Pilot Plant

Overview:

The Pilot Plant located within the Iowa State University Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex is a flexible, pilot-scale feed manufacturing facility designed to support applied research, process validation, technical training, and industry collaboration.

Providing a controlled yet practical environment where ingredients, formulations, equipment, and processing strategies can be evaluated under real manufacturing conditions allows for bridging the gap between laboratory research and commercial production.

What We Do:

Innovatively designed to function as a scaled-down, research-enabled version of a commercial feed mill it allows users to:

Test new ingredients and formulations
Evaluate processing conditions and system performance
Generate reliable data for decision-making
Reduce risk before full-scale implementation

This unique positioning makes the facility a critical platform for innovation in feed manufacturing.

Who We Collaborate With:

Supporting a wide range of users including:

Academic researchers and graduate students
Students learning feed technology and in the feed technology minor
Feed manufacturers and integrators
Ingredient suppliers and technology providers
Commodity groups and industry organizations
Equipment manufacturers and developers

Whether the goal is research, product validation, or training the facility is designed to support both academic and industry-driven work.

Key Capabilities:

Supporting end-to-end feed manufacturing operations and technical evaluations including:

Grinding, batching, and mixing
Steam conditioning and pelleting
Crumbling and finished feed handling
Ingredient and formulation trials
Pellet durability and physical quality assessment
Process optimization and system performance analysis
Pilot-scale validation of new technologies and process concepts

For a detailed list of equipment and technical specifications, visit the Equipment & Capabilities page.

Pilot Plant Equipment and Technical Capabilities

The FMGSC Pilot Plant is equipped to support pilot-scale feed manufacturing, process evaluation, and applied research across multiple unit operations. The system is designed to replicate key components of commercial feed production while maintaining flexibility for experimental work.

Processing Systems

1. Grinding

CPM 6X16 Viking Hammermill System
CPM TP900-12 Roller Mill System

2. Batching and Mixing

Easy Automation Micro Ingredient System
250 lb and 500 lb capacity mixers

3. Conditioning, Pelleting, and Crumbling

Conditioning & Pelleting: Featuring a CPM PM1112-2 Pellet Mill

and a CPM C18INF6.5 Infusion Conditioner

A CPM PC624S Crumble Roll

4. Finished Feed Handeling

EBM Feed Pellet Screener
JEM Bagging Unit that can fill super sacks, seed boxes, and, in the near future, bulk.

Work With Us

Looking to evaluate a product, validate a process, or solve a manufacturing challenge?

We offer fee-for-service trials, confidential contract research, and collaborative partnerships.