Bühler launches OLFC flaking mill to optimize oilseed processing performance
Engineered for high-throughput oilseed preparation plants, the new OLFC combines extended roll service life, reduced structural vibration, and automated operation to boost plant yield, lower energy consumption, and improve long-term uptime.
SWITZERLAND – Bühler has launched the OLFC, a new flaker system for oilseed processing designed to extend roll service life, reduce vibration, and provide operators with greater access to real-time machine performance data.
The OLFC is designed to process cracked oilseeds, including soybean, canola, and sunflower seeds, which are pressed into thin flakes before oil extraction.
Bühler says each machine can process up to 500 tonnes per day, and consistent flake size and thickness are key to the efficiency of subsequent oil extraction processes.
Flakers press cracked seeds such as soybean, canola and sunflower into thin flakes before oil extraction, a continuous process where equipment reliability is critical; unplanned downtime disrupts production schedules, and flake size and thickness consistency affect how efficiently oil is later extracted.
Flaking is an essential primary step in oilseed preparation, requiring precise thickness control to optimize downstream solvent extraction and press yields.
To improve reliability, Bühler’s engineering team worked with customers to identify components under the highest mechanical stress and reinforced them, including a strengthened base frame, cast components in the bearing unit, larger-diameter pulleys, reinforced roll shafts and revised motor fixation.
According to the company, these changes can reduce machine vibration by up to 25% compared with previous models, supporting more stable operation and potentially reducing mechanical wear.
The flaker also incorporates larger 820-millimetre-diameter rolls, compared with an industry standard of 800 mm.
Combined with an extended usable roll diameter, Bühler says the design increases roll service life by 150%, reducing roll replacement frequency and associated maintenance requirements.
An upgraded hydraulic system is designed to protect the machine from sudden pressure spikes, including those caused by foreign objects entering the equipment.
Bühler also addressed energy performance with a new timing-belt power transmission system.
Bühler reports that the OLFC can consume up to 4% less energy than its predecessors, while an auxiliary drive enables the rolls to rotate at low speed during maintenance.
The company estimates that saving two hours during servicing can preserve approximately 41 tonnes of processing capacity per flaker.
The OLFC combines these mechanical upgrades with a redesigned automation system. A new touchscreen provides operators with real-time information on machine status, while integrated sensors monitor performance.
Data from multiple flakers can be consolidated to help operators compare machine performance and identify maintenance requirements before they become critical.
Through Bühler Insights, users can also monitor longer-term trends and support maintenance planning.
Bühler developed the OLFC in collaboration with customers across North America, Europe and China.
The company validated the design through two prototype installations at soybean processing plants in the United States, with one unit operating under commercial production conditions since October 2023.
Following the validation programme, the OLFC is now available to customers worldwide.
The launch comes as oilseed processors continue to focus on equipment uptime, energy efficiency, maintenance costs and automation. By combining longer-lasting rolls, reduced vibration, lower energy consumption and digital monitoring, the OLFC is positioned as a new option for processors seeking to maintain continuous and predictable flaking operations.
Sign up to HERE receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.
