Wax is used to streamline beekeeping. Thanks to its use, the productivity of the enterprise, as well as the life expectancy of bees, significantly increases. Wax - these are thin wax sheets with hexagonal cells that allow bees to build honeycombs of the correct shape.
In modern honey production regular purchase of high-quality wax is simply necessary. So the business of its production will be a great idea. However, in order for it to bring real income, reliable equipment for the production of wax should be purchased. We’ll talk about his choice.
Wax production technology
- Melting wax. As a rule, only high-quality apiary wax is used, but to reduce the cost of the product, about 15% of production wax can be added.
- The resulting raw material is sedimented and filtered.
- Forming sheets using special equipment. A waxing machine with rotating drums is used. In the process of formation, the sheets are cooled by water.
- Pressing sheets to a thickness of about 1 mm.
- Imprinting using matrices.
- Cutting the finished product into sheets of the required size.
- Drying and packaging of wax.
Basic equipment
To organize a small wax business, you will need several special machines. The minimum production equipment includes a wax sterilizer, a roller machine, as well as a belt forming machine equipped with a rotating drum.
If you plan to scale production, it is best to purchase an automated line. Such equipment for the production of wax will significantly save on staff, because only 2-3 people can serve the line.
Its cost will depend on the manufacturer, performance, modernity and additional parameters. The minimum price for a production line is 500 thousand rubles, but with an increase in equipment productivity, its cost increases.
Roller Selection
The main equipment for making waxes are rollers. They can be either electric or manual. But if you plan to produce products in large volumes, you need an electric press for wax production. The quality of the finished product will depend on the reliability of this machine.
The equipment works on the principle of a waffle iron. The basis of the machine are metal matrices, with the help of which the surface of the wax is formed. The choice of the press should be based on the performance of the apparatus, the flow rate of the liquid that is required for its cooling, the dimensions of the installation, as well as its cost.
The market has a wide selection of imported and domestic equipment. For serious production, it is not recommended to buy Chinese machines that fail very quickly. With a small enterprise budget, it is best to purchase domestic equipment that is almost as good as German or Swiss machine tools. For example, the Orenburg press for the production of wax OIV-50 allows you to produce products that will meet all the requirements for hardness and elasticity.
Equipment for making wax at home
For those who are engaged in beekeeping and constantly need wax, the production of this product at home will be quite profitable. The fact is that for small production it will be enough to purchase manual or electric rollers and a sterilizer.
It will be much cheaper than buying a production line, especially if there is no demand for products in the region. At home, a wax matrix is used, which is equipped with a water cooler.
The details of such an apparatus should be made of stainless steel with a cell surface of a special material that prevents wax from sticking to the mold. The equipment should be connected to water supply and sanitation in order to simplify the work with it.
In the event that the raw materials are purchased, it is recommended to use a sterilizer, which will prevent infection of the bees due to low-quality wax.
