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Bluedog International Inc. Joe Williams 866-901-2278 www.bluedogstripper.com

Bluerock Tools Todd Yamashita 206-604-8363 www.bluerocktools.com

CopperMine Paul Duclos 855-643-7491 www.copperminetools.com

Copper Recovery, Inc. Christopher Carlson 714-842-1146 www.copperrecovery.com

Eldan Inc. Alex Greb 514-349-8171 www.eldan.us 

Stripmeister Dave Litz 800-681-8494 www.stripmeister.com

Sweed Machinery Christopher Simon 800-888-1352 www.sweed.com 

Triple/S Dynamics Andrew Tepera 800-527-2116 www.sssdynamics.com 

Ubiquitous wiring can be one of the most common aspects of recycling electronics. Many companies in the industry can profit from extracting the metals that are involved, assuming they can also identify the best product for that process, relative to the size of their operation.

The Bluerock® model WS260 is an industrial grade automatic wire stripping machine used for jacketed insulation removal of electric wires for bare copper and aluminum recycling. The WS260 is the firm’s most heavy duty versatile wire stripper with the broadest range in wire cutting from 22 gauge to 2.25” diameter including Romex.

Todd Yamashita, sales vice president, said “What sets Bluerock machines apart from the competition is their automatic self-adjusting design. The WS260’s 9 channel cutting rollers are set on a spring suspension that automatically raise and lower to accommodate for a variety of wire types, sizes and conditions. Wires are pulled in by the machine and pass through two sets of cutting rollers to effectively cut the wire on both top and bottom in a single pass, making it much easier to separate your jacket from the bare copper.”

Bluerock sells primarily to metal and automotive recyclers, scrap yard, commercial electricians, demolition contractors and military and government agencies. The company has been inventing and selling their own patented design manual and motorized wire stripping machines since 2005.

Since 2008, CopperMine has offered a wide range of copper recovery machinery, from packet-sized wire stripper to industrial-scale granulator, and anything in between. “We hold a series of U.S. and foreign patents and all of our products are manufactured in our own factory. For instance, our Model 610 industrial grade granulator is compact and easy to use. With one-person-operation, it processes a wide variety of wires and cables and requires only a 10’ x 10’ space. The design has been enhanced for low-grade wire types like automotive harnesses, CAT5 communication cables, THHN, extension cords, and more. This machine processes a maximum throughput of 150 lbs. of insulated wire per hour with a high copper purity rate up to 99.99 percent,” commented Paul Duclos, operations manager.

He cited the two most important rules in the wire chopping business as copper purity and machine up-time. “A small amount of impurities can easily decrease output from #1 copper to #2, and decrease profits. An hour stoppage in processing means an hour’s wage wasted. CopperMine delivers 99.99 percent purity and our machines are backed with all spare parts stocked and ready for same day shipping. Rising shipping costs and newly implemented foreign regulations have led to an increase in domestic wire processing and our Model 610 is the perfect choice for anyone just starting out in the wire chopping business.”

Copper Recovery is a manufacturer of wire and cable recycling equipment and also offers sales and service worldwide. Christopher Carlson, president stated, “We also act as agent or representative for some of the finest European manufacturers of recycling machinery. Most recently, we infused our knowledge and know-how gained over the last 20 years of cable recycling, combined it with a proven platform, added in a hefty amount of re-engineering along with a top to bottom refresh. The result was a modern and updated series of wire chopping lines, Phoenix.” Phoenix, in four standardized configurations, suits most processing capacity requirements and budgets. The equipment is designed for mid-size scrap yards, processing anywhere between 20,000 to 1,000,000 lb. of ICW per month.

Carlson described how “early in the pandemic, we noticed delayed delivery of raw materials and finished goods, so we took steps to eliminate these delays for our clients, including stocking up on electronics we use and producing equipment ahead of orders. As our activities are deemed essential commerce, we’ve also been free to travel across North America. All of this allowed us to deliver equipment without delays. As copper prices increase and consumer spending ramps up, we feel extremely fortunate to be very busy with orders. With a worldwide push for decarbonization, copper demand is predicted to increase significantly over the coming years and we’re well positioned for that upward trend.”

Sweed consistently seeks ways to improve its nonferrous recovery systems. During an increase in low-yield copper recovery inquiries a few years ago, the firm decided to design and manufacture their version of a processor that could provide a solution for their clients. “The design of our product allows for more adjustment of the process while being a much sturdier piece of equipment. Our Turbo Mill effectively and efficiently processes #2 copper wire and other fine wire, making it easier to separate. Before it hit the market, the primary source for customers in the U.S. for a turbo mill was through international manufacturers. We saw an opportunity to offer our world-class engineering, service, and technical support,” explained Chris Salyer, engineering director.”

To separate the copper wire from the plastic surrounding it, the Turbo Mill beats the material around, tumbling it over and over to pulverize any remaining insulation. This friction rips the plastic away from the copper wire, which is balled into tiny pellet-like pieces. In this shape, the balled copper “flows” freely like fine sand as it separates easily from plastic – unlike straight fine wire, which can nest and entrap plastic, impeding the separation process. Salyer added, “Our product provides many distinct benefits in the copper liberation process because it makes the balled copper easier to separate from the plastic, and so increasing copper recovery efficiency and yield. The recovered copper also offers increased purity because the removal process ensures complete separation of the two materials involved. Without a Turbo Mill, someone might use an eighth-inch granulator screen in our entry level chopping line, which allows for 1,500 to 2,000 lbs. of processing per hour. With a Turbo Mill, you can use a larger granulator screen, which more than doubles your throughput and lets you process 4,000 to 5,000 lbs. of material every hour. That increase can also be reflected in a user’s bottom line as a higher quantity of purer copper allowing users to sell more scrap at a higher value or reuse it as needed.”

Salyer concluded, “The Turbo Mill, like every Sweed machine, is built with usability as a priority. With a line that ranges from 40 to 150 hp, Sweed’s Turbo Mill can easily integrate into most existing systems. We provide high quality service and routinely help our customers set up their new machines and that ease of use extends beyond installation. A Turbo Mill is simple to run, maintain, usually feeds right from the granulator and only needs standard maintenance every  million pounds or so. It just goes.”

Published in the September 2021 Edition of American Recycler News

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