Eriez Shred1 on the job at Tri-State in Arkansas

Magnetic equipment firm Eriez says its Shred1 ballistic separator has proven popular with metal shredding plant operators after more than a decade on the market.

“By delivering premium, low-copper shred, the Shred1 enables scrap processors to secure higher pricing per ton, resulting in a swift and substantial return on investment (ROI),” the Erie, Pennsylvania-based technology provider says.

Eriez characterizes global steel demand as “surging,” with scrap processors facing increasing pressure to supply high-grade ferrous products to steel mills.

The firm says the Shred1 meets this challenge when deployed to separate iron-rich ferrous materials from mixed metals and waste streams post-drum magnet flow, producing two distinct fractions: No. 1 shred, a premium, low-copper (0.16-0.2 percent copper) product, and No. 2 shred, a traditional ferrous product.

Tri-State Iron & Metal of Arkansas is one of what Eriez says are "scores of processors” benefiting from the Shred1 ballistic separator. With the Shred1 in place downstream from its shredder, Tri-State Iron has reduced the copper content in its ferrous to less than 0.2 percent. Additionally, Tri-State has reduced picking labor by 50 percent, according to Eriez.

Positioned after primary scrap drums and before the picking station, the Shred1 employs what Eriez calls a unique magnetic element for maximum ferrous recovery.

Eriez Metals Recycling Market Manager Mike Shattuck says many customers also opt to install the Eriez PokerSort to complement the Shred1. The PokerSort has been designed to remove long, disruptive components, sometimes known as pokers, from the shredding process.

Over the years, Eriez says it has tested the Shred1 Ballistic Separator by processing more than 1,000 tons of shred using an X-ray analyzer. The company reports results that show an average copper content below 0.2 percent, significantly lower than that of the control group from multiple shredder yards.

Shattuck says scrap processors worldwide are achieving impressive returns with the Shred1.

“By recovering low-copper shred that commands top prices per ton and reducing the need for hand-picking, the Shred1 is proving its value in the field and earning customers’ loyalty,” he says.