Rapid Granulator taps dynamic Asian market

The presence of size reduction equipment manufacturer, Rapid Granulator, at the recently-concluded InterPlas Thailand 2019 is a significant reflection of its confidence in the Asian market. Rapid Granulator Asia Pacific Pty Ltd represented the Rapid Granulator group in the Asia Pacific region. At the exhibition, Ravi Purushotham, Director-Asia Pacific, talked about the company's latest products aimed at this highly dynamic region. 

 

"We joined this exhibition to promote our latest products - ThemoPro and the Raptor Series. These products are aimed at the plastics manufacturers and other industries in need of granulating systems that are energy-saving and efficient," according to Mr. Purushotham. From its main headquarters in Sweden, the company has been expanding to fast-growing regions - like North America and Asia - where demand for effective recycling systems is on the rise, Mr. Purushotham explained. In Asia, Rapid Granulator has been keen on exploring the Southeast Asian market - which includes Thailand - while also eyeing other countries in the region. 

 

Mr.  Ravi Purushotham, Director-Asia Pacific, Rapid Granulator

 

New breed of cost-effective machines

Introduced at Plast 2018, the ThemoPRo Series is a range of granulators designed specifically for in-line processing of skeletal waste from sheet and film thermoforming lines. The  ThermoPRO Series is based on an already patented Rapid design – and is available in various standard and low-built formats for handling scrap widths from 600 to 1,500 mm (24-60 in.). ThermoPRO machines combine features already proven on other Rapid granulators – double-scissor cutting action, an “open hearted” design for fast production changeovers and ease of maintenance, a mineral composite base for high stability and low noise, for example – with numerous new elements that were tailor-made to make thermoforming operations easier to run and more cost-effective.

 

Skeletal waste of thermoforming companies can easily account for up to 30 – 40% their total throughput, so it is critical that the trimmed material is returned to the process as cost-effectively as possible and with the highest quality possible. The ThermoPRO Series has been designed to operate around the clock. The granulators have an integrated roller feed that was designed from the ground up as granulation is a key step in the total production process.

 

ThermoPRO Series

 

Several special features should make ThermoPRO granulators especially attractive to thermoformers. Immediately obvious are the highly compact designs of the integrated roll feed and dancer bar. Together, these enable the skeleton to be pulled into the machine, which is running constantly, in sync with the production line, which operates discontinuously. The roller feed has a pneumatic pressure control that enables it to adapt to the thickness of the incoming material.

 

The ThermoPRO uses a heavy-duty roller feed as standard, enabling problem-free handling of the skeletal waste. This even makes it possible to run several webs into the granulator at the same time. It also facilitates granulation at the start-up of a thermoforming line, when the parts are not stamped out of the sheet, meaning that the entire web, trim and parts together, needs to be fed into the granulator.

 

The Raptor Series is a new breed of shredders for plastics. These modularly designed units feature a world-first with their “open-hearted” design. Other notable design features include a unique cutting system, tilt-back hopper, and design for integrated granulation. The Raptor Series has been designed using the more than 70 years of accumulated knowledge in size reduction, in order to maximize productivity with a minimum cost of ownership.  

 

The Raptor Series is a shredder and granulator hybrid with the shredder’s heavy-duty cutting technology combined with granulator features such as Rapid’s “open hearted” design that makes it super-easy to operate, service and clean. The Raptor Series has been developed with 100% focus on every single detail that is of importance for plastic processors, in order to create simplicity and a minimum cost of ownership. 

 

Raptor Series 

 

The Rapid “open hearted” design of the Raptor enables quick and direct access to the shredder rotor and cutter chamber, drastically simplifying the cleaning and service process. The front door, hinged on the side, provides unrestricted access to the rotor and to the screen, which is mounted in the door. Once the front door is open, the shredder hopper mounted on a rear hinge can be tilted back.

 

Rapid offers 36 base configurations of the Raptor in order to handle various customer applications. The modular systems feature two diameters and two widths (31.5” and 53”/800 mm and 1.350 mm). There are two system designs for pushing material into the rotor—FlexiPUSH and PowerPUSH. The PowerPUSH is available with an extended pusher length (PowerPUSH-XT); there are also three different cutting systems: Quad Cut, Claw, and Power Wedge. The FlexiPUSH is a pneumatically driven pusher and is intended for handling basic applications, including lumpy materials. It can handle large products such as a 1200-L IBC (Intermediate Bulk Container) for example. The hydraulically powered PowerPUSH maximizes output for shredding sheet and film. The cutting chamber features a textured floor to reduce the risk of material adhering or finding its way under the pusher and is offset by 5 degrees to enable liquids to drain away.

 

The unique QuadCUT cutting system for general plastic waste features a solid knife that allows the full use of all four cutting edges. The cutting system is extremely durable and has a rock solid clamping system attaching the knife to the rotor. The knives are supported by a sacrificial washer in order to protect the rotor should non-plastic material accidently enter the cutting chamber.

 

The base of the Raptor Shedder series is also equipped with the Rapid MCB feature (Mineral Composite Base) which absorbs stress and vibration during operation and gives the shredder a very solid footing and a low center of gravity. The Raptors can also be configured in the Rapid DUO concept, with a floor-standing granulator located directly beneath the output of the shredder.

 

 

Rapid Granulator Asia Pacific Pty Ltd

Tel: +61 402 041 598

Email: ravip@rapidgranulator.com

Website: www.rapidgranulator.com