The Plastic Crusher is the first line of defense in any size-reduction system. Designed to handle bulky objects like drums, crates, and purge lumps, these machines reduce material volume by up to 80%, creating a manageable feedstock for secondary refinement. Unlike shredders which process at low speed/high torque, crushers operate at medium speeds (400-600 RPM) to deliver high-throughput shearing action.
At Rumtoo, we engineer crushers to withstand the shock loads of industrial recycling, bridging the gap between waste collection and pelletization.
1. Heavy-Duty Plastic Crushers
Engineered for solid, thick-walled parts that would stall standard motors.
* Applications: Injection molding purging, thick HDPE lumps, and automotive bumpers.
* Design: Features a massive solid-steel rotor and an external flywheel to store kinetic energy, smoothing out impact loads.
2. Pipe and Profile Crushers
Standard hoppers cannot accept 6-meter pipes. Horizontal crushers solve this by allowing linear feeding.
* Mechanism: A trough system automatically feeds the pipe into the cutting chamber. The rotor is designed to nip the pipe end progressively, preventing “kickback” and ensuring operator safety.
* Target Material: PVC conduits, HDPE gas pipes, and window profiles.
3. Sheet and Thermoform Crushers
Wide, flat materials like skeletal waste from thermoforming lines or extruded sheets require a specialized cutting geometry to prevent “wrapping” around the rotor.
* Features: Wider feed openings (up to 2000mm) and a scissor-cut knife configuration to slice rather than chop.
4. Wet Plastic Crushers
Integrated directly into washing lines, wet crushers perform size reduction and initial cleaning simultaneously.
* Process: Water is sprayed into the cutting chamber. This friction-washes the material, cools the blades (extending life), and suppresses dust.
* Advantage: Crucial for PET bottle recycling, as it pre-washes the labels and caps before the material enters the friction washer.
Plastic Crusher vs. Granulator
While the terms are often used interchangeably, the engineering distinction is clear:
* Crusher: Primary reduction. Output size 20mm–50mm. Focus on throughput and handling large bulk.
* Granulator: Secondary refinement. Output size 6mm–12mm. Focus on uniform particle size for extruder feeding.
Selection Criteria for Buyers
When specifying a machine with Rumtoo engineers, three factors determine the model:
1. Feedstock Geometry: A crusher optimized for hollow bottles will fail if fed with solid purge lumps.
2. Chamber Size: The cutting chamber dimensions must accommodate the largest part without pre-cutting.
3. Blade Metallurgy: SKD-11 or D2 steel blades are standard for general plastics, but glass-filled nylon requires wear-resistant coatings to prevent rapid dulling.
Selecting the correct Plastic Crusher ensures consistent throughput and protects expensive downstream components from shock damage.
