A plastic granulator is a machine that turns waste plastic into smaller flakes that can be reused. It operates by feeding pre-shredded plastic materials into a chamber, where the cutting blade rotates to break them down into smaller chunks.
Every plastics processing facility generates scrap material. To make it valuable, it must be reduced to a more manageable size.
Features
A plastic granulator is an essential piece of equipment for any factory that processes plastics. The machine works by shearing and tearing materials, reducing them to small, uniform particles. This reduces the amount of energy needed to process the waste. It also saves money and labor.
A granulator can be used to reduce the size of any type of plastic. It can be used to shred bottles, sprues, runners, small and large molded parts, film, sheet, pipe, and profiles. It can even handle scrap from injection molding and extrusion lines.
The machine can be customized to suit specific requirements, including the number and design of knives, the speed, and the power consumption. It can also be equipped with safety switches, power-assisted tilt-back hoppers, and rotor locking devices. This makes it easy to operate and maintain. Simple retrofits can also reduce noise levels. This open source device can be fabricated for less than $2000 in materials, and it can help accelerate the deployment of distributed recycling.
Operation
The plastic granulator transforms used bottles, bags and packaging into a fine regrind for reuse in the manufacture of new plastic products. It uses a large electric motor that rotates a rotor with cutting blades that shred the plastic into granules. The granulator is one of the first steps in a recycling process that includes sorting and separation, size reduction and washing.
The machine is composed of four main systems: the power transmission system, the extrusion system, the plastic cutting/granulation system and the heating and cooling system. The power transmission system converts the electrical energy into mechanical energy, which is then transmitted to the plastic cutting/granulation system.
The extrusion system consists of the barrel, screw and mold. The screw pushes the melted plastic into the mold and establishes a specific pressure and temperature. The barrel encases the screw and adds heat to melt the plastic material. It is usually made of corrosion-resistant alloy steel to withstand the molding pressure.
Maintenance
Keeping a plastic granulator in good working condition requires constant attention. The machine is designed to cut streams of PET and HDPE plastics, vinyl and other scrap materials into small uniform particles or flakes for reuse in extrusions, injection molding and other manufacturing processes.
It is important to maintain the proper blade gap and positioning of a granulator in order to keep it running efficiently. Dull or improperly gapped cutters can increase frictional heat and power draw, which will reduce output and product quality.
In addition, it is also important to regularly clean and inspect a granulator for any damage or wear to the equipment. Some processors do this on a daily or shift basis, while others implement weekly or monthly maintenance schedules. Regardless of the schedule, it is important to follow all safety check requirements and lock out any power supply before conducting any maintenance.
Safety
The electric motor of a plastic granulator turns a rotor and a set of cutting blades within a chamber. When used plastic is fed into the machine, it cuts up large material into small granules. The granulator can be used to shred a variety of materials, including polyethylene and polypropylene. It is important to use the right size granulator for the material being processed.
It is recommended that the operator wear safety glasses and cotton gloves when operating a granulator. It is also important to keep the area around the granulator clean of any potential slip and trip hazards. In addition, it is essential to lock-out the power supplies before attempting maintenance, cleaning or repairs on the machine.
It is also a good idea to never climb into a granulator to try and free it of a jam-up or for other reasons. This is a dangerous practice and can result in injury or even death.