TECHNOLOGY | GRANULATORS
Upgrading granulators: points to consider
A good granulator can keep on performing for decades. But at Conair, Size Reduction General Manager Dave Miller wants to remind processors about possible performance and safety concerns posed by older size reduction equipment. “If a granulator has served you well – and it’s paid for – it can be easy to overlook rising energy and maintenance costs due to accumulated wear and tear on the motor and drivetrain,” he says. But the lack of modern safety features on a granulator can be of greater concern, particularly as older experienced workers give way to new personnel. Miller recently led a three-year industry review of equipment safety standards used by US size-reduction equipment makers. This has resulted in a new standard from ANSI, the American Standards National Institute,
ANSI/Plastics B151.11 Safety Require- ments for Granulators, Strand Pelletis- ers and Dicers Used for Size Reduction of Plastics, published in April 2021. The standard sets out a mix of
required and optional safety improve- ments. “So, for example, if your personnel are used to removing and sharpening rotor knives on older equipment by wedging in blocks of wood, you’ll be relieved to know that the new standard requires newer granulators to offer interlocks that prevent access to cutting chamber and screen to prevent access when equipment is on or when blades are moving – a job typically done with the help of use of time-delay safety switch- es or zero-speed sensors,” says Miller. The new standard also mandates feed-hopper designs of a size to receive the largest part being granu-
The material screens of the G-Max series are available with screen perforation in different sizes, which can be chosen to suit different materials and throughputs. The tiltable material hopper simplifies cleaning and servicing of the appliance enormous- ly. For instance, a screen change can be carried out without tools, and the time required for servicing is reduced. Getecha was in Friedrichshafen with its sound-
Right: Wittmann G-Max 23 beside-the- press granulator
proofed 45-kW RS 45090. Designed for throughputs of up to 900 kg/h, it is primarily intended as a central granulation station. Two stator knives and three or five rows of rotor knives operate in the cutting chamber. The drive is positioned higher than usual, and integrated into the housing, making the granulator more compact and reducing floor space requirement. The version exhibited at Fakuma was an example of the customisation possible on the RS 45090. It can be expanded with various bypass funnels to increase its versatility. With the appropriate design, a single RS 45090 can replace the working volume of three different applications, Getecha says. The company also showed a
40 INJECTION WORLD | January/February 2022
lated without the need for pre-cutting, with internal dimensions that prevent operators from reaching an armour hand into the cutting chamber area. It also recommends new procedural safeguards, including guidance for adopting lock-out, tag-out rules to ensure proper shut-off during maintenance and repairs.
Miller goes on: “Safety conscious
processors may also benefit from sound-dampening and sound-enclo- sure recommendations, as well as recommendations/requirements for the use of dust collection equipment. If your personnel are operating granulators that lack modern safety features, it may be a wise time to consider a change, along with training and preventative maintenance to ensure the safety of your size-reduc- tion operations for years to come.”
GRS 180 Series granulator suitable for cleanroom use. “Thanks to an airlock funnel, integrated extraction technology and special sealing meas- ures, these granulators release hardly any particles (<1.0 µm),” it says. The sluice funnel prevents regrind from being thrown out and also reduces the noise level. At Rapid Granulator, which showed its OneCut
Pro in different variations at Fakuma, together with granulators from its 150 and 400 series, Sales and Marketing Director Anders Martensson says that overall, the market is “super strong, and despite predictions we get from financial advisors, it seems set to continue through at least the first half of 2022”. Where is that strength most manifested? “We see
remarkable growth in the production of toys for children – and if something is related to Covid, that is for sure one of them. Quality toys are definitely booming. Producers of those toys buy quality machinery, so we benefit from that.” Indeed, in general people buy
more quality products today, says Martensson. “At least in Europe it seems like people are thinking more about reuse. If products can
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IMAGE: WITTMANN
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