One of the most important aspects of selecting a stone-based commercial flour mill or atta chakki is selecting the right stone.
Stone plays a vital role in the wheat grinding process. But, the majority of new business owners do not pay close attention to that, and some might have questions like,
- Which stone is best for atta chakki?
- Which stone is used in Atta chakki?
- Which stone is used in flour mill?
Today, I will briefly explain every aspect of stones used in commercial flour mills, and you will have a fair idea of choosing a stone for atta chakki.
In case, you are looking for domestic atta chakki for your home, I recommend you read my well researched article on the best home atta chakkis to buy online.
Traditional Stones For Atta Chakkis
Our ancient were grinding the grains with the help of natural stones. Usually, natural stones are made up of granite, emery and sandstone.
Years ago, humans were grinding the required grains with natural stone only, and that was the best technique to have freshly milled flour for daily consumption.
In the ancient era, people used to have such arrangements and had no other option. However, there are certain limitations do exist for natural stones.
Traditional Stones
Advantages of traditional stones:
Natural or traditional stones can grind grains at a low speed so that the grains grinding has a low temperature, and hence, the nutrients will remain intact.
Another advantage of traditional stones is that they are highly durable if handled properly.
Disadvantages of traditional stones:
Being made from natural elements, they are prone to get cracks easily. Regular maintenance by a skilled person is essential.
Apart from that, natural stones are quite expensive today compared to modern stones for atta chakki.
Now let us understand the types of traditional stones.
Types Of Traditional Stones For Atta Chakki
Emery stones:
Image credit: Adinath Stones, Paras Emery Stone, Pukhraj Mill Stone
As emery stones are made up by mixing flint and emery, they have great grinding capability. With emery stone, almost all kinds of grains can be easily ground.
Despite being durable, emery stones require dressing at regular intervals and, cost-wise, are a bit expensive.
Granite stones:
Granite stones are mainly used in traditional atta chakkis as they are highly efficient in grinding grains. Such stones are recommended to retain the flavour and natural aroma.
For a consistent and hassle-free grinding experience, one can go with granite stone atta chakki.
Sandstone:
Sandstones are also known as Sharad stones in some parts of India. If you want the finest grinding, sandstones are the most suitable. Grain flavour and aroma will retain easily with these types of stones.
However, sandstones wear faster than granite stones, so you should consider this point when selecting the stone for commercial atta chakki.
Modern Stones For Atta Chakki
In recent years, as technology has evolved, many alternatives of natural or traditional stones are being used in atta chakki.
The most common alternatives are composite materials, ceramic and synthetic material combinations. The use of modern stones is gradually increased due to the cost-effectiveness and unavailability of natural stones.
Advantages of modern stones for atta chakki:
The very first advantage is the cost saving. Modern stones are cheaper than traditional or natural stones.
Also, modern stones require less maintenance than natural stones and offer better grinding output. You can produce more atta with modern stones than traditional stones.
The disadvantage of modern stones:
The biggest disadvantage of modern stones is the temperature. During the grinding process, modern stones generate more heat than natural stones, affecting the atta’s quality.
At high-temperature grinding, the nutrients will be lost drastically, and the taste & flavour will be degraded.
You have now understood the basic difference between traditional stones and modern stones. Let us understand the types of modern stones for commercial atta chakkis or flour mills.
Types Of Modern Stones For Atta Chakki
Composite stones:
Composite stones are made up of a combination of various natural materials with a synthetic binding agent.
They are highly durable and offer a consistent grinding experience. Cost-wise, composite stones are quite affordable than natural or traditional stones.
Corundum-Ceramic Stones:
Corundum-Ceramic Stones are made from ceramic material and corundum crystals. This combination is perfect for having a longer life span.
Less wear means a longer life cycle. However, Corundum-Ceramic stones generate more heat during the grinding process.
Synthetic stones:
Synthetic stones are completely made by humans, and they do not have any natural elements in them.
Synthetic stones are designed for a uniform grinding experience because they are highly durable and have little to no maintenance. Cost-wise, they are cheaper.
How To Choose The Stone For Atta Chakki ( Commercial Flour Mill )?
While choosing the stone for atta chakki, you should know certain factors mentioned below.
If you choose the wrong stone, all of your investment might be wasted, and you won’t get desired output and quality. So it is important to understand these factors before buying a stone for atta chakki.
Grinding speed and efficiency:
Speed and efficiency is the crucial aspect of any atta chakki meant for business. Better efficiency and appropriate speed will help you get more wheat flour at a consistent output.
It would be best not to miss considering the hardness and sharpness of stone while selecting the best stone for commercial flour mills.
Durability:
Commercial atta chakkis have more running hours than domestic or home atta chakki, so the stone should be durable.
For a smooth operation, the stone should withstand the continuous impact of grinding without compromising on efficiency and output quality.
Always choose the stone for atta chakki with a low wear factor and high resistivity against cracks and chips.
Strength and tolerance are critical aspects of any atta chakki stone.
Nutrient retention & flavour preservation:
If your atta chakki cannot maintain the flavour and nutrients, you cannot produce quality and healthy atta.
Customers can easily sense the quality of atta, and you may lose your reputation as an atta chakki business owner.
To avoid this situation, you should always choose a stone that does not generate excessive heat during grinding. Low-temperature grinding is the best grinding practice.
Maintenance:
Some stones require frequent dressing(traditional stones) and maintenance, while some (modern stones) require very little maintenance.
For commercial atta chakki, the less maintenance requirement, the higher the profit. That is why modern stones have gained higher popularity than traditional stones.
Apart from maintenance, cleaning is an important point to consider. The stone should be easy to clean after certain hours of operation or after dressing.
Cost:
Finally, the cost is one of the factors that you must pay attention to. However, you want to maintain consistently high production without compromising on quality.
In that case, you should always buy the stone from genuine and reputed stone manufacturers to ensure the overall success of your atta chakki business.
Comparison Of Different Stone Types For Commercial Atta Chakkis
Here is a general comparison that is based on my experience. It is to be noted that this comparison table may vary depending on the specific quality and manufacturer of the stones.
| Stone Type | Grinding Efficiency | Durability | Nutrients Retention | Maintenance & Cleaning | Cost |
| Emery Stone | Good | Average | Excellent | Moderate | Moderate |
| Granite Stone | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Low | High |
| Sandstone | Average | Average | Good | High | Moderate |
| Composite Stone | Good | Good | Good | Low | Low |
| Corundum-Ceramic Stone | Excellent | Excellent | Moderate | Low | High |
| Synthetic Stone | Excellent | Excellent | Moderate | Low | High |
Which stone is best for atta chakki?
Considering all the above factors, emery stones are popular in modern times and considered the best stone for commercial atta chakki as well as for domestic atta chakki.
Which stone is best for flour mill?
Flour mills are usually considered commercial, and as explained earlier, emery stones are the best for flour mills. However, you can choose from plenty of varieties of emery stones, like diamond-cut emery stones.
What type of stone did the early man use for grinding grains?
Based on archaeological study and research, early man used natural stones ( sandstones) to grind various grains. Proof and evidence are available at respective laboratories and archaeological museums.
How do you identify a grinding stone?
Shape and patterns are the key identifiers for any grinding stones. Natural stones will not be as polished as modern manufactured stones.
How long do grinding stones last?
Usually, any grinding stone under continuous operation lasts for 1.5 to 2 years. Then, it requires maintenance like dressing and polishing etc.
When should I replace my grinding stone?
Every manufacturer marks the maximum recess (useable area) you can use for safe grinding. After that, the stone needs to be replaced.
Which are some of the good atta chakki stone manufacturers in India?
Below are some of the genuine and reputed atta chakki stone manufacturers you can approach if you want to buy stone for your commercial atta chakki.
Adinath Stones – Jodhpur Rajasthan
Pukhraj Mill Stone – Nawa City Rajasthan
Paras Emery Stone – Nagpur, Maharashtra
What is the cost of Pukhraj stone?
You can visit their website Pukhraj Mill Stone for the latest price.
Conclusion:
So we have discussed some basic aspects of different types of stones used in commercial flour mills and learned each type’s advantages and disadvantages.
Selecting the stone for atta chakki is important based on your needs, preferences and use case.
Being in the research sector, I recommend you ask as many questions as possible to the manufacturer and collect all technical details before buying stone for atta chakki. Visiting the manufacturer for hands-on experience and a practical demo will be best.
Always pay close attention to the factors discussed in this article before selecting a stone for atta chakki.
Choosing the right stone for atta chakki will save you money, and you will have peace of mind. The most important thing to consider while buying stone for atta chakki is to have your requirement fulfilled and to get consistently high-quality atta with efficient and hassle-free operation.