Size Reduction Glossary

A

Airveyor

A vacuum-powered system to transport regrind using air pressure.

Angled Screen Holes

Holes drilled at an angle to catch long sprues/runners, common in injection molding.

Auger

A screw-style feeder used to convey material into shredders or granulators.

Auger Discharge

Uses a rotating screw to move regrind out of the granulator.


B

Bed Knife

The stationary knife positioned against which the fly knife cuts.

Box or Cyclone Mount

A mounting option allowing direct discharge from a cyclone or material collection box.

BTP (Beside the Press)

Compact granulators placed next to molding machines for immediate scrap processing.

Bulky Parts Feed

Hopper adapted for large, awkward parts like bumpers or tanks.


C

Central Granulator

Larger, high-capacity granulators located in a central facility area.

Central Location

A remote location in the facility where material is processed from multiple lines.

Chute Magnet

A magnet in the feed chute that removes metal contaminants.

Combination Chamber

A flexible design allowing processing of both bulky and dense materials, depending on the number of rotor knives used.

Conveyor Feed

A hopper setup that allows material to be fed directly from a conveyor.

Conveyor Feeding

Automated transport of material into the shredder or granulator.


D

Discharge

The method used to remove regrind from the granulator.

Dual Flywheel

A twin-flywheel setup for added cutting momentum and energy efficiency.


E

Elutriation System

A two-blower evacuation system that separates dust from usable regrind.


F

Feed Roll Infeed

Hopper paired with feedrolls for web or continuous material.

Feedrolls

Mechanisms that feed thin sheets or edge trim into the granulator.

Film or Sheet Feed

Hopper optimized for thin, flat material like film scrap.

Fines

Very small particles or dust created during grinding.

Flex Feed Hopper

A hopper designed to handle various shapes and sizes of scrap, often bolt-on for versatility.

Fly Knife

The moving knife mounted on the rotor that performs the cutting action.


G

Granulate

Material processed into uniform pellets or flakes.

Granulator

A high-speed cutting machine that reduces plastic into uniform flakes or granules.

Gravity Discharge

A passive system where material falls downward into a container.


H

Hand Feeding

Manual loading of material into the equipment.

HD Heavy Duty

Heavy-duty central granulators featuring sound enclosures and upgraded discharge.

Hog Rotor

A rotor type designed for heavy-duty grinding with high knife impact.

Hopper Tilt

A feature allowing the hopper to tilt for better access or feeding.


I

Inline / Online

Equipment placed directly in the production line for immediate recycling of scrap.

Inline / Online

Equipment placed directly in the production line for immediate recycling of scrap.


K

Knife Seats

Mounting points for attaching bed and fly knives.

Knife Tip Profile

The design of the cutting edge that affects how the material is sliced.


L

Linear Slide Bearings

Precision bearings for smooth movement of components like feedrolls.


M

Manual Bin

A simple discharge method where ground material falls into a bin for manual removal.

Milled-Back Screen

A screen designed for smaller hole sizes, machined to maintain strength and flow.


N

Negative Draw System

An evacuation method where the blower is after the cyclone to reduce fine generation.


O

Offline

Equipment positioned away from the main production line, typically handling larger volumes or different materials.

Offset Chamber

Offers a higher bed knife position; ideal for thick profiles and sheet scrap.

Open Rotor

A lightweight rotor with cutouts to reduce inertia.


P

Perforated Screen

A screen with uniform holes; used for most applications.

Perforated Screen

A screen with uniform holes; used for most applications.

Pipe or Profile Feed

A hopper specifically designed for long, narrow material such as piping or window profiles.

Pulverizer

Equipment used to grind plastic into powder, typically from granulated material.


R

Regrind

Reprocessed plastic material that has been ground down for reuse.

Regrind

Reprocessed plastic material that has been ground down for reuse.

Robot or Sprue Picker Feed

Infeed setup designed for robotic placement or automated sprue pickers.

Rotor

The rotating shaft with mounted knives that cuts material in a granulator.


S

Safety Relays

Electrical relays that ensure the machine operates only under safe conditions.

Screen

The mesh or perforated surface used to control the output size of granules.

Screen Size

The diameter of the holes in a granulators screen that determines the final particle size.

Screen Size

The diameter of the holes in a granulators screen that determines the final particle size.

Screenless Granulator

A compact, low-maintenance granulator designed for filled materials and sprues/runners.

Shredder

A machine that tears large plastic parts into coarse chunks, often as a first step before granulating.

Side Feed

A side-access hopper for pipe, profile, or oddly shaped parts.

Size Reduction

The process of breaking down large plastic parts into smaller pieces for easier processing or reuse.

Solid Flywheel

A heavy rotating disk that helps maintain cutting momentum.

Solid Rotor

A fully solid rotor designed for durability and high-torque cuts.

Sound Enclosure

A cabinet or covering that reduces equipment noise.

Staggered Rotor

A rotor design where knives are spaced at intervals to allow consistent feeding.

Steep-Angle Landed Knife

A specific knife profile with a defined cutting edge used for clean cuts.

Straight Drop Chamber

A standard chamber for heavier cross-section parts; uses a direct drop design.

Stripper Bars

Bars that help remove material from feedrolls.


T

Tangential Chamber

Features a lower knife position and large opening; ideal for bulky parts like crates or buckets.

Thermocouples

Sensors that monitor temperature in the cutting chamber.

Throughput

The amount of material processed per hour, usually measured in pounds or kilograms.

TwinShear Hog Rotor

A proprietary rotor design optimized for tough cutting applications.


U

UTP (Under the Press)

Equipment located beneath the production line, typically in extrusion or thermoforming applications.


V

Vacuum Take-off

A suction system that removes regrind and transfers it back into the production line.

Vibration Pads

Pads placed under machines to minimize vibration and noise.

Vibratory Conveyor

A shaking platform that moves material to the next processing point.

Virgin Resin

New plastic material that has never been processed before.


W

Water Cooling

Cooling feature used to regulate chamber temperature during high-throughput applications.


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