SOAP FINISHING LINES
Soap Finishing Lines
Soap finishing lines are manufacturing lines designed to transform soap noodles or soap flakes into finished soap bars. Different line configurations can be used depending on the type of soap bar required and on the level of soap refining needed.
What Is a Soap Finishing Line?
After the soap solidification process, carried out using a soap vacuum drying plant or soap chill rolls, the solid soap is obtained in form of noodles or flakes. Soap noodles are also supplied on the market by oleochemical companies producing soap raw materials. A soap finishing line combines different soap processing machines to transform these solid raw materials into finished soap bars. One of the most important aspects of the finishing process is the level of soap refining. For this reason, different soap finishing line configurations can be used according to the characteristics and requirements of the finished soap bars.
Toilet and Hotel Soap Finishing Line
The first configuration shown is a toilet and hotel soap finishing line. The process includes an Open Sigma “Z” Mixer, followed by two possible refining routes using a Simplex Refiner Plodder and a Three Roll Mill. These two stages feed a Duplex Vacuum Plodder, followed by a Soap Cutter and a Soap Press. For cosmetic soap both machines are used. This configuration illustrates a soap finishing line in which the soap passes through different refining and finishing stages before reaching the final soap pressing operation.
Laundry Soap Finishing Line
A different configuration is used for laundry soap bars, particularly when the soap contains a high percentage of fillers. The line shown includes a Double Arm Sigma Mixer, a Simplex Refiner Plodder and a Three Roll Mill, followed by a Duplex Vacuum Plodder and a Soap Cutter with Engraving Rolls. The layout also includes a Water Chiller. The use of both a Simplex Refiner Plodder and a Three Roll Mill is one of the configurations described for laundry soap bars with a high percentage of fillers.
Special Toilet Soap Finishing Line
Over the last 15 years, special plodders have been developed to replace refining plodders and roll mills. The configuration shown is based on a Special Duplex Vacuum Plodder with 3 or 4 refining stages, able to work the soap with high pressure. This arrangement includes an open Sigma “Z” Mixer, the special duplex vacuum plodder, a soap cutter and a soap press. These special duplex vacuum plodders were developed with a special long extrusion screw with two different diameters, flexible refining stages and high-power motors. These machines can provide the required refining without using a Simplex Refiner Plodder or a Three Roll Mill.
Different Soap Finishing Line Configurations
The examples above show that there is no single configuration for all soap bars. The arrangement of the finishing line depends on the type of soap and the required level of refining.
The main machines shown in these configurations include:
- Sigma Mixers
- Simplex Refiner Plodders
- Three Roll Mills
- Duplex Vacuum Plodders
- Special Duplex Vacuum Plodders
- Soap Cutters
- Soap Cutters with Engraving Rolls
- Soap Presses
- Water Chillers
- Diet–Set Chillers
The different combinations of these machines allow the soap finishing line to be configured according to the requirements of the finished soap bars.
Soap Refining in the Finishing Line
Soap refining is a fundamental part of the finishing process. The technical description identifies the level of refining as one of the most important factors when selecting the configuration of a soap finishing line. For toilet soap bars requiring additional refining, the line can include both a Simplex Refiner Plodder and a Three Roll Mill. Alternatively, special Duplex Vacuum Plodders with multiple refining stages can be used to perform the refining within the plodder itself.
Knowledge Content – Browse by Topic
01. WHAT IS SOAP
02. RAW MATERIALS USED IN SOAP MANUFACTURING
07. SOAP DRYING AND COOLING
08. SOAP FINISHING LINE
09. SOAP PACKAGING