TECHNOLOGY | SHREDDERS
Vecoplan’s U-Rotor design is used in the
Right: Zerma’s ZCS, a stacked size reduction unit that integrates a single-shaft shredder with granulator technology
configuration for the fishing nets. (Its W-Rotor and V-Rotor design are offered for use with film and fibre shredding.) It is designed as a heavy-duty, thick-walled, hollow bodied cutting rotor assembly that delivers high torque cutting efficiency and quiet operation. The hollow body design elimi- nates drive train damage when compared to heavier solid rotors as it can change inertia quicker when called for. The rotor is cored for water cooling to minimise heat generation. Vecoplan says specially designed nip cutters installed on the rotor prevent fishing net material from wrapping around the rotor. The auxiliary cutters cut the strands against the bed knife to prevent wrapping, Davidson said. The wedge- shaped bed knife improves the cutting angle for a more consistent and precise cut. The cutters and rotor are manufactured from a mild steel that is hard faced to extend usage and resist wear. The four-sided cutters are indexable to allow each side to perform as a cutting surface. The VAZ model is equipped with a pneumati- cally tensioned counter knife designed to protect the unit against damage caused by extraneous materials. The counter knife can deflect downwards if the adjustable force limit is exceeded to prevent severe damage to the cutting unit. Two compressed air springs hold the counter knife crossbar in its working position, the company said. Sensors in the unit automatically detect extraneous materials while a hydraulic bottom flap allows for their removal. An overload controller responds quickly to impacts caused by extraneous materials. The counter knife is offered in gap clearances ranging from 0.010 to 0.030 inches for precise cutting, while the reinforced sizing screen main- tains strict tolerances. The design of the frequency-controlled continu- ously-adjustable linear ram has no edges where material deposits can form and does not cause bales to fall out of the machine, Davidson said. Shredder operations are driven by Vecoplan’s HiTorc direct-drive synchronous motors that eliminate mechanical drive elements such as gears and consume about 10% of the energy typically required by comparable synchronous motors when idling, which improves the unit’s perfor-
34 PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | May/June 2024
mance and energy efficiency. Vecoplan offers its VAZ series for film and fibre in six models ranging from the VAZ 800 XL FF with a 32 by 45 inch cutting chamber opening, 15 inch rotor diameter and 125 rpm rotor speed, 18+17 cutters and 30 hp motor to the VAZ 1800 M FF model with 70 by 82 inch cutting chamber open- ing, 20 inch diameter rotor and 145 rpm rotor speed, with 84 + 41 cutters and 200 hp motor.
In the pipeline At NPE2024, Max Paeslack, CEO of Zerma Machin- ery & Recycling Technology, discussed the company’s recent machinery developments. He said it recently developed its new ZRS series of pipe shredders designed to process plastic pipes with a diameter up to 2.2 m and lengths up to 7 m. The ZRS series can shred pipes with different diameters and wall thicknesses as well as pipes that are nested within one another or pipes with cascading multiple diameters. The ZRS features an enclosed feeding trough
through which the pipes are fed. To ensure safety, the machine is switched off during pipe loading. The feed area is secured by a light-grid to ensure the machine cannot be started while person- nel or loading equipment is in the area. When the heavy-duty hydraulically operated cover is closed and locked the machine automatically begins the shredding process. A hydraulic pusher device
presses the pipe against two vertically arranged rotors that rotate in the same direction. The rotors are 1.3 m in diameter and 2.6 m in length, and are operated by two robust gearboxes, each driven by a 55 kW
motor. When the pusher device completes its forward stroke it
retracts to its ready position, then the shredder automatically switches itself off and a new loading cycle can begin. The ZRS series features a control panel with
separate operator panel with an intuitive touch screen user interface that provides complete control and monitoring of the process to maximise productivity. The first system built, a ZRS Pipe 2600 unit, will be installed at a pipe manufacturer in Canada, Paeslack said. Zerma also developed a stacked size reduction
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
IMAGE: ZERMA
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