In the world of waste reduction, efficiency is everything. To maximize profitability, grinder operators and project managers need to process their primary feedstocks quickly, preferably without having to handle the materials multiple times.
By Andy Bulson
In certain industries, abrasive, large, or contaminated feedstocks run the risk of causing significant damage to the horizontal grinder. In cases like these, an industrial shredder can pre-process feedstocks to ensure operators maximize end-product production while minimizing risk to their equipment.
Increase Efficiency and Versatility with An Industrial Shredder
By incorporating an industrial shredder into their system, operations can easily tackle tough feedstocks, including bulky wood waste, municipal solid waste (MSW), and contaminated feedstocks found in construction and demolition debris (C&D).
Produce an Array of High-Quality End Products
Shredders can increase the pool of viable feedstocks, unlocking new avenues operations can use to convert waste into profit. Industrial shredders operate at a slower speed and higher torque than horizontal grinders, allowing them to break down difficult materials into smaller pieces that can be processed efficiently by a high-speed grinder—all in one pass. Pre-shredding feedstocks also allows operators to break oddly shaped materials, such as tree stumps or wire spools, into manageable pieces that put less strain on grinder parts.
In addition to breaking down abrasive and rigid materials, industrial shredders are also used to pre-process contaminated feedstocks, such as telephone poles, railroad ties, and C&D waste. By shredding these feedstocks before grinding, operations can separate metals and other un-grindable inclusions from target feedstocks and turn waste into quality end products.
Maximize Productivity
Whether your goal is a secondary end product or volume reduction for disposal, nothing compromises your operation’s productivity more than repeat processing. Using a shredder to pre-process your material helps ensure your horizontal grinder can handle the feedstock in one pass, maximizing your operation’s uptime and, in turn, its profitability. Pre-shredding feedstock also decreases the likelihood that un-grindable materials will damage the grinder, minimizing the chances of repair-related downtime.
Cut Costs
Un-grindable materials like large pieces of metal can significantly damage grinders and pose safety risks to operators. In addition, repeated contact with un-grindable objects dulls grinder teeth over time, necessitating replacement sooner than natural wear. Pre-processing feedstock with a shredder reduces the risk of damage to the grinder, reducing repair costs and lost profits from breakdowns.
Shredders offer a practical solution for operations aiming to streamline volume reduction, enabling more efficient loading of materials into trailers, and, ultimately, lowering transportation costs.
Prominent Use Cases
Industrial shredders are used in various industries—from municipal solid waste (MSW) to wood waste and even some divisions of the organic waste industry.
Wood Waste
Within the wood waste industry, operations involved in C&D, land clearing, and pallet recycling can find ample applications for industrial shredders. Jagged or awkwardly shaped wood waste—like pallets, support structures, brush, and stumps—can be broken down via a shredder then passed through a horizontal grinder to process for disposal or reuse as a profitable end product. These products include animal bedding, boiler fuel, colored landscaping mulch, and more.
For operations that handle contaminated wood waste, shredders are an invaluable addition to their equipment lineup. With the right supporting features, operators can easily remove metal inclusions from shredded wood waste, both maximizing grinder uptime and refining their end products.
Municipal Solid Waste
MSW is a broad category of waste that includes paper, food, yard waste, lumber, electronic devices, and more. For those in related industries, including recycling, waste processing, and landfill management, pairing a shredder with a horizontal grinder reduces the size of the waste and helps keep landfills below capacity. Pre-shredding municipal solid waste also helps prepare the material for further processing or the sorting of material for recycling.
Choosing the Right Shredder for Your Operation
When selecting a shredder for your waste reduction system, consider your operation’s size requirements, primary feedstocks, desired add-ons, and mobility demands.
Shredder Size
Depending on the manufacturer you purchase your equipment from, shredders are typically available in different sizes. The choice between a larger or smaller shredder will depend on a couple of factors.
First, the shredder will need to fit the space available in your yard or at your jobsites, as well as your operation’s maneuverability requirements. Also factor in your primary feedstocks—abrasive, tough materials are better suited to a shredder with a large cutting surface. If your operation takes in a diverse array of materials, a larger shredder can provide the versatility needed to process them all.
Second, consider your operation’s throughput needs. A larger shredder can typically handle more material efficiently, but depending on the manufacturer, some smaller shredders are built to match high productivity needs. Reviewing your operation’s size considerations before purchasing a shredder is the first step to maximizing your workflow’s efficiency.
Primary Feedstocks
Different models of industrial shredders are suited to different materials. When choosing a shredder, pick one that aligns with your operation’s primary feedstock. Slow-speed, high-torque shredders excel at processing contaminated feedstocks. Materials like railway ties, cable spools, C&D waste, and telephone poles can be broken down to remove un-grindable metals, allowing operators to process materials more efficiently. Industrial shredders also excel at reducing materials to the ideal size for efficient grinding.
Mobility
Choose an industrial shredder that suits the geographic conditions of your worksites. Tracked shredders can easily traverse rough and uneven terrain, while wheels are more suited to tarmac or asphalt.
Desired Add-Ons
Some manufacturers offer optional features that further tailor industrial shredders to the unique needs of their operation. While specific add-ons vary, popular additions include breaker bars, metal removal systems, and specialized rotor configurations:
- Breaker Bars—Breaker bars separate large and abrasive feedstocks into smaller chunks before they enter the shredding chamber, allowing the primary shredder to efficiently process materials.
- Metal Removal System—Even if you pre-process contaminated feedstock, un-grindable objects may slip through. Metal removal systems, like cross-belt magnets, offer superior metal separation, minimizing the chances of grinder damage. A metal removal system is essential for project managers that want to produce quality end products while minimizing material handling.
- Rotor Configurations—Shredders can be outfitted with different rotor configurations to process your operation’s primary feedstock more efficiently. For example, fine rotors feature a broad design for a homogenous output, while rough rotors can handle waste contaminated with metal fittings, screws, and bolts.
Partner with a Trusted Shredder Manufacturer
Pre-processing materials can help reduce waste, cut costs, and make worksites more profitable, but the success of your operation hinges on the quality of its equipment. Every company’s needs are different, so operators should seek a partnership with a manufacturer who has the industry knowledge to recommend a shredder that meets those needs. Operators should also consider the quality of their partner’s support services, including preventative maintenance and emergency repairs.
With the right partner and the right equipment, those in the waste reduction industry can use shredders in conjunction with horizontal grinders to cut costs, boost profits, and streamline their entire operation. | WA
Andy Bulson is the Sales Manager for Rotochopper. Andy has more than 20 years of experience in sales management, working in some capacity with Rotochopper since 1998. For more than 30 years, Rotochopper has specialized in equipment that transforms waste materials into profitable opportunities like colored landscape mulch, animal bedding, biomass fuels, and compost. As a factory-direct company, they are uniquely focused on providing innovative solutions and extraordinary customer service to Rotochopper customers around the world. For more information, visit www.rotochopper.com.