Q & A THE BENEFITS OF INVESTING IN WIRE PROCESSING EQUIPMENT

When it comes to recycling scrap cables and wires, business owners have two main options: sell the cables as-is for a fraction of the price, or invest in equipment that will enhance the overall quality of the end product and boost profits. Wire strippers and choppers play a vital role in the recovery of these valuable materials by removing the plastic or rubber insulation from the wires, leaving behind a pure copper core that can be sold for double to triple the price of unprocessed wires. Like all equipment, there are countless factors to take into account before investing in a wire stripper and chopper. I caught up with Beau Janzen, manager of Copper Recovery, to discuss some of the most notable benefits of these machines, the types of operations that can benefit from them, and how his company’s modular cable recycling systems help recyclers of all sizes increase their processing capacity.

One of the main benefits of stripping and granulating wires is a more profitable, higher-quality end product. How significant is the difference in return between selling processed wire versus insulated wire, and what are some key differences?

The difference is an absolute game changer for any business currently selling ICW (insulated copper wire). For starters, if you are boxing or baling material, you have to make your best guess as to the average yield of the package. Over the years, we’ve seen even very organized and sophisticated companies that have been in business for generations estimating incorrectly time and time again. One must consider that, ultimately, the material will need to be processed in cable recycling machinery to be recycled into something new. For every step along the path to the final processor, somebody is making money that could have remained in the business.

How long can recyclers expect it to take to get a return from investing in these

machines?

Payback is heavily dependent on purchase price and volume processed. Every one of our clients is different. Some generate material as a by-product of their normal operations, such as demolition companies or cable manufacturers. Demolition companies can often pay for the machine a couple times over with one large project as we’ve seen multiple times. A more typical situation is the scrapyard that has a combination of B2B and the general public delivering material directly to them. The most important question on everybody’s mind is “how much more can I make?” by processing material in-house. Being processors ourselves for over two decades, as well as manufacturers of the machinery, we can get very specific if a potential client advises how much they pay for a given material and how much they could sell it for. This conversation is a revelation for most, and is frequently followed by “how soon can we get it?”

With our base unit, Phoenix, material is hand-fed onto a conveyor belt directly into the granulator. The infeed material must fit into the opening which is 12 x 18 inches and 22 inches diagonally. We advise our clients to cut the material into soccer ball size bundles. No steel or jelly wire is allowed. In cases where there is light oil or grease contamination, they can introduce an absorbent powder into the system to neutralize the effects which can be problematic on the gravity sep- arator as material must be dry and free flowing to separate. All other configurations utilize Wagner brand pre-shredders. These shredders are specifically configured for cable recycling and can shred light steel as you may encounter with armored MC/BX cables.

All configurations with shredders include an overbelt magnetic separator. All configurations include a high-powered magnetic drum separator to guarantee ferrous-free copper chops as standard. The shredder doesn’t care about cable size, as an automatic pusher is included that goes back and forth, feeding material into the rotor to be cut. Material size is only limited by the size of the cutting chamber, which is 40 x 41 inches on the smaller WS22 shredder for Phoenix Direct, our most economical model that includes a shredder. The WS30, which is included with Phoenix XD and Phoenix XD Plus, has a 41- x 53-inch cutting chamber.

Modular cable recycling systems create an opportunity for smaller recyclers to increase their processing capacity without losing their initial investment.

At what volume does it start to make sense for recyclers to invest in these machines, and what size of operations benefit from these machines the most?

For Phoenix, we recommend a minimum of 30,000 pounds per month of ICW. Clients in the past who started with hand feeding ultimately upgraded to a configuration which includes a shredder once they grow their business to reach over 60,000 pounds per month. Our cable recycling equipment is suitable for any size recycler handling ICW. We have numerous momand-pop clients as well as Fortune 500 companies who have multiple machines at multiple locations.

What are the main benefits of having a modular system?

Modular cable recycling systems or wire choppers create an opportunity for smaller recyclers to increase their processing capacity and grow their business over time without losing their initial investment. Offering equipment with a lower barrier to entry in a niche market like cable recycling evens the playing field by allowing smaller companies to be competitive from the start. One can get into the market by just having a hand-fed Phoenix, and at any time in the future, add modules for increased capacity. The system is plug and play, and every base unit has all the functionality built in from the start to accommodate any additional equipment.

Technology

Sbm To Release First Fully Automatic Production Monitoring And Control System

SBM’s REMAX 600 tracked mobile impact crusher will feature what SBM says is the first fully automatic production monitoring and control system. Once available, it will combine an innovative sensor system and video technology with powerful communication networks and other technological innovations, such as automatic gap adjustment, to bring artificial intelligence into mobile processing.

A group of interdisciplinary teams from the Leoben Chair of Mineral Processing and SBM’s research department has been working on the autonomous crushing concept for more than two years, with the goal of stepping up from today’s extensively monitored and optimized crushing operations to fully automated production using machine learning.

Through the project, the machines are able to independently assess feed material and final products using sensors and camera systems; they can also register load conditions of the crusher and conveyors and optimize separation processes down to overbelt magnetic separators and wind sifters. SBM’s Crush Control system validates operating conditions and material properties in real-time, then sends that data to SBM remotely. From there, a “digital twin” is created that matches the machine data with thousands of stored reference points that come from sources such as lab tests and quality testing. Using that information, the best potential method of optimization is sent back to the machine control system, allowing for immediate adaptation on the machine’s part without any need to stop work.

SBM says that autonomous crushing will support users and operators by using data to do tasks such as selecting the right screening equipment when plants are relocated, or feed materials are changed. An interactive menu control will help inexperienced and experienced operators alike to precisely adjust the production process depending on parameters, such as maximum output, minimum fuel consumption, or type of final product required. A newly integrated tool monitoring system in the impact crusher counteracts shortfalls in quality due to wear, and adds support for greater preventive maintenance.

Kleemann Expands Digital Platform Connectivity App

Kleemann’s SPECTIVE interface system makes crushing plant controls easier to manage by allowing the operator to adjust settings, see visual representations of machine faults, and view troubleshooting steps from one control panel. Now, the company has expanded this solution to include SPECTIVE CONNECT, an app that allows all relevant information and reporting to be displayed on a smartphone. Because of this, operators no longer have to leave the cab or interrupt the work process to view vital machine information such as diesel fill level, average fuel consumption, average plant performance, gap setting, and utilization rate.

Through the app, operators can see that diesel levels are low and order fresh supplies directly from the driver’s cab, or view the machine utilization rate and regulate loading accordingly. They can also receive data on the daily output already achieved and compare it to the previous day.

The SPECTIVE CONNECT app automatically generates reports on consumption and plant performance as well as plant usage that can then be forwarded by message or email, ensuring transparency across the entire process.

SPECTIVE CONNECT is currently available as an option for the new MOBICAT MC 110(i) EVO2 jaw crushing plant and the new MOBICONE MCO 90(i) EVO2 cone crushing plant. Further SPECTIVE machines will be equipped or retrofitted with app compatibility gradually. The app is available for both iOS and Android smartphones.