however, the term “smart” has typically been reserved for only the largest and most complex mixing machines.

Until now.

Hauschild Engineering has added the DAC (Dual Asymmetric Centrifugal) mixer to the list of machines that carry the smart moniker. The team at Hauschild, who put DAC mixing on the map almost 50 years ago with the original Hauschild SpeedMixer®, has changed the game again with the launch of the Hauschild SpeedMixer® SMART DAC series.

Dubbed a “new generation of DAC laboratory mixers,” the Hauschild SpeedMixer® SMART DAC series is generating quite the buzz in industry circles for its increased power, larger capacity, and of course, its bevy of smart innovations like real-time temperature control, vacuum-robotic, sensor integration, variable counter rotation, Internet of Things (IoT) compliance, QR-code reader, remote control, and automatic cooling system.

Will this new breed of bladeless mixer change laboratory mixing and small batch manufacturing for the better? Ian LaRose, VP of Technology at Hauschild Engineering, is confident it will and, in many ways, is just scratching the surface of what the SMART DAC can do.

“We know it can mix materials that were never able to be mixed before. We know it brings a new level of traceability and accountability to highly regulated industries like pharmaceuticals,” says Ian. “But do we know exactly how many industries and products it will revolutionize? Not yet, because honestly, the possibilities are endless.”

To evaluate the SMART DAC’s capabilities and paradigm-shifting possibilities, let’s break down the various smart features it brings to the table.

PROGRAMMABILITY

With the ability to create and save up to 500 programs, up to 12 steps per program, plus an available multi-program function capable of combining up to three programs with 36 steps, the SMART DAC delivers automation like never before.

“The programming opportunities of this machine are certainly robust,” says Ian. “The SMART DAC even allows users to program acceleration and deceleration at each individual step.”

POWER & CONTROL

Thanks to a new mechanical design, Hauschild SpeedMixer® SMART DAC users can now control the counter rotation of the jar, allowing for a wider range of hard materials to be mixed, improved degassing and increased temperature control.

Up to 20% more powerful vs the standard LR version, the SMART DAC is designed to handle increased mixing weight to 1.5 kg and 2.0 kg, mixing volume up to 2.8 liters and up to 30 minutes of mixing time. Mixing at these weights and volumes has up to this point been unheard of in tabletop mixers this compact.

“The improved structure also allows mixing from 200 rpm up to maximum speed without the risk of high vibrations,” says Ian. “This is a big advantage when, for example, a light powder is one of the components.”

TEMPERATURE CONTROL

Sensors in the SMART DAC keep track of a mixture’s temperature, displaying the readings in real-time and saving them at pre-defined intervals. Once a pre-programmed temperature threshold has been reached, a powerful cooling system is triggered, keeping the mixture at a constant temperature.

VACUUM ROBOTIC

The Hauschild SpeedMixer® SMART DAC features a first of its kind Vacuum Robotic configuration. It is available from 250 grams up to 2000 grams, and with the next-generation controller, the Vacuum Robotic machines are fully automated, and can be easily integrated in any robotic system.

TRACEABILITY

The SMART DAC features a login function that connects individual users to mixing programs, delivering a level of traceability that has never been available in a DAC mixer before.

“This is a quantum leap forward for labs requiring documentation in their mixing process,” says Ian.

QR READER

The SMART DAC also features a QR reader that cuts down on user error during the mixing process. By using cups pre-labeled with QR code stickers, users simply scan the cup, and the SMART DAC automatically runs that program.

“The QR reader makes the SMART DAC virtually foolproof,” says Ian. “Cutting down on user error will make any lab or facility more efficient, saving time and money.”

SMART SENSORS

The Hauschild SpeedMixer® SMART DAC Series allows the integration of a wide range of external sensors that collect data, including temperature & humidity, smoke & fire, dissolved gases and/or toxic substances. These detectors can be set to deliver custom alerts or trigger pre-set actions.

IoT (INTERNET OF THINGS) COMPLIANT

The Hauschild SpeedMixer® SMART DAC Series machines are IoT (Internet of Things) compliant, allowing the SMART DAC to integrate into large networks, share device data and optimize ROI.

Three years in the development process, the Hauschild SpeedMixer® SMART DAC builds on over 900 patents. Engineered by the Hauschild team in Hamm, Germany, the inspiration for the device and many of its intelligent innovations actually came from Hauschild SpeedMixer® customers over the years, according to Mareike Boccola, Hauschild GmbH & Co KG Owner.

“Our wonderful engineering team made the SMART DAC series a reality, of course,” says Mareike. “But the ideas behind many of the SMART DACs features actually came from listening to our customers, from the many ‘what if…’ moments we hear from our customers every day.”

Already the leading name in DAC mixing for reliability, repeatability and innovation, Hauschild has taken the bladeless mixing game to a whole new level with the SMART DAC series.

“The SMART DAC is a whole new animal, and we’re still uncovering applications where it will make a huge impact,” says Ian. “With this machine, the possibilities are endless and the ROI is exponential.”

TALK TO THE HAUSCHILD TEAM

To learn more about Hauschild SpeedMixer® SMART DAC and its many intelligent innovations, contact the Hauschild team today.