Projects in the mill sector bring various engineering challenges. Geographical conditions, climate factors, structural constraints, and technical difficulties are critical factors affecting project success. Tanış A.Ş.’s expert engineering team develops innovative solutions to overcome these challenges. Our company’s problem-solving methodology is based on the principle of transforming every challenge into an opportunity.
In this article, we will examine the challenging projects Tanış A.Ş. has encountered and the solutions developed for these projects. We will cover case studies ranging from mill installations in extreme conditions to limited time and space constraints, from technical complexities to regulatory requirements.
Mill Installations in Extreme Conditions
Case Study 1: High-Performance Mill in Desert Climate
A 400 ton/day capacity mill facility planned for installation near Dubai was considered “impossible” by many companies due to extreme desert conditions. Temperatures exceeding 45°C, frequent sandstorms, and limited water resources were the main challenges for the project.
Challenges:
- Risk of exceeding maximum operating temperature that equipment can withstand
- Infiltration of fine sand particles into sensitive mechanical systems
- Insufficient cooling water resources
- Frequent power outages and voltage fluctuations
Solutions:
- Special thermal management system: Double-walled equipment design and thermal insulation technologies
- Positive pressure facility design and HEPA filtration system to prevent fine particle entry
- Closed-loop water recovery system with cooling technology reducing water consumption by 75%
- Energy storage systems and hybrid power solution for protection against grid fluctuations
Results:
- The facility operated flawlessly even on days with the highest recorded temperatures in the region
- Thanks to the filtration system, cleaning periods were 60% below industry standards
- Water consumption was kept 78% lower than similar facilities
- Despite power outages, annual operation time exceeded the targeted 95% rate
Case Study 2: Mill Facility in High-Altitude Mountainous Region
A medium-scale mill project to be established at 3,800 meters above sea level in Peru’s Andes region faced technical difficulties related to altitude. The region’s harsh climate and access difficulties made the project even more complex.
Challenges:
- Efficiency loss of pneumatic systems under low atmospheric pressure conditions
- Equipment transportation and installation problems in mountainous terrain
- Working conditions and material durability in harsh winter conditions
- Spare parts and service access limitations in isolated location
Solutions:
- Pneumatic equipment and pressure systems redesigned for high-altitude conditions
- Modular and dismantled transportation strategy for transport solution in challenging terrain conditions
- Extreme cold-resistant materials and heating systems for freeze protection
- Remote monitoring and fault diagnosis systems to minimize on-site maintenance needs
Results:
- 92% efficiency achieved in pneumatic systems (compared to 97% at low altitude)
- All equipment designed in modular structure could be transported through narrow mountain roads
- Continuous operation ensured even at temperatures dropping to -25°C
- Technical personnel need reduced by 40% through remote maintenance and automation
Case Study 3: Humidity and Mold Control in Tropical Climate
A mill established in Indonesia’s rainforest region, operating in an environment with an annual average humidity rate of 85%, presented microbiological risks and humidity control as significant challenges.
Challenges:
- Risk of mold and mycotoxin formation due to high humidity and temperature
- Short circuit and corrosion danger in electrical and electronic systems
- Rapid rusting and wear in metal components
- Raw material moistening and product quality problems
Solutions:
- Completely closed-loop, positive pressure, HEPA filtered ventilation systems
- Controlled environment in critical areas with dehumidification and air conditioning technologies
- Corrosion-resistant equipment manufactured from 316L stainless steel and composite materials
- Specially designed climate-controlled storage units and tempering systems for raw materials
Results:
- Microbiological contamination risk kept 90% below industry standards
- Electronic system failures occurred 82% less compared to similar tropical facilities
- Equipment maintenance periods limited to only 15% increase compared to standard facilities
- Stable product quality and efficiency achieved even during the most humid periods of the year
Case Study 4: Solutions Against Freezing Risks in Cold Climate Region
A mill facility to operate in Siberia’s harsh winter conditions, at temperatures dropping to -40°C, required special solutions against extreme cold.
Challenges:
- Risk of equipment and pipe freezing
- Thermal shock and material brittleness
- Lubrication problems at low temperatures
- Balance between heating costs and energy efficiency
Solutions:
- Double-walled equipment design and heating element integration
- Special alloys and composite materials with low-temperature flexibility
- Synthetic lubrication systems capable of operating at -50°C
- Energy-efficient heating solution with waste heat recovery technology
Results:
- Zero freezing incidents recorded even in extreme cold conditions
- Material fatigue and fracture incidents occurred 75% below industry average
- Continuous performance ensured in lubrication and hydraulic systems
- Additional energy consumption for heating needs reduced by 40%
Critical Time-Constrained Projects
Case Study 5: Emergency Modernization Before Harvest Season
A mill operation in Kazakhstan’s grain production region faced a critical modernization need just 45 days before harvest season. A renovation project to be carried out without stopping operations was required.
Challenges:
- Extremely limited time before critical harvest season
- Modernization requirement without completely stopping production
- Rapid equipment supply challenges in remote location
- Limited capacity of local technical team
Solutions:
- Special project planning for 24/7 work and parallel workflow management
- Modernization strategy that gradually transitioned production
- Rapid installation with pre-assembled modular equipment
- Virtual reality-supported remote technical support and local team training
Results:
- Project completed in 42 days, delivered 3 days ahead of target date
- Production maintained 65% of total capacity during modernization process
- New capacity and efficiency targets achieved at season start
- 28% more production achieved during harvest season thanks to modernization
Case Study 6: Rapid Facility Reconstruction After Earthquake
A mill facility damaged in a major earthquake in Turkey needed to be quickly restored to functionality due to its critical importance for food security in the region.
Challenges:
- Creating safe working conditions in structurally damaged building
- Emergency procurement and installation requirement for critical equipment
- Logistical challenges due to infrastructure damage in the region
- Need to run reconstruction and permanent structure planning in parallel
Solutions:
- Rapid structural reinforcement operation with expert structural engineers
- Emergency equipment mobilization from all Tanış A.Ş. warehouses in Europe and Turkey
- Alternative logistics solutions including helicopter for equipment shipment
- Two-phase project approach integrating temporary and permanent solutions
Results:
- First phase completed in 9 days, basic food production restarted
- Facility capacity reached 70% of pre-earthquake level on day 21
- Permanent facility operating at full capacity built in 60-day period
- Project became a reference case in the sector as an example of post-disaster recovery
Case Study 7: Cost-Effective Solutions During Financial Crisis
A flour factory in Egypt experiencing economic difficulties faced the challenge of balancing modernization needs with limited budget. A solution that would create maximum impact with minimum investment was requested from Tanış A.Ş.
Challenges:
- Extremely limited investment budget
- Need for capacity and quality increase required for competition
- Life limitations of existing equipment
- Financial uncertainty due to exchange rate fluctuations
Solutions:
- Identification of critical bottlenecks through detailed system analysis
- Phased investment strategy and modular growth plan
- Life extension through partial modernization of existing equipment
- Flexible payment terms and local currency-based financing model
Results:
- Capacity increased by 45% using 30% of total budget
- Energy efficiency improved by 25%
- Equipment investments divided into 3 phases, optimizing cash flow
- Savings from first phase provided capital needed for second phase
Case Study 8: Rapid Capacity Increase for Seasonal Production
A mill operation in Saudi Arabia faced the need to increase production capacity by 40% within 45 days following an unexpected export agreement. This urgent project, which needed to be completed before Ramadan, required rapid solutions.
Challenges:
- Extremely limited project duration
- Capacity increase without disrupting existing operations
- Critical delivery date before high season
- Difficulty finding technical personnel during peak demand period
Solutions:
- Determination of rapid intervention points through bottleneck analysis of existing system
- Emergency mobilization from global warehouses for critical equipment
- Hybrid approach combining temporary and permanent solutions
- Reinforcement of local assembly teams with remote support
Results:
- Project completed in 38 days, delivered ahead of target date
- Capacity increased by 45% without completely stopping production
- Ramadan period orders met completely
- Temporary solutions later integrated with permanent systems, preventing additional costs
Challenging Space and Structural Constraints
Case Study 9: Modern Mill Integration in Historic Building
A project to re-functionalize an 18th-century historic mill building in Italy’s Tuscany region with modern technology involved conservation board restrictions and architectural sensitivities.
Challenges:
- Necessity to preserve historic structure and strict legal restrictions
- Insufficient ceiling height and area for modern equipment
- Vibration and acoustic insulation requirements
- Need to preserve historic aesthetics
Solutions:
- Special design preserving the building’s original facade and character
- Integration of hidden technical systems respectful of historic architecture
- Low-profile, specially manufactured compact equipment
- Independent foundation systems for vibration isolation and acoustic barriers
Results:
- Conservation board approval obtained on first application
- Modern technology integrated without damaging historic fabric
- Vibration and noise values kept 40% below legal limits
- Project awarded industrial heritage conservation prize
Case Study 10: Compact Mill Design for Extremely Narrow Space
A request to establish a high-capacity mill in an extremely limited space on premium-priced real estate in Tokyo required innovative solutions for space optimization.
Challenges:
- Extremely small area constraint of 450 m²
- Need for vertical expansion and accompanying structural challenges
- Sound and vibration management in urban environment
- Maintenance and operation difficulty in limited access areas
Solutions:
- Special “tower mill” design with five-story vertical architecture
- Specially manufactured miniature equipment and compact layout plan
- Innovative elevator and rail systems for automated maintenance access
- Multiple isolation layers for noise and vibration
Results:
- 240 ton/day capacity facility established in 450 m² area
- Efficiency per square meter achieved 320% above industry average
- Noise levels kept 30% below Japan’s strict urban regulations
- Minimum personnel requirement achieved through fully automatic operation
Technical and Technological Challenges
Case Study 13: Special Processing Solutions for Low-Quality Wheat
In Ethiopia, special process design was required to produce quality flour with local wheat varieties containing low protein and high foreign matter. Innovative solutions were needed for this raw material that could not be processed with standard equipment.
Challenges:
- Local wheat varieties with low gluten content (6-8% protein)
- High levels of foreign matter and impurities
- Irregular grain size and moisture distribution
- Difficulty meeting standard flour specifications
Solutions:
- Multi-stage intensive cleaning line and advanced optical sorting systems
- Specially designed micro moisture-controlled tempering units
- Enzyme and gluten strengthening system integration
- Patented process technology for precision grinding and blending
Results:
- 90% quality standard flour production achieved from low-quality raw material
- Raw material efficiency increased by 12%
- International standard bread production achieved with flour produced from low-quality local wheat
- Project won international award for food security contribution in the region
Sustainability and Environmental Challenges
Case Study 21: Zero Waste Target Mill Facility
A new mill facility to operate in Australia’s environmentally conscious market was designed with zero waste and minimum ecological footprint targets.
Challenges:
- Necessity to completely eliminate traditional mill waste
- Requirement to minimize water use
- Need to utilize all by-products
- High energy efficiency expectations
Solutions:
- Closed-loop production system and complete integration of waste streams
- Integration of by-product processing and utilization units
- Rainwater harvesting and gray water recovery systems
- Photovoltaic solar energy and waste heat recovery technologies
Results:
- True zero waste achieved with 99.2% by-product and waste utilization rate
- Water consumption reduced by 82% compared to conventional facilities
- 45% of energy needs supplied from renewable sources and waste heat recovery
- Awarded Australia Green Industry Leadership Award
Conclusion
Tanış A.Ş.’s fundamental approach to achieving success in challenging projects is to consider every challenge as a new solution and innovation opportunity. The case studies examined above demonstrate our company’s engineering expertise and problem-solving capacity.
Challenges ranging from extreme climate conditions to structural constraints, from limited time and budget difficulties to technical complexities are transformed into opportunities by our team. Each project enriches our knowledge base with new lessons learned and innovative solutions developed.
Contact Tanış A.Ş.’s experienced engineering team for your challenging mill projects. We develop special solutions that can overcome all kinds of technical, financial, and logistical challenges.