For recyclers, a single-shaft shredder is a must-have piece of equipment in order to be competitive in today’s ever-changing landscape.
Some of today’s shredders are equipped with blades that claw at the recycled material, creating a more uniform “chip” that can be fed into a granulator for further size reduction. Proponents of this type of machine say it is less violent and disruptive than other shredder techniques, cuts down on dust and irregular-sized pieces.
Some machines cut the material like a scissor, rather than “tearing” the material. This can be preferred by many customers. The preferences of a shop’s customers can be key in selecting a shredder.
It's all about size reduction, first shredding into larger pieces and then granulating into a size similar to pellets. This allows the clean material to go right back through the system without any production waste.
Shredder options also can feature hardware that offers a flexible cutting geometry, with rotors and blades that can be changed via the touchscreen control. This supports a range of output requirements.
Machinery also can be suited for both mechanical and chemical processing.
On today’s shop floor, a general purpose shredder can be built around a forged rotor typically about 10 inches in diameter. The widths can be 25, 32 and 42 inches.
Smaller shredders feature rotor drive motors are 20 hp, while larger options feature 40-hp motors. Most companies also offer larger motors as an option.
On some shredders, four-way indexable dagger-cut blades work against matching bed knives.
Other options can feature trapezoid-shaped trap-cut blades configured to handle high-volume reclaim of plastic film and fiber scrap. The shredders have an extremely tight clearance between the rotor blades and bed knife. The rotor design also prevents wrapping, and minimizes the regurgitation of material that could cause wear and generate heat.
Shredders have become more prevalent as an increasing number of companies have begun to process their own waste. As a result, shredder manufacturers today engineer and build machines, some that can economically shred large scrap from production into a grain-size of 400-by-40 millimeters.
Popular features include a hydraulic upwards-pivoting bottom flap and the downwards-pivoting screen that enables the operator to gain easy access to the rotor.
Typically, the material gets fed continuously because of the angled design of the machine base and the stepless adjustable slide controller. Material is fed in and shredded via a lifting/tilting device. It then passes into a grinder via a feed channel for granulation.
Shredders also can be integrated into a closed-loop system.
Recyclers are at the forefront of sustainability and “green” manufacturing. They have a tough enough job, especially when prices for virgin resin are low.
To perform efficiently, they need solid, durable and efficient shredders.