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Bliss Hammer Mill Retrofit: Same Housing, More of the Screen Doing the Work
Most plants running a Bliss hammer mill aren't looking for a new mill. The housing is sound, the drive is sized, and the footprint is already built around it. What they want is more out of the machine they already own.
That's what the Midwest Custom Engineering retrofit is built to do. It re-profiles the grinding chamber inside an existing Bliss housing so the rotor works against more of the screen on every revolution. Same mill. Same footprint. More of the screen doing the work.
The Problem: Installed Screen Isn't the Same as Working Screen
Every hammer mill has a certain amount of screen installed around the rotor. But installed screen area and working screen area aren't the same thing. How much of that screen actually sizes material depends on the shape of the grinding chamber and where the hammers meet the material as they rotate.
In a standard Bliss grinding chamber, part of the installed screen area is under-used. Material that isn't presented to the screen isn't being sized, so the mill is doing less work per revolution than the screen it carries could support.
We explain the concept in more detail in hammer mill screen utilization.
What the MCE Retrofit Changes
The retrofit re-profiles the grinding chamber inside the existing Bliss housing. The cross-sections below come from our CAD models. Blue is a standard Bliss grinding chamber. Green is the MCE retrofit installed in the same housing, with the original housing edges still visible in dark blue. The top row shows the hammer in a lower position, and the bottom row shows it near the top of rotation.
With the chamber re-profiled, the rotor works against more of the screen on every revolution, so more material is sized per pass.
What That Means in Production
More screen in use. The retrofit puts more of the installed screen area to work instead of leaving part of it under-used.
A better grind. More screen contact per revolution gives a finer, more consistent product.
More capacity. More working screen area means more material through the same mill. Results depend on the mill, the material and the operating conditions, which is why we evaluate each application before recommending a retrofit.
Bolt-in installation. The retrofit installs directly into the existing Bliss hammer mill. No new mill, and no new footprint.
Field-Proven
On October 5, 2026, MCE bolted a retrofit system directly into an existing Bliss hammer mill at a customer site in Texas. Read the field note from the Texas install.
Is a Retrofit Right for Your Mill?
A retrofit makes sense when the mill itself is sound but the job has outgrown how it's configured. If the housing, drive or frame has reached the end of its service life, a retrofit isn't the answer. We walk through that decision in Retrofit or Replace? How to Know What Your Bliss Hammer Mill Really Needs, and the questions to ask before retrofitting a Bliss hammer mill will help you get ready for the conversation.
If you're keeping the mill running in the meantime, our guide to Bliss hammer mill parts covers what to compare before you order replacement components.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the MCE retrofit change inside a Bliss hammer mill?
It re-profiles the grinding chamber inside the existing Bliss housing so the rotor works against more of the installed screen on every revolution.
Do I need a new mill or a new foundation?
No. The retrofit bolts directly into the existing Bliss hammer mill. It uses the same housing and the same footprint.
Will a retrofit increase my mill's capacity?
More working screen area means more material can be sized through the same mill. How much depends on your mill, material and operating conditions, so we evaluate each application before making a recommendation.
Has the retrofit been installed in the field?
Yes. On October 5, 2026, MCE bolted a retrofit system into an existing Bliss hammer mill at a customer site in Texas.
Talk to MCE About Retrofitting Your Bliss Hammer Mill
Send us your mill model, what you're grinding, your throughput and particle-size targets, and what's limiting the mill today. We'll tell you whether a retrofit is the right fit.
MAIN LINE: +1-772-200-4060
PARTS HOTLINE: +1-772-300-9035
EMAIL: info@usemce.com
Midwest Custom Engineering is an independent manufacturer of aftermarket replacement components. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Bliss Industries, CPM, or OneCPM. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Model references are used solely to identify equipment compatibility.
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