Spaleck Flip Flow Screen helps metals recycler upgrade ASR

The Spaleck USA subsidiary of Germany-based equipment maker Spaleck states that a recent installation of its equipment at Jarvis Metals Recycling in Lubbock, Texas, has helped that firm greatly increase its productivity when processing auto shredder residue (ASR).

According to Martin Hurson, managing director of Spaleck USA, a Spaleck 3D Combi Flip Flow with “dynamic, aggressive screening action” has replaced a trommel screen at Jarvis Metals that had previously caused considerable downtime because of its need for cleaning to keep the screen functional.

Hurson says Jarvis Metals processes about 30 tons per hour of ASR, separating it into three fractions: 3-inch-plus; 3/4-inch-to-3-inches; and minus-3/4-inch.

“The customer previously had severe cleaning issues with his trommel,” states Hurson, adding this was mainly in the form of “hooking and blocking with wire pieces and blinding with sticky fines from the ASR material.”

The clogged up trommel was causing downtime, thus adding costs and reducing ASR processing productivity, says Hurson.

Jarvis Metals has subsequently installed a Spaleck 3D Combi Flip Flow, which uses a 36-inch replaceable impact plate, which receives the ASR and guides it to what Hurson calls a heavy-duty 20-foot-long-by-5.5-foot-wide screen.

The Flip Flow screen machine is designed with six screening steps, each with a 6-inch drop to the next step, says Hurson. The “heavy duty turning fingers flip material and liberate fines from larger metal pieces, while also entangling clingy or sticky material,” he comments.

Continues Hurson, “Spaleck’s unique 3D ‘church window’ screen media ensures minimal downtime due to cleaning, encouraging material to glide over the top deck, and reduces clogging, hooking and blockages.

“The customer is very impressed with the Spaleck technology and has cut his downtime due to cleaning by 80 percent,” states Hurson. “The previous trommel was the bottleneck in the line. Wear part replacement has reduced dramatically with Spaleck’s heavy-duty 3D punch plate protecting the Flip Flow deck.”

The key, says Hurson, is “Spaleck’s unrivaled Flip Flow technology, which cleans the fines and middle products with its aggressive Flip Flow action. The dynamic Flip Flow live deck keeps material in constant motion and can thus deal with higher bottom-deck loads.”

Texas customer Jarvis Metals “is now getting accurately screened products with less downtime due to cleaning blockages and higher throughput,” he states.