Toll Grinding

Toll Grinding & Processing

Industrial Toll Grinding & Processing Services

Many industrial applications require materials ground to a fine powder. Some industries use this technique for feasibility testing, while others rely on ground substances for manufacturing purposes. The uses of ground materials are wide-reaching, and toll grinding and materials processing services from Pulva can assist your operation with its milling requirements.

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What Is Toll Grinding? 

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Toll grinding, also known as toll milling services, is a service for companies that need to break materials into smaller materials for processing. A professional grinder will provide toll grinding services for a fee or toll, so companies can forgo handling the production process in-house. This service is also known as toll milling, and it is a valued service in many industries for manufacturing and testing requirements for quality control.

The toll grinding process falls into three categories—dry, wet and cryogenic. During dry grinding, materials travel through a machine where they are ground into specified powder sizes. Dry grinding has limitations for particle size, but it is a low-cost option if it meets operational requirements. Wet milling involves grinding materials in a liquid medium. This process generates a smaller particle size and requires more labor and higher operational costs. 

Cryogenic toll grinding is a process reserved for materials that do not reduce with dry or wet milling. This procedure uses liquid nitrogen to lower the temperature of a material, making it easier to reduce.  

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What Are the Benefits of Toll Grinding Services? 

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Toll grinding is an ideal service model for many operation types. If your operation lacks the resources to manage grinding in-house, toll milling and processing is the best option. These services come with:

  • Reduced costs: Grinding materials for production or testing can come with a range of costs when handled in-house. Expenses include personnel, equipment, production requirements and liability coverage. Outsourcing the toll milling process eliminates many of these costs and reduces them to a single toll.


  • Access to equipment: Toll grinding companies use specialized equipment to control the milling process and ensure an accurate particle size distribution. Since operational requirements may vary, in-house grinding would require multiple types of machinery. Toll processing companies will provide everything you need for material size reduction.


  • Flexibility: A toll processing company will respond to your milling requirements as they change, allowing you to maintain an ideal grind size for every project.


  • Professional experience: Industry requirements may demand the milling of hazardous or volatile materials. Working with toll processing experts ensures all substances are handled safely and responsibly, without environmental risk or cross contamination to provide safety and quality assurance.


  • Beneficial information: Toll milling services can inform you of important information about your products, including moisture levels, size distribution, quality control and potential difficulties in material processing.
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What Purpose Does Toll Grinding and Testing Serve?


Toll milling services are an effective way to test the viability of ground materials that are currently in development stages. It allows you to provide portions of ground materials to pilot plant operations. For companies looking to outsource grinding and milling, it can offer larger batches.


Importance of Accurate Particle Size Distribution


Particle size distribution is the size and portion of particles inside a sample — completed after grinding, in this case. Particle size distribution is essential for manufacturers in several industries. 

Particle size distribution can indicate:

  • Contamination status: Many times, manufacturers will look at particle size distribution to determine if their product is free from contamination.
  • Regulation compliance: If an industry has to follow certain standards, looking at particle size distribution can confirm they are doing so.
  • Production improvement: In some cases, analyzing particle size distribution can also uncover ways to improve the production process.


Product function: The most important thing particle size distribution can determine is if the product will work as intended. It can affect strength and reactivity in chemical reactions if the particle size distribution is off, impeding product function.

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Pulva's Toll Milling Services

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Pulva provides standard and cryogenic toll grinding services for operations of all sizes. Our cryogenic grinding solutions support milling for materials that may not otherwise be suitable for standard grinding, like plastics and rubbers needing processing for recycling services. Pulva's toll grinding professionals offer comprehensive grinder services, having worked with quantities as small as 5 pounds and as large as 10,000 pounds.

Pulva offers reliable toll processing services and expertise at a reasonable rate, whether you are searching for phosphate toll milling services for fertilizers, pharmaceutical toll grinding or toll grinding for agricultural applications.

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Cryogenic Grinding Services


In some cases cryogenic grinding allows customers to grind materials that aren’t normally able to be ground. Some examples of these materials are rubber, plastics, oily spices among others. Cryogenic grinding requires not only an equipment investment, but also an infrastructure investment for a liquid nitrogen source. Often times the investment is too much for a startup or a company developing a new product. In cases like these look to the Pulva lab for your cryogenic toll grinding needs.


Our cryogenic grinding solutions support milling for materials that may not be suitable for standard grinding, and these products are generally unable to be ground unless you use our cryogenic solutions. Cryogenic solutions are complex, requiring special equipment and investment in liquid nitrogen. 

You can get cryogenic grinding without these overhead costs by using our cryogenic toll grinding services. We can perform contract processing for cryogenic grinding for batches between 5,000 and 10,000 pounds.


Pulva's Size Reduction Testing Laboratory


At Pulva, we have our own on-site testing lab designed to provide testing and toll grinding. We have advanced equipment for our laboratory, including a 1-75 HP main driver. We can provide small batch toll processing services ranging from 1 to 5,000 pounds at our facilities.


We provide service for any company currently testing materials. However, we can also do small batches for pilot plants or large quantities. Our goal with our testing laboratory and expert team is to help you minimize downtime and provide better particle size reduction options.


Our services produce accurate size distribution. As a result, it ensures precise testing. Pulva lab testing helps you alleviate and eliminate overhead costs of in-house grinding, too. Our benefits align with the needs of pilot plants.


Benefits of Partnering With Pulva


We have a large inventory of parts, enabling us to rebuild and repair equipment while offering top-of-the-line toll grinding services. We help operations of any size with toll grinding. Our family-owned business has been a leader in the industry since 1938 and continues to serve customers with efficient processes and knowledgeable product guidance.

Get a Quote for Pulva's Toll Grinding Services

Pulva has operated in the particle size reduction industry for nearly 80 years, providing reliable equipment and services for size reduction specifications. Working with us can help you maximize efficiency by outsourcing toll grinding services to industry experts. Whether you need regular chemical toll grinding services or toll processing for pharmaceutical companies, our team can perform it at our in-house laboratory and conduct particle size distribution testing to ensure optimal product function and quality.

Work with Pulva for toll grinding in Pittsburgh and beyond. Complete our quote form today to learn more. You can also fill out our material testing form to request particle size reduction services.

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