How Automatic Balers Can Improve Operations

Many businesses operating in diverse industries such as manufacturing, food and beverages, retail, construction, textile, and hospitality regularly produce enormous quantities of recyclable waste materials. These waste materials, which can be in the form of scrap metal, aluminum, plastic, cloth, wood, shrink wrap, paper, or cardboard, need to be conveniently disposed of in an efficient manner so as to not only streamline but also improve the entire operations. Specialized equipment such as automatic balers are standard fixtures at most industrial and commercial facilities that produce recyclable waste materials.

A fully automatic baler machine is designed to automate the collection, compaction, and formation of conveniently sized bundles called bales (hence the name) for storing until such time they can be sent to waste recycling facilities for appropriate processing.

How does an automatic baler work?

The functioning of an automatic baler is fairly straightforward. Waste material is fed into a hopper, usually via a conveyer belt. The waste is then moved into a compaction chamber that uses a powerful hydraulic-powered system having compaction force between 22-45 t to compress the waste into small, manageable, rectangular shaped bales, which are ejected from the other end of the automatic baler. Thereafter, the brick-like bales are easy to stack, store, or transport.

Features of Fully Automatic Balers

Automatic balers come with various capacities and specifications. They can be customized for the specific requirements of a particular business. Fully automatic balers are high-tech pieces of equipment that have a number of special features.

1. Wide choice of in-feed systems – There are many options for loading or feeding the waste material into the baler such as manual, by bin, air-transport/suction, or conveyer belt in-feed systems. In a fully automatic model, the machine is capable of continuously or intermittently collecting and loading the waste into the baler with very little human intervention.
2. Automatic Bale Strapping – Once the bales are compacted, they are automatically bound with wire or plastic straps that are fed through 3-4 slots before getting ejected. This eliminates the need for manual binding which can be time consuming and take a lot of effort.
3. Fully automated Control Panel/System – A state-of-the-art, fully automated control panel handles the entire baling operation. Operators can configure the settings and leave the rest to the control mechanism. Advanced sensors monitor the feed rate and frequency, as well as identify blockages, keeping the process smooth and error-free.
4. Hydraulic Cooling System – A sophisticated hydraulic cooling system keeps the compression mechanism from over-heating, allowing for a continuous and efficient process.
5. Optimized for diverse materials – Full automatic balers can be configured and optimized for a wide range of materials from metals to plastic, paper, cardboard, and wood. This is particularly useful feature for businesses and facilities that generate mixed recyclable waste.
6. Large Capacity – With large feed openings up to 10870 x 1100 mm and machines sizes ranging between 1860 – 2240(H) x 1235 – 1590(W) x 3300 – 3750 (L) mm, fully automatic balers can process several tons of waste every day, making them ideal for facilities that produce very high quantities of waste.
7. Adjustable Bale Size and Weight – Fully automatic balers can be configured to produce bales of specific size and weight, which is extremely useful for enhancing operational efficiency.

Usage of Automatic Balers

In addition to the industrial facilities mentioned earlier, automatic balers find applications across a wide range of commercial facilities including offices, shopping centers, supermarkets, department stores, warehouses, logistics fulfilment centers, and municipalities. These facilities produce large quantities of packaging waste such as cardboard cartons, plastic wraps and containers, aluminum cans and foil, etc.

Operational Advantages of Using Automatic Balers

Automatic balers help improve operational efficiency and reduce costs in a number of ways.

1. Saves time and labor: Traditionally,collecting, segregating, loading, and later, binding, and stacking bales of waste is a highly time-consuming and labor-intensive exercise.  With a fully automated baler, businesses can save precious time and manpower, enhancing the overall efficiency and safety of operations.
2. Frees up storage space: With highly compressed, neatly stacked bales of waste, facilities can save a lot of storage space. For large facilities, this space can be utilized for more productive purposes, while for smaller one, any space saved is an operational gift.
3. Streamlines the baling process – For facilities generating or processing enormous amounts of waste, fully automatic balers work non-stop through multi-shift operations, providing continuous output of mill size bales in 24-34 second cycles. This keeps the baling process smooth and uninterrupted. 
4. Cost-effective – With savings in space, time and manpower, higher processing capacities, larger bale sizes, faster delivery, and lower maintenance, fully automatic balers help save significant costs for businesses by lowering operational expenses.
5. Contributes to higher revenue – Businesses can earn more money by selling larger quantities of waste more frequently. While this may not be a primary source of revenue stream for them, it helps in ensuring a steady additional stream of income.

Conclusion

Automatic balers are vital pieces of equipment for businesses that generate a lot of recyclable waste materials. Modern automatic balers highly durable and safe, and are capable of handling the entire baling cycle with little or no manual intervention. They are equipped with automated in-feed system, high-tech sensors, and automatic strapping to control and manage the baling process, ensuring smooth and continuous operations. They help streamline the overall operations of the business, save costs, and generate more revenue.

About SAB TECH

SAB TECH is a leading manufacturer and distributor of high tech hydraulic powered equipment in Saudi Arabia. SAB TECH’s automatic baler waste management solutions are among the best in the industry, offering specialized consultation and services for a wide range of clients across industries. The company provides a variety of customization options for their horizontal automatic balers, as well as dedicated after sales maintenance and support. Businesses interested in streamlining their recyclable waste processes and saving time, effort and money can get in touch with SAB TECH’s experienced team of specialists and get competitive prices and unmatchable service.