YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
BY OUR EXPERTS

We understand that operating, servicing, and purchasing industrial food production equipment can be complex. Here are some of the most common questions we hear. If your question isn’t listed below, feel free to ask our chatbot or give us a call directly.

FAQS

There are many factors that go into choosing the right food production grinder for you. Our Sales Specialists can help you determine what would be the best piece of industrial grinding equipment for your specific application based on product type, temperature, output and texture, along with many other elements.

No, the food grinders that we manufacture are for commercial and industrial use. While the smallest Rome Brand Grinder is the Brutus 6, we have partnerships with other companies that offer grinders with a smaller output.

All Rome grinders are manufactured at our plant in Sheldon, IA.

Yes, we have a massive inventory of in stock parts for grinding equipment from many top manufacturers.

INDUSTRIAL FOOD GRINDER
EQUIPMENT TROUBLESHOOTING

Many factors can cause a low output. Please refer to the chart below for possible causes and remedies. Always make sure to lock out all power before any trouble shooting is performed.
Loose ring or improperly assembled

 

Tighten the ring. If the ring is unstable during grinding, check the threads on the ring and head.
Dull plate or thickness is worn down too much Sharpen the plate, reverse the plate to share the side, or replace the plate. Thickness should be no less than ¾ of original size.
Knife inserts are dull or worn down too far Change the inserts if they are worn to 1/16” or less above the knifeholder blade. If the wear is uneven, check the flatness of the knifeholder blades.
Worn head shown by curled or worn flutes and anti-spin lugs rounded off Replace or rebuild the head.
Spring missing, over compressed, or broken Replace the spring.
Pin and/or bushing wear, allowing feedscrew to move up and down. This will affect knife wear and damaging pressure flights which will rub on the head. Check the pin for wear. Any excessive grooves or ridges indicate that the pin is worn. Be sure to check the bushing at the same time. If the pin is bad, then the bushing is most likely bad, too. Both should be replaced.
Feed Screw pressure flights are worn across the front face giving it a dished appearance, and ends are worn down.  Replace the feedscrew.
Head flights are worn and have reduced O.D. or are thin and curled over, preventing product from moving through the head. Replace the feedscrew.
Replace the feedscrew. Replace the feedscrew or resharpen the flights.
Extreme pin hole wear will cause the feed screw to move up and down, which will cause the knife contact to be interrupted resulting in uneven knife wear. Key shear, head damage and pin breakage are also possible. Replace the feedscrew or have the pin hold rebuilt.
Feedscrew/head spacing is incorrect Determine the appropriate spacing for your particular grinder. Make adjustments by adding or removing space washers.
Accumulation of bone chips or gristle on inside of plate impeding product flow. Disassemble the grinder and clean the material behind the plate. Also check the cutting parts for sharpness.
Loose belts on drive system  Check the belts after the first forty hours of running on a new grinder. Check the belts for tension and their condition every six months after that. Belts should be tight enough to resist slipping under max load.

Please refer to the chart below for possible causes and remedies. Always make sure to lock out all power before any trouble shooting is performed.

Possible Cause Possible Solution
Loose ring Tighten the ring.
Broken or missing spring Replace the spring.
Improper feedscrew or head space Check and adjust the spacing accordingly.
Plugged plate Disassemble and clean behind the plate.
Tripped circuit breaker Reset the breaker and check the amp draw along with the size of the breaker. Also, check electrical wiring.
Slipping drive belts Tighten the belts.

There are a couple reasons that this could be happening. First, dissimilar products put into the grinder could be the issue. Second, “fatting out” can cause blockage, which frees itself after a build up occurs. This is usually a result of over-working or over-mixing a product. Either way, it is best to consult your Sales Specialist to make sure that your grinder is the proper set-up for your application.

Refer to the “Low Output” chart above. Any of these reasons could cause the unfavorable appearance. Make sure that the pin and bushing does not need to be changed, and verify that the plates are sharpened.

This could result from the wrong feedscrew configuration, RPM, hole side in plate, plate blockage, or any of the “Low Output” reasons in the chart above. Consult with a Rome Sales Specialist to determine the best feedscrew, RPM, or plate hole size configuration.

Your plate holes may be too small, RPM too fast, or the product may be getting over-mixed. To fix this, a Sales Specialist can determine if the RPM should be slower, plate holes larger, or a different feedscrew is necessary.

Sign Up For the Rome Grinding
Solutions Email Newsletter