Saving on swarf: New single-shaft shredder with 3-screw feeder shreds large feed quantities of metal swarf of up to 1,000 litres evenly and trouble-free
However, since metal swarf has to be shredded for further processing anyway, it is worthwhile for metal processors to carry out swarf breaking in-house for a number of reasons. In this way, the metal residues can be stored more cost- and space-efficiently and transported more easily. Erdwich Zerkleinerungs-Systeme GmbH offers solutions for this purpose which, with their robust knives and reliable intake behaviour, are specially tailored to the needs of metal-processing companies. For feed quantities of up to 1,000 l, the recycling specialist has now modified the proven single-shaft shredder type M600/1-600 and equipped it with a 3-screw feeder. This also disentangles larger balls of swarf and ensures uniform and trouble-free feed. At this year's AMB in Stuttgart, Erdwich will be presenting its various shredders for metal swarf.
"Metals are relatively easy to recycle and at the same time new material production is very energy-intensive," explains Harald Erdwich, Managing Director of Erdwich Zerkleinerungs-Systeme GmbH. "That's why this industry is already ahead of the game in terms of the recycling business." Before reprocessing, however, the production residues have to be shredded. No matter whether a metal-processing company recycles the material itself or passes the valuable scrap on to appropriate companies, it is worthwhile to reduce the swarf produced during turning, milling and grinding operations in-house. Since the material is then available in a compressed form, small and medium-sized companies in particular benefit from the enormous space savings compared to storing the voluminous tangles of swarf. In addition, better raw material prices can be obtained for reduced metal residues and transport is significantly more cost-efficient thanks to the higher bulk density. Last but not least, the coolants and lubricants used can be recovered from the shredded material, so that cost savings are also noticeable in the purchase of consumables.
Single and twin-shaft shredders make short work of metal swarf
To integrate swarf breaking seamlessly into the metalworking process, Erdwich is developing centralised as well as decentralised systems. "If you install a separate shredder on each lathe and milling machine, the swarf produced can be immediately reduced to up to a tenth of the original volume," explains Erdwich. "This increases process reliability because the collection containers run a significantly reduced risk of overflowing and causing blockages in the conveyor." The compact single-shaft shredders, which can achieve a throughput of up to 2,000 kg/h depending on the type and size of the swarf, are generally suitable for this purpose. For larger quantities, such as those produced in a central swarf management system, or for swarf with a larger diameter, a higher-throughput twin-shaft shredder is often the plant of choice. Due to an uncompromising material intake and the narrowest cutting gaps, no jamming effects occur between the counter- rotating knives. Thanks to their greater cutting force, these systems are also suitable for more demanding off-cut geometries.
New system with 3-screw feeder for larger feed quantities and balls of swarf
Erdwich has now modified its single-shaft shredder type M600/1-600 especially for particularly large feed quantities as well as voluminous and tangled balls of swarf and equipped it with a 3-screw feeder. "The standard single-shaft shredder can only process about 300 to 400 l at a time," Erdwich reports. "The new plant, on the other hand, can easily handle up to 1,000 l." This is made possible by the 3-screw machine, which is connected upstream of the cutting unit and feeds the material evenly. The screws, which are controlled by a frequency regulator, automatically untangle large balls of swarf so that the single-shaft shredder can process them without interruption. Directly below, fine swarf is automatically sieved out, which further reduces the load on the cutting gear. The plant is equipped with a hydraulic feed press that facilitates the intake of the swarf at the cutting unit, as well as with a pneumatic flap for ejecting extraneous materials via a vibrating chute into a separate container. "Like all our shredders, the new system with 3-screw feeder can be integrated into a return pump or processing system or used as a stand-alone solution with its own collection container," concludes Erdwich.
Visitors to the AMB in Stuttgart from 13 to 17 September 2022 can find out more about the flexible solutions for metal swarf shredding directly from the recycling specialists. The Erdwich sales team will be available for questions and initial discussions in Hall 8 at Stand 43.
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