Shredder Focus: A Guide to Rotors

Different types of rotors can change the way an automobile shredder processes material.

Different types of rotors can change the way an automobile shredder processes material.

The choices made by a company operating an auto shredding plant are numerous. Not only are there several different companies competing to sell
their brand of shredder, but even once a brand choice is made, there are several further considerations.

The more obvious ones include the size of the rotor and shredder housing, which types of hammers and grates to use, whether to run a damp, wet or dry shredding plant, and how much downstream sorting equipment to include as part of the overall system.

The rotor itself can also come in different varieties. Engineers and sales professionals at Lynxs Shredder Corp., Tulsa, Okla., created a "Shredder Selection Rotor Guide" to help customers understand the different rotor configurations and how they differ. Following are portions of the text of that guide.

The information in this story was edited from a guide produced by Lynxs Shredder Corp., Tulsa, Okla.

TOTALLY ENCLOSED BARREL ROTOR

    Pros:

    • Discs of rotor are never exposed to scrap, resulting in longer service life

    • Minimum life expectancy of rotor is one million tons

    • Highest inertia of all rotor designs since the major mass of the rotor is at the perimeter

    • Better for light scrap such as cars and white goods

    Cons:

    • Not necessarily as good for number one scrap

    • Does not work in some shredder models due to their anvil location

DISC ROTOR "WELDED" (HARD-FACED)

    Pros:

    • Moderate cost

    • Highly resistant to breakage

    • Very good for "all-around" or mixed variety of scrap feed

    Cons:

    • Higher maintenance costs per ton

    • Does not work in some shredder models due to their anvil location


DISC ROTOR/"NO-WELD"

    Pros:

    • Resistant to breakage

    • Very good for "all-around" or mixed variety of scrap feed

    • Lower maintenance

    Cons:

    • High wear means very short life expectancy (100,000 tons)

    • Can have the highest cost per ton processed


    ECONOMY "DO-IT-YOURSELF" ROTOR

      Pros:

      • Lowest cost of all rotors

      After end of disc life is reached, the discs are simply replaced on site
      with "wear part" discs

      • Reusable shaft offers good value for the money


    SPIDER ROTOR

      Pros:

      • Good life expectancy of up to 500,000 tons

      • Good auto shredder rotor

      • Best aluminum shredder rotor

      • Highest production rate for light scrap

      Cons:

      • Lowest inertia

      • Hammer set ranges from 12 to 34 hammers, depending on size of rotor

      • Lower resistance to breakage

      • Jams more easily


August 2002
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