Sterling D48160s manual Introduction, What is a GRANULATOR?

INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS A GRANULATOR?

A GRANULATOR is a machine that is designed to size-reduce plastic materials to chips or granulate. The machine can be fed either by hand through a hopper opening in the front or automatically from a special hopper opening, which can be specially designed.

DISPOSAL OF THE PLASTIC GRANULATE takes place after it passes through the screen and drops into the discharge area, where it is removed from the machine by a discharge blower and conveyed by air to a remote side of the machine. This discharge blower is available as optional equipment.

THE GRANULATING OF PLASTIC is achieved by the cutting action of sharp rotating knives in close adjustment to one or more stationary knives called bed knives. The rotary knife assembly is called a rotor. You will see the references to it as you read through this manual. There are two bed knives in the machines covered by this manual. The heavy-duty rotor and bed knife assemblies, combined with the screen (explained below) and their enclosing cutting chamber are the heart of the granulator.

THE SIZE OF THE GRANULATE resulting from the cutting action described is controlled by a screen, which fits tightly around the rotary knives in the cutting chamber. This screen retains the plastic granulate until it is reduced to a small enough size to fall through the holes in the screen. Screens with various hole sizes are available for the granulator. The standard screen hole size for the X-Series is 3/8” diameter. Screens are available with either smaller or larger hole sizes. For a given machine, the throughput capacity of the granulator is dependent upon the size of the screen utilized.

12