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Plastic Recycling Sorting Process and Equipment
 

Sorting and grouping plastic materials according to resin type is an important first step in the recycling process because contamination can render a batch of material un-reusable. The most frequently recycled resins, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), must be carefully separated from one another in order to enable further processing. Contaminants within each type of plastic must also be removed from the base resin to ensure stock purity.

Sorting machines must rapidly identify and categorize large volumes of post-consumer plastic, often under continuous input. Although there are varying degrees of technical sophistication and capacity, an advanced sorting machine can be equipped with some or all of the following features:

Sensors: These devices detect specific polymers within a mixed stream of plastic materials. They can be equipped with x-ray or infrared sensing that registers a polymer's unique signature along the spectrum. Some sensors also incorporate color detection technology that sorts material according to tint and transparency.
 

Ejectors: Mechanical or precision air ejection units physically group different plastic materials according to resin types. Depending on their capacity, ejectors can often handle very high rates of input.

Computing Systems: Computer processing technology supplies the algorithms that are used to identify and sort different materials. These systems provide the controlling parameters for both sensor and ejector operations.

User Interfaces: An operator's interface can provide machine controls and diagnostic tools for technicians. In addition, interfaces can also offer networking abilities to help integrate a sorting machine and make rapid adjustments to its functions.

Size Reduction Machines

Plastic materials usually need to be cut into smaller sizes in order to allow further processing and to provide easier packaging, transportation, and distribution of recycled stock. This cutting presents certain challenges, as many plastics are abrasive to metal blades and can have wide variation in their hardness, weight, and thickness. Most standard size reduction is performed by single or multi-shaft shredders, and granulators. Multi-shaft shredders perform scissor-like cutting with a series of rotating blades that can handle moderately dirty or contaminated material, but are somewhat imprecise in the size of the cuts. Single shaft shredders perform more of a tearing motion, and have slower motors that lengthen blade lifespan. They can also handle dirty or abrasive material and usually have adjustable or replaceable blades.

Granulators are composed of a rotor attached to blades that rotate within a chamber containing a grid floor. Their capacity for processing plastic material depends on the speed of the rotor, angle of the cutting blades, spacing of the grid, and the shape of the rotor. Granulators are usually sturdy machines, capable of relatively rapid cutting rates, and the presence of the grid allows for more precise control over the size of cuts. Granulator blades typically need to be replaced regularly over the course of operations.

Washing Equipment
 

After the plastic has been cut into smaller pieces, or "flakes," the stock usually needs to be washed in order to remove lingering dirt or attachments. Paper, glue, sand, and grit are some of the common elements targeted in the washing process, which can be accomplished using water baths, friction washers, or a washing line. The washing line applies a continuous hot spray over a stream of plastic material, removing some or all of the labels and dirt attached to the plastic surface. Detergents and disinfecting agents are often included in this process to improve the level of cleaning.

There are a variety of other Recycling Machine used more and more in the modern industry such as Copper Wire Recycling Machine, Motor Rotor Recycling Machine and Radiator Recycling Machine. Without doubt, they must require the cooperation with many Other Accessories like Cable Stripper and Cable Shredder.