The ADDAMS De-Awner Process is a mechanical treatment step used in processing seeds, grains, herbs, and leafy materials to remove or reduce surface appendages such as awns, beards, husks, glumes, or fine hairs. This process improves the product’s flowability, cleanliness, and uniformity and is particularly essential in preparing seeds for further grading or planting.
What is an Awn?
An awn is a bristle-like extension found on the seed head of many grasses and cereal crops (e.g., barley, oats, wild grasses). These can hinder processing, affect seed calibration, and reduce purity.
How the ADDAMS De-Awner Machines Work:
- Feed In: Raw product is fed into a De-Awner or Scarifier machine, typically with a rotor and a stationary cylinder.
- Mechanical Friction: Rotating arms or paddles agitate the material against roughened surfaces.
- This abrasion loosens or breaks off surface attachments such as:
- Awns, husks, glumes
- Fine leaf hairs or fibers
- Adhering soil particles or dust
- Discharge & Aspiration:
- Detached materials are removed using aspiration, screens, or separation units.
- Cleaned product is discharged for further sorting or storage.
Benefits of ADDAMS De-Awner :
- Improves seed shape and uniformity for downstream processes
- Enables better screening, gravity separation, and coating
- Prevents clogging or bridging in equipment
- Reduces microbial load by removing dust and fine hairs
- Improves aesthetic and handling quality for leafy herbs and spices
Typical Applications of the ADDAMS De-Awners:
- De-Awning of Seeds: Oats, barley, millet, grass seeds
- De-Awning of Grains: Paddy rice (de-bearding), wheat
- De-Awning of Herbs & Leaves: Herbs with fibrous stems or hair-covered leaves (e.g., chamomile, nettle)
- De-Awning of Spices: Cardamom husk cleaning, coriander stem trimming
ADDAMS De-Awners:
- De-Awner / Scarifier machines
- Rubber-paddle De-Awners (gentle for fragile seeds)
- Drum-type De-Awners with adjustable abrasion
Applicable Industries of an ADDAMS Color Sorter Separator
- Grain Food Processing Lines.
- Pulses Food Processing Lines.
- Oil Seed Food Processing Lines.
- Grain Malt Processing Lines.
- Field Seed Processing Lines.
- Forage Seed Processing Lines.
- Grass Seeds Processing Lines.
- Vegetable Seeds Processing Lines.
- Herbs & Medicinal Processing Lines.
