Conveyor Belt Versus Storage Bin Recycling Processes
Efficient recycling relies on a recycling process that consumes as little resources as possible while making the job easier for the workers involved. To strike a balance between local utilities such as electricity and the physical labor of workers, there are two methods of transporting and storing recycled materials: conveyor belts and storage bins. As you plan your recycling operation, consider a setup that includes one or both of the options.
What Does A Recycling Conveyor Belt Do?
When materials are brought in for recycling, the materials need to reach different destinations. From compactors to separators and smelters, you'll need something that can transport everything efficiently.
You could rely on trucks or other powered vehicles to load and unload materials, but someone needs to perform physical transfer of the goods. A conveyor belt can take some of the effort away by allowing an efficient path throughout your facility.
Consider car batteries, glass and metal recycling processes. The three materials may be split into different destinations, such as melting, crushing or being disassembled for even more process splitting. Sorting the objects by hand can be dangerous and a lot of hard work depending on the load, but if you use a conveyor belt for your facility, the amount of loading and travel time can be reduced.
With the right height and angles, materials can be loaded once and only lifted if there's an accident, such as loading too much or loading materials that somehow leave the conveyor belt; a problem that can be fixed with rails or other safety techniques. The entire recycling path can be on a continuous system of conveyor belts and processing stations.
Storage Bins For Voluntary Recycling
Storage bins offer an easier way for clients to recycling their own materials with specific organizational policies in mind. If you want specific metals, devices or products to be split in ways that make sense for your specific recycling program, you can fine tune the separation with bins.
Smaller recycling programs may benefit more, especially if most of the materials are relatively lightweight and can be carried by the average worker. A designated drop-off and pick-up site can be set to make management easier.
It may not be faster than an automated process, but it's possible to combine bins with conveyor belts for an even better system. A recycling center can use the conveyor belt system for the largest or hazardous materials, then create another system for storage bin loading. You could create a conveyor belt system for each storage bin, or load all storage bins to a storage bin-only conveyor belt system to transport the bin materials to another site.
To make loading easier, the bins can be located on a elevated platform with the conveyor belt below or at least in a good place to slide or roll the bins onto the belt. At the next major processing station, workers can divide or load the materials without having to lift potentially heavy bins when they become full.
Contact a recycling equipment professional to analyze your recycling system needs for the best combination of different sorting and transport techniques.
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