Good news from the scrapyard
Published 29/12, 2016 at 17:12In November, prices for ferrous scrap in the US rose for the first time since April, following an announcement that a former chief executive of Nucor, the country’s largest steelmaker, had been appointed to President-elect Trump’s transition team. In China, a national government programme aimed at recycling old cars is underway fuelling demand for scrap recycling equipment.
This is very good news for manufacturers of scrap shears. Andrei Bushmarin reports.
Liberty Industrial takes delivery of Genesis Attachments’ largest shear
Genesis Attachments’ largest and most powerful mobile shear the GXT 2555R is now owned and operated by Liberty Industrial, Sydney, Australia. With a cutting force of more than 3,000t, the GXT 2555R is capable of cutting a 1.2m steel I-beam in a single bite. Featuring a 1.4m jaw opening, the GXT 2555R weighs more than 31t, and when mounted on Liberty’s Liebherr R994, the gross weight exceeds 260t.
The 7.85m long and 2.9m high GXT 2555R will be processing large structural steel members associated with the heavy boilers, turbine hall, precipitators and filter fabric structures at Liberty’s Munmorah power station demolition project. The job involves the removal of a 1,400MW coal-fired power station and will be the biggest power plant demolition project to be carried out in Australia to date.
Rotar’s shear on ship demolition in Denmark
The Danish demolition and recycling contractor Jatob, is using an 8.5t Rotar RSS 100 scrap shear on a pontoon demolition project in Frederikshavn harbour. The pontoon’s hull and other steel components are being cut into pieces by the shear, which was supplied, along with a Hitachi ZX470LCH-5B excavator, by Rotar’s Danish dealer H.P. Entreprenørmaskiner.
One of the reasons Jatob chose the shear was its fuel efficiency. Jatob reports that the Hitachi and Rotar combination, working 10h/day, saves about €2,700/month in diesel costs, equivalent to savings of between 15% and 20%. Due to large hydraulic valves and hoses, oil flows through the shear create less counter-pressure. The oil temperature is also around 20°C lower compared to other machines. The seals and other hydraulic system components are less exposed to intense heat, therefore the attachment requires little maintenance. The RSS 100 can be boom or stick mounted and is also available as a non-rotating version. Other features include the fully encapsulating nose blades, double hose connections to handle high volume of oil, a robust main pivot group and an integrated speed valve.
Daemo shifts focus to smaller attachments
Korea-based attachment specialist Daemo is currently shifting its focus to making attachments for smaller carrier machines. Its latest DMS350 scrap shear is designed for 30t class excavators. One of the model’s highlights is the jaw that has been considerably enlarged allowing the DMS350 to cut big H and I beams in one bite. Thanks to an in-built speed valve, the shear works faster with a cutting force of almost 700t, which is rare in the market.
Atlas Copco introduces the SC series of steel cutters
Designed to cut steel structures of any profiles and dimensions, the SC series from Atlas Copco includes five models, ranging in weight from 2.5t to 8.25t to fit 16t to 110t carriers. The cutters come with the jaw equipped with an auto-guiding system to ensure that the material is directed deep into the jaw for cutting. All models in the range feature a rotating headpiece, a double row slewing ring and replaceable blades.
Cat extends scrap shear range by six models
This year Cat Work Tools has extended its scrap shear line to include six new models. Ranging in weight from 5t to 7.5t, the shears are packed with new features for processing of scrap metal and heavily reinforced concrete. The piercing tip and blades are serviceable on site and replaceable. The single piece jaw is designed to ensure that the material is fed inside without getting stuck at the apex. The cylinder rod is hidden inside the housing for protection and replaceable blades taper towards each other to minimize wear and tear. The rotator motor and swivel can be serviced while the shear is mounted.