Knife Mills and Shredders Information

Shredders are industrial machines used for size reduction. They are used to process plastic and wood, film and fiber, medical waste, construction and demolition debris, and many other materials. Plastic shredders are designed to process plastic waste such as extruder purgings, reject parts, and trim scraps for recycling and reclamation. Wood shredders are used in the size-reduction of wooden crates and pallets. Some products may also be used to shred or grind tree stumps, discarded furniture, and utility poles. Specialized shredders  for processing cardboard, cable reels, carpeting, paper, computer hard drives, compact discs (CDs) and other wastes are available.

Types of Shredders

There are many different types of shredders. Examples include hopper shredders, vertical shredders, single-shaft shredders, low-noise shredders, and low-speed shredders. Hopper shredders are equipped with funnel-shaped receptacles called hoppers that allow operators to dump large quantities of material into the machine. Sometimes, hopper shredders are called vertical shredders because of the equipment’s orientation. Horizontal and multi-shaft shredders are also available. Single-shaft shredders are used in many wood recycling and plastic recycling applications. Low-noise shredders are used to process paper and business documents at banks and financial institutions. Low-speed shredders produce only small amounts of dust and may be used to process green waste from agricultural applications.

Selecting Shredders

Selecting shredders requires an analysis of product specifications, features, and accessories. For example, single-auger industrial shredders carry specifications for electric drive, auger flighting, charge opening, shaft diameter, auger diameter, auger speed range, number of hydraulic motors, weight, size, charge capacity, thrust, and maximum torque.

Features

Features include hydrostatic drives and variable speed, high torque, and shock resistant operation. Industrial shredders and grinders may also be equipped with a programmable logic controller (PLC). In terms of accessories, some models have a trough screen, dust suppression system, diesel drive, service platform with ladder, or enclosure. Isolated sealed bearings and modular subcomponents are also available.

Applications

Suppliers of shredders may designate their products as suitable for specific applications. Examples include paper shredding and waste shredding; composting, recycling, and reclamation; document destruction and product destruction; and mining size reduction. Metal shredders and automobile shredders are available from foreign and domestic suppliers of metal shredding systems. Specialty shredders may comply with various regulatory requirements and voluntary quality standards.