Bailers
Bailers are machines used in the process of material compaction for the purposes of improved ease of handling, transportation, storage and/or recycling for a variety of industries. The primary function of industrial balers is to compact and bind, or “bale”, waste and recyclable materials.
Quick links to Bailers Information
Advantages of Bailers
For high waste-producing industries such as automotive manufacturing, plastics manufacturing, and grocery or food processing, the necessity of compacting and baling is not only for recycling purposes but also for economical benefits. Reducing the bulk of waste reduces the money and effort required to dispose of it. Furthermore, using compactors to reduce waste cuts down the carbon emissions required in recycling and further helps the environment.
As recycling becomes more central to industrial and manufacturing processes, baling equipment will play a large role in assisting the process of reducing the carbon footprint of industry. Complete turn-key recycling and composting systems can be designed around a basic bailer, allowing businesses to be environmentally responsible in their waste management. Compacting and baling waste materials reduces the storage size and transportation size of the material allowing companies to spend less in its disposal, as well as the disposal having a beneficial environmental impact, for example, baled materials can be reused in the production of new objects.
Types of Bailers
Depending on the intended application of a bailer, there are two main structure types to choose from: vertical and horizontal – referring to the direction in which material flows through the machine.
- Vertical Bailers
- Top-loaders and tend to be used for lightweight materials and waste products. Vertical bailers are single-load machines that need to be manually unloaded, but are more compact and usually cost less than horizontal balers.
- Horizontal Bailers
- Designed for continuous process implementation and while they can be hand fed, are often installed with automated or mechanical feeding options.
Design of Bailers
Bailers are usually able to accommodate high volumes of material with a large input area. The material is fed into a compression chamber where it is pounded and squeezed until it has been compacted into a bale, or another desired shape. The compact waste or recyclable material is then bound with wire, plastic or string to maintain its shape. Bailers, such as cardboard balers and metal balers, can be manufactured to produce bales in specific sizes according to storage or transportation needs. Smaller bales are lighter and easier to transport, but the process of making smaller bales may slow down the overall compaction time. Most industrial bailers are powered by electricity and both vertical and horizontal balers use hydraulic systems to move the waste material, cutting back on energy expenditure and heat generation.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Bailer
For companies looking into buying new bailers (or balers), the task can seem overwhelming. Where do you start? What options do you have? First , it is important to evaluate your company’s needs. The material that needs to be baled is probably the most important aspect. Will you be baling cardboard? Metal? Newspapers? Old Corrugated Containers? Plastic? Textile? Probably the next most important thing to consider is how much material you will need to bale. This amount is generally measured in tons, so the next step is to figure out how many tons per day or week or month will be baled by your new baler. Another consideration is how the material will be collected from the baler. Will you be using totes, carts, air scrap handling or conveyors? Also, what kind of power is available for your facility. Taking time to think about each of these aspects before consulting an expert can save you time and get you on the right path to purchasing the best baler for your purposes.
The next important aspect to consider would be all the different types of balers you have to choose from. There are vertical balers with the flattening device moving up and down to compact material, and horizontal balers with the compacting device moving horizontally. Both of these come in various sizes and produce bales of varying weights. There are also open end balers, closed end balers, auto-tie balers, 2-Ram balers, and upstroke or pit balers. Ask a supplier near you about the variances between these types and determine which would work best for your facility and operations. If you’ve been putting off purchasing a new baler, consider these tips and get the ball rolling. Balers play an important role and finding the perfect piece of equipment for your needs will save you time, money, and headaches in the future.