Granulation and size reduction has evolved as an important step in the total production process. The granules are useful in plastic processes and are also sold as a commodity.  With the increasing cost of materials and greater demands from customers to include recycled materials in the product, the need for granulation has risen. It is now viewed as an important marketing opportunity, in addition to providing a cost-saving method.

To granulate scrap plastic into a smaller, more manageable size, a granulator machine is used. Today granulators, also known as plastics grinder, are not just lying useless in the corner of your plant.  The importance of an efficient granulating system has been realized to manage your material cost and raise recycled content in the products.

For efficient granulation, the most important task is to choose the right granulator according to your application type. For this, you need to determine few things, like your parts’ physical size and shape. This will include the type of your material, its size, and how much you need to granulate.

It is important to note that there is no all-in-one granulator. You need a different type of granulator depending on your material and application for better efficiency and cost-saving. Therefore it is important to determine what type of rotor, chamber size, and horsepower you will need to undertake the granulation work.

Once you have determined your plastic feed stream, the next task is to consider the specific granulator components.  First is the rotor, which is of 3 basic types; closed, open, and staggered. If you are looking to grind large and thick parts, a closed rotor machine is for you. While for the thin materials, an open rotor is best suited to ensure effective flow.   On the other hand, staggered rotor designs are a hybrid between open and closed rotors, enabling more cuts per revolution.

Granulators can help processors be more efficient and profitable. Another important consideration is the granulator’s chamber size and shape. It would help if you chose between a tangential and a standard chamber. For thick wall parts and material, a standard chamber will be efficient. While for bottles, buckets, and other large materials, a tangential feed section is more appropriate.

Next is the screen, which is very important as the part after been cut into pieces goes to the screen. The ultimate particle size actually depends on the screen’s size, which usually ranges from .25” up to 2”. Screens size matters as smaller holes will lower the throughput, while larger holes enable more plastic to pass through. After determining your feed stream to find the correct granulator, you have to set up the machine.  The final stage in the process is the evacuation of the granules.  Again there are various methods to do this, and the most common one is Airveyor discharge.

To cut material efficiently, you’ll need an efficient granulator configured specifically for your application. Today many cost-effective solutions are available for granulation and size-reduction due to the advances in cutting technology, machine design, and energy consumption reductions. Thus, all you need is to determine your own feed stream and get to know the features and working of different type of granulators to find a granulator machine which is best for you ultimately.