Incorporating powders into liquids is one of the most persistent challenges in food, dairy, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Whether you are dispersing proteins, starches, gums, or thickeners, the standard approach — adding powder to an agitated vessel — is slow, inconsistent, and prone to agglomerate formation. In high-volume production environments, this translates directly to extended batch times, wasted raw material, and product quality issues that are difficult to control.
The Silverson Flashmix is designed specifically to eliminate these problems. Unlike conventional powder/liquid mixers that rely on vacuum to draw powder into the liquid stream, the Flashmix actively forces powder into the liquid — enabling faster, more controlled incorporation at rates of up to 227 kg/min, consistently and without agglomeration.
Advanced Packaging Systems (APS) is the authorised New Zealand distributor for Silverson Machines and can advise on the right Flashmix configuration for your specific process.
Silverson Flashmix
What Is the Silverson Flashmix?
The Flashmix is a high shear powder/liquid mixing system developed by Silverson Machines. It is built on an EHEDG and 3-A certified sanitary in-line mixer base, making it suitable for food-grade, dairy, and pharmaceutical applications where hygiene standards are non-negotiable.
Unlike vacuum-based powder/liquid mixers, the Flashmix uses a positive-pressure mechanism to drive powder directly into the high shear zone of the mixer head. This approach offers two significant advantages: it works at higher liquid viscosities where vacuum systems lose effectiveness, and it can operate at elevated temperatures without compromising performance.
The Flashmix is available in multiple production-scale configurations, as well as the laboratory-scale FMX5 model for formulation development and process trials.
How Does the Flashmix Work?
The Flashmix operates by drawing liquid through a high shear in-line mixer whilst simultaneously introducing dry powder through a separate inlet. The powder is forced — not drawn — into the liquid stream at the point of maximum shear, ensuring immediate and thorough dispersion before the mixture exits the unit.
This mechanism achieves several outcomes that conventional mixing cannot:
- Powders are hydrated before they have the opportunity to form agglomerates
- The high shear action breaks down any particle clusters in real time
- Large volumes of powder can be incorporated continuously without interruption to the liquid flow
The modular construction of the Flashmix allows it to be configured for different batch sizes and adapted to a wide range of application requirements.
Silverson Powder Liquid Mixer
Key Benefits of the Silverson Flashmix
Agglomerate-free dispersion
Powder is fully dispersed at the point of mixing, eliminating the fish-eyes and lumps associated with conventional in-tank powder addition.
Up to twice the speed of previous generation units
The latest Flashmix incorporates powder at rates of up to 227 kg/min — two times faster than its predecessor — significantly reducing batch cycle times.
High-viscosity capable
Because it does not rely on vacuum, the Flashmix remains effective with viscous liquid bases where competing systems lose performance.
High-temperature capable
Suitable for use with hot liquids, expanding its application range to processes such as hot starch cooking and pasteurised base preparation.
Hygienic design
EHEDG and 3-A sanitary certification ensures the unit meets the strictest food and pharmaceutical hygiene requirements, with full CIP/SIP compatibility.
Scalable from laboratory to production
The FMX5 laboratory model allows formulation development under realistic mixing conditions, with direct scale-up to production systems.
Industries and Applications
Food and Beverage
The Flashmix is particularly effective for applications involving gums, starches, and instant beverage powders, where agglomeration is a common and costly problem. Typical applications include dispersing xanthan gum, guar gum, and carrageenan into hot or cold liquid bases, and reconstituting instant drink powders at production volume.
Dairy
Used for reconstituting milk powders, incorporating whey protein concentrates, and preparing dairy-based beverages at scale. The high-viscosity capability makes it well suited to concentrated dairy bases.
Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical
Suitable for hydrating excipients, suspending API powders, and preparing granulation solutions in environments requiring full sanitary compliance. The EHEDG and 3-A certifications support use in regulated manufacturing environments.
Chemical
Effective for dissolving polymer powders, dispersing pigments, and preparing adhesive bases where consistent particle hydration and uniform dispersion are critical to end-product quality.
What to Consider When Evaluating a Powder/Liquid Mixer
When assessing powder/liquid mixing equipment, the following factors are worth evaluating:
- Viscosity range: Does the mixer perform consistently across the viscosity range your process requires, including at peak concentrations?
- Powder incorporation rate: What volume of powder must be incorporated per batch or per hour? Ensure the rated capacity matches your production requirements.
- Hygiene standards: If you operate in a food, dairy, or pharmaceutical environment, confirm the unit meets relevant certification standards (EHEDG, 3-A, FDA-compliant materials).
- Scalability: If working at laboratory or pilot scale, confirm that results translate reliably to production-scale equipment.
- CIP/SIP compatibility: Inline units that are difficult to clean represent a significant ongoing operational cost. Look for units designed for efficient cleaning-in-place.
The Silverson Flashmix is designed to perform across all of these criteria. The FMX5 laboratory-scale model allows evaluation under realistic process conditions before committing to full production equipment.
Sourcing the Silverson Flashmix in New Zealand
Advanced Packaging Systems is the authorised New Zealand partner for Silverson Machines. APS supplies the full Silverson product range — including the Flashmix, batch mixers, in-line mixers, and laboratory units — and provides local technical support, application advice, and assistance from specification through to commissioning.
If powder incorporation is a bottleneck in your production process, or if agglomeration is a recurring quality issue, contact the APS team to discuss your application or to arrange a product demonstration.
Visit the Silverson partner page at Advanced Packaging Systems
