What Is a Plastic Granulator?

A plastic granulator is used to cut, crush and grind scrap pieces of plastic into small granules that can be repurposed into new products. This type of machine is often referred to as a grinder, shredder or even a pulverizer, and it can help reduce the amount of waste generated by industrial processes, saving both money and resources. The main function of a plastic granulator is to chop up large volumes of offcuts from injection, blow or extrusion molding into smaller pieces that can be reused in the production process.

There are several types of plastic granulators on the market, but they can generally be classified into two groups. Beside-the-press models are commonly used to grind relatively small volumes of sprues, runners and off-spec parts, as well as edge trim from film lines for immediate recycling back into the process. Central granulators, on the other hand, are usually located in a separate room and are larger and more powerful, capable of cutting up large volumes of plastic offcuts from multiple processing lines or molding cells.

In order to operate a plastic granulator effectively, the machine must be kept clean. This includes lubricating the blades and wiping down the inside of the chamber on a regular basis. It is also important to regularly clean the screen and granulating bed of the machine in order to keep it free of debris. If the machine is allowed to become dirty, it can start to produce dusty granules that are not useful in the production process.

Like any other machine, a plastic granulator requires a certain amount of energy to run, and this energy is used to power the electric motor that drives the blades. The machine can be powered by either 230 or 460 volts, depending on the model and its specific specifications.

The four core systems of a plastic granulator include the power transmission, blade, granulation and control system. The power transmission system is responsible for converting the electrical energy into mechanical energy, and then transmitting it to the blade and granulation systems.

Plastic granulators are available in both solid rotor and staggered blade configurations, each of which can handle different types of materials. Solid rotor models are best for heavier, denser pieces of scrap, while the staggered blades are ideal for lighter materials such as flakes or thin-walled containers.

The noise level of a plastics granulator can be extremely high, and it is crucial that workers wear hearing protection when operating the machine. The optimum working conditions are achieved when the machine is operated at a noise level of 85 dB or less over an eight hour day. Simple retrofits for reducing noise levels can be easily implemented, with attenuation of the 250Hz one third octave band being particularly effective. This can reduce sound levels by 4 dB in the granulation section of the machine and 5 dB in the vacuum. plastic granulator

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