The crushing

The mill has two pressing systems, the first with stone millstones (this system allows the continuation of tradition and innovation), while the second with a hammer crusher. This crusher has been conceived with a particular grid that allows to keep the temperature very low during the pressing phase and to have a paste with a well-defined grain size. This technological innovation is able to guarantee the aromas and the right organoleptic values to the various types of extra virgin olive oil that will subsequently be extracted.

The malaxing

From crushing to malaxing, an essential process in the production of extra virgin olive oil. The mechanical action generated by the rotation of the reel of the malaxers occurs the coalescence or the agglomeration of the droplets in larger oil droplets. The transfer of the dough from the crusher to the malaxers takes place through a vane pump totally in stainless steel and in a totally closed stainless steel pipe; this allows to transfer the dough to the malaxer in a very gentle way, ensuring a transfer of the dough to the malaxer in the absence of oxygen such as to keep the peroxide values in the oil low. The new malaxers of the Salvagno crusher are equipped with an automatic washing system with rotating heads that allows automatic cleaning at any time; a mechanical design of the reel with an innovative design to reduce kneading times, favor coalescence and increase extraction; they are totally closed and therefore reduced oxygen content inside the malaxer, another element that will allow the peroxide value to be kept low.

The separation

The separation takes place with a 3-phase Alfa Laval decanter with reduced water consumption, this allows to reduce water consumption and to obtain an oil rich in polyphenols in the extraction phase as being the polyphenols a water-soluble substance they would tend to join water. The last separation takes place in the vertical separator where the last micro droplets of vegetable water and any solid residues are eliminated.

Technology and innovation: industry 4.0

From a technological point of view, the plant is equipped with the most modern sensors and equipment responding to all the parameters required by industry 4.0. The system is managed via a simple and highly intuitive touch screen, which in turn interfaces with a PLC. This system will allow the operator to control all the processing parameters (temperature during the pressing phase, single temperature in each malaxer, preset and automatic washing systems, automatic flushing) making the work simple, intuitive and smart. All the plant processing data are stored on the internal memory and therefore accessible by the operator. The plant is connected directly to an office station from which it is possible to both receive production data, but also (as required by industry 4.0) prepare the daily processing sheets to be able to send them to the mill and be processed by the oil master. This innovation will make it possible to eliminate all the work that was done manually and at the same time to memorize the processing data, an element that will allow traceability of the product, an essential fact for Made in Italy. Also equipped with an application it is possible to view the processing of the crusher on the smartphone from which you will be able to see all the moments of the processing. From the mill to the tablet, an important step towards the future for the only plant where innovation and tradition come together in a single goal: high quality oil.