Made for one another

Attachments enable machines to sort, cut and load scrap, and the right attachment and machine combination drastically increases a scrap processor’s profits. The wrong combination leads to unnecessary service bills and downtime.

To select a properly sized attachment, scrap processors should determine the size and weight of the material they are processing and cross-reference the machine-load chart before renting or purchasing an attachment.

This article breaks down the various scrap attachments available, outlines their functions and provides information on best practices for preventive maintenance.

Pick your attachment

Grapples. Orange-peel grapples normally are used for general material handling and auto hulks and are offered with four or five tines. Some scrap processors prefer four-tine grapples for unloading railcars, and others appreciate a five-tine grapple when picking through large piles. Ultimately, in most situations, the decision between a four- or five-tine grapple is based on preference.

However, an orange-peel grapple’s opening width provides a noticeable difference during operation. Orange-peel grapples are available in semiclosed, closed or open configurations. The semiclosed option is the standard configuration and offers support for most material, while the open grapple is ideal for larger, bulkier loads and the closed grapple is better for handling smaller materials.

Another option to consider is the two- or three-tine grapple. This attachment specifically is designed for fast, precise loading of processed auto hulks and baled material. If scrap processors regularly are handling these types of materials, they should consider purchasing a dedicated material handler or excavator equipped with a two- or three-tine grapple for stationary loading of balers and trucks.

Magnets. Magnets regularly are used in scrap yards to separate ferrous metals from nonferrous metals and to unload small scrap that no other attachment can grab from truck beds or train cars. Magnets with more surface area produce a larger magnetic field and pick up more material.

Before renting or purchasing a magnet, a scrap yard should consider the magnet’s surface area and ampere and the size of its generators in kilowatts as well as review its material handler’s load chart.

Mobile shears and bucket link shears. Shears are the go-to attachment when material needs to be resized for further processing. Scrap processors can choose from bucket link shears and mobile shears.

Bucket link shears offer unmatched cycle times and are more cost-effective than mobile shears. However, bucket link shears cannot rotate, and they cut lighter material than mobile shears are capable of handling. For example, a BLS 2000 from LaBounty, Portland, Oregon, can cut a 10-inch I-beam, while a LaBounty MSD 2000R can cut a 20-inch I-beam.

Mobile shears with integrated cylinders, such as LaBounty’s MSD series, rotate so operators can make fewer cuts, reducing wear and tear.

Scrap processors should identify the type of production they require prior to renting or purchasing shears for their operations.

Carrier considerations

Attachments can be mounted to material handlers, excavators, skid steers or wheel loaders.

Material handlers are purpose-built for scrap yards because they have higher lifting capacity than excavators and have up three-times-faster travel speeds than comparably sized excavators. Most of the attachments previously mentioned commonly are used with material handlers for these reasons.

However, excavators are better suited for shear operation, and they are more cost-effective than material handlers. If a scrap processor needs a machine to cut scrap or pick up smaller piles with limited travel around the yard, an excavator could be a better option than a material handler.

While excavators are better suited for shear operation, scrap processors still can employ shears on their material handlers in special circumstances. Material handlers normally feature a straight boom that is designed to optimize the machine’s vertical lifting capacity. However, this type of boom is less than ideal for shearing material at ground level. To counteract this limitation, some manufacturers offer material handlers with quick-coupling systems that allow operators to swap sticks and attach a second member shear. For example, Terex Fuchs, with U.S. offices in Norwalk, Connecticut, offers the Quick Connect (FQC).

“We offer the FQC because there are a number of yards that are pressed for space,” Fuchs North America Sales Manager John Van Ruitenbeek says. “Those scrap yards want one machine that can do more than one function to ensure they are maximizing the potential production capabilities of their space.”

A scrap company that wants shear operation on a material handler also can convert a machine from its fleet to better accomplish this task. This conversion involves changing the boom configuration to optimize shear operation at ground level.

Other common machines in scrap yards are skid steers and wheel loaders. These machines can be fitted with forks and grapples to transport small and midsize material to shredders or compactors.

Scrap processors should examine their scrap yard layout, material size and current fleet to determine whether they have the need for a skid steer, wheel loader, excavator or material handler in their operations.

Maintenance guidelines

Understanding proper attachment maintenance is key to the long-term success of a scrap processor. Each attachment has different maintenance requirements. Scrap processors regularly should review these guidelines, which can be found in the operators’ manuals, to reduce downtime and avoid additional costs, but here is some general advice.

Grapples: Tine inspections. Orange-peel grapples and two- or three-tine grapples require regular tine inspections to examine for wear that occurs over time. These inspections will determine if the grapple needs to be shipped to the dealer for hardfacing or for other maintenance.

If the tines are not properly maintained, the grapple’s lifting capacity will be affected, and catastrophic failure could occur.

Magnets: Duty cycles, daily inspections and proper storage. Operators should adhere to a magnet’s duty cycles as outlined by the manufacturer. The duty cycle is the amount of time a magnet continuously can run before it needs a break. For example, according to Winkle Industries, Alliance, Ohio, its magnets are designed for 75 percent duty cycles, meaning the magnet can be operated for up to 45 minutes continuously each hour.

If operators do not follow duty cycles as outlined by the manufacturer, the magnet will require costly maintenance or could even need replaced.

Operators also should check their magnets before each shift to ensure that no cracks have formed along the weld seams and that the pole still has hardfacing on it.

Magnets should be stored on an elevated surface with an air gap so that they do not come in contact with the ground. Moisture, which could damage magnets, also should be avoided.

These steps will help to avoid significant damage to these devices by identifying minor problems before they become costly service bills.

Shears: Greasing and welding. The general rule for shears is eight hours of maintenance for every 40 hours of operation. This maintenance could include flipping blades, shimming blades, building up high-wear areas and reapplying hardfacing. Operators also should grease moving components every four to eight hours.

“If a shear is properly maintained, it can last for decades,” Colby Perkins, Company Wrench’s LaBounty product specialist, says. “Over nearly two decades, I’ve seen many cases of brand-new shears that are completely useless in a few short months because no preventative maintenance was performed.”

Select the right dealer

Scrap processors should rent or purchase attachments from a knowledgeable equipment dealer that specializes in the scrap industry. Some dealers employ experts who can answer questions related to attachments, including their maintenance and operation. Contact your local dealer to learn more about their scrap attachment options.

The author is a copywriter with Company Wrench Ltd., headquartered in Carroll, Ohio. More information is available at www.companywrench.com.