Equipment Spotlight | AUG 2020 Shredders

by MARY M. THORNTON

Paper and plastic make up a large portion of the trash discarded today. As a result, there are a wide variety of machines available in the recycling and waste industries, designed for the processing and further use of those materials.

“CM Shredders has long been at the forefront of game-changing innovations with recycling system installations hard at work in hundreds of locations, spanning 5 continents in more than 28 countries,” Mario Vazquez, sales and marketing director, said.

CM’s new product R&D and engineering team have recently introduced two completely new lines of dual and single shaft shredders with the ability to process and provide turn-key solutions for nearly every market in the industry. The first introduced “hybrid” series of dual shaft shredders include models ranging from 10 to 250 hp. This series was designed to process a wide range of ferrous and nonferrous materials, including plastics, paper, metal, MSW, wood and tires. The CM Hybrid Series are low-speed, wear, noise, dust and vibration machines, combining CM high torque and cutting technologies with high capacity and precision processing.

CM next introduced a line of high-performance, single shaft shredders – the CM SOLO Series. Ranging from 30 to 150 hp, these machines were designed to provide a consistent and exact finished particle size. The product line also features a “smart-ram” system that automatically and precisely adjusts ram pressure for maximum efficiency. Ruggedly built and engineered for performance, the machines also offer low cost of operation.

“The CM Shredders reputation for high quality and precision manufacturing is evident from the steel frame and electrical controls. Easy service access for screen changes and maintenance are also engineered with the user and simplicity in mind. Also, four-way reversible steel knives drastically lower operating cost. These machines have a small footprint and can be utilized as a stand-alone machine, or integrated with a CM Hybrid primary shredder to reach high capacities very cost efficiently. For even further processing the line can be further integrated downstream with a CM Granulator or CM Hammermill, serving as a complete fine grind system,” stated Vazquez.

For over 50 years, Granutech-Saturn Systems has designed and manufactured size reduction equipment for many recycling industries. Offering single, dual, and quad shaft shredders in both hydraulic and electric drive, most of their clients are large volume processors, typically ranging anywhere from 1,500 lbs. per hour up to 12,000 lbs. per hour and some run 24/7.

“The plastic recycling industry is in an interesting place right now. When China stopped the import of scrap plastic, it resulted in a large volume of scrap material in America. Then the collapse of oil prices made virgin plastic the cheaper option compared to recycled plastics. The effects of COVID-19 are still playing out too,” commented Greg Wright, sales manager.

He added, “Contamination in recycled products is always a challenge. Many times an entire bale of paper or plastic might be thrown into a shredder and it is not unusual for there to be a large piece of metal or other contaminant in it. Some customers manually break open the bale before shredding to look for such items, and others might use multiple stages of shredding with a dual shaft shredder initially, which is much more tolerant of contaminants, followed by a magnet and/or metal detector before going into further shredding.”

Herbold, a fourth generation size reduction company, serves markets around the world that process paper, plastics, rubber, fiber and post-consumer materials. Equipment sizes range from 8 x 10” to 30 x 80” and machine speed ranges from 5 to 500 hp. Herbold products can process 50lbs. per hour to 15,000 lbs. per hour, depending on the final particle size and feed stock. Typically, a Herbold client may process 1,500 lbs. per hour at a minimum.

David Lefrancois, president, reports that clients are sometimes challenged by adequate floor space, power availability, experienced equipment operators and maintenance personnel. He noted the dominant factors that shape the market, stating, “It’s all about volume and equipment flexibility… the larger the volumes the better the ROI and the more flexible the equipment, the more plentiful the opportunities out there for additional feed stocks.”

Virtus Equipment’s SG size reduction machine combines a shredder with a granulator in a single space-saving system for the processing of production waste. The shredder top is equipped with a 400 mm diameter E rotor, which involves the Virtus proven knife and knife holder design. Driven by a high-torque gear drive and compared to a direct drive, the unit handles tougher input materials thoroughly. The large hopper and the powerful horizontal pusher allow the processing of voluminous as well as heavier materials. The granulator lower part of the system consists of a three blade rotor based on the Virtus compact C series. “The shredder and granulator are matched to work in conjunction with an advanced control system and this ensures smooth, reliable operation,” Tom Breslin, president, stated. The Virtus SG system was developed to focus mainly on blow and injection molding, but it can be used in many other applications as well.

Due to the compact design, the SG is ideal for in-house recycling applications. The closed system reduces the risk of contamination in the output material, when compared to a traditional two stage system. Features include a compact space saving design, low noise emission, a versatile size reduction concept and flexible discharge options. The SG is for any application that requires predictable shredder and granulation quality. Typical applications include, but are not limited to: recycling, injection molding, roto and blow molding, extrusion and thermoforming.

Virtus Equipment also offers beside-the-press granulators to large, heavy duty shredders and compact, soundproofed granulators. Specialized systems for in-house granulation, large diameter pipes and tires are also available. Pulverizers and accessories round out the Virtus Equipment product line with production of approximately 5,000 machines annually.

Published in the August 2020 Edition