“Tire granulator” can mean different machines depending on where you are in the process. Tire recycling is usually staged: you first reduce whole tires into manageable pieces, then granulate and separate steel and fiber, and optionally grind further for powder.
The right equipment choice depends on your target product, your buyer’s contamination limits, and how much downtime your team can tolerate for wear parts.
Gyorsan elvinni
- Define your end product first (chips, crumb rubber, or powder).
- In tire lines, separation (steel + fiber) and screening matter as much as the granulator itself.
- Plan for knife wear, screen changes, and dust control; tire processing is abrasive work.
Where the Granulator Fits in a Tire Recycling Line
Most plants build a tire recycling line as a sequence of steps, not as a single “machine.” The granulator is usually the stage where you push from “pieces you can convey” to “rubber you can sell,” because that’s where steel liberation, fiber removal, and particle sizing become repeatable.
| Színpad | Typical output | Fő cél | Equipment commonly involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary size reduction | Chips | Turn whole tires into manageable pieces | Primary shredder, conveyors, magnets (coarse) |
| Secondary size reduction | Smaller chips | Increase steel liberation; stabilize feed to granulation | Secondary shredder/rasper, magnets |
| Granulálás | Crumb rubber (coarse-to-medium) | Control particle size; continue steel liberation | Granulator, screens, magnets, air separation |
| Fine granulation + fiber separation | Cleaner crumb rubber | Remove textile fiber; tighten size distribution | Fine granulator, screens, air classifiers, cyclones |
| Powder production (optional) | Rubber powder | Hit finer sizes for specialized end markets | Grinding/pulverizing, dust collection, tighter screening |
Level 1: Primary size reduction
Goal: turn whole tires into chips that can be conveyed and processed safely.
Typical equipment: – tire shredders – optional cutting/debeading upstream for feeding efficiency
Level 2: Granulation and steel liberation
Goal: further reduce size and remove liberated steel wire continuously using magnetic separation.
Level 3: Fine granulation and fiber removal
Goal: produce cleaner crumb rubber and remove textile fiber through air separation and screening.
Level 4: Powder production (optional)
Goal: produce rubber powder for specific end markets that require it, with tighter dust control and more process sensitivity.
For typical line layouts and options, see Energycle’s pages on a gumiabroncs-újrahasznosító gép és egy tire rubber pulverizing grinder system.
What a Tire Granulator Really Includes (Not Just the Cutter)
When buyers say “granulator,” they often picture the cutting chamber. In tire recycling, the saleable product depends on the full module stack around the granulator:
1) Cutting chamber, knives, and screen
The cutting chamber controls particle size and determines how stable the machine runs under abrasive load.
Buyer checks: – screen hole size options and how fast screens can be changed – knife material/heat treatment, indexing, and changeover time – access for cleaning, knife swaps, and inspections
2) Steel separation (multi-stage magnets)
Tires contain steel wire (and sometimes beads). Steel removal is usually multi-stage because liberation happens as size reduces.
Buyer checks: – how many magnetic separation stages are included (coarse and fine) – how magnets are cleaned and how often – where magnets sit in the flow (before/after key size reductions)
3) Fiber removal (air separation)
Textile fiber removal often becomes more important as you approach finer crumb sizes. If fiber remains high, it can limit end uses and lower price.
Buyer checks: – air classifier style and adjustability (airflow control) – dust handling and cyclone/filter sizing – how fiber is conveyed and stored (it can be bulky and messy)
4) Dust control and housekeeping
Rubber dust is a quality, maintenance, and safety issue. If dust control is weak, it shows up as bearing heat, sensor failures, housekeeping labor, and customer complaints.
How to Spec a Granulated Rubber Product (So Quotes Are Comparable)
Many quotes are not comparable because “crumb rubber” can mean multiple sizes and cleanliness levels. Put a simple spec table into your RFQ.
| Specifikációs tétel | Miért fontos | What to define in the RFQ |
|---|---|---|
| Target particle size | Drives screening, recirculation load, and throughput | Target size range and allowed oversize percentage |
| Steel content limit | Drives magnet strategy and product acceptance | Allowed steel contamination level and test method |
| Fiber content limit | Controls market acceptance for crumb and powder | Allowed textile fiber level and how it will be measured |
| Moisture and fines expectations | Affects packaging, conveying, and dust handling | Moisture condition (wet vs dry line), fines definition, and dust collection scope |
| Feedstock type | Changes wear, steel load, and throughput | Passenger vs truck tires; pre-shredded size; bead removal intent; contamination assumptions |
How to Choose the Right Level for Your Business
Ask: – What local markets exist for each product type? – What contamination limits do buyers enforce (steel/fiber)? – What permitting and environmental controls are required (dust/noise)? – What maintenance capacity do you have for knives and screens?
If you’re not sure which product level makes sense, start by talking to buyers and then design the line around that target.
Procurement Checklist: Questions to Ask Suppliers
Use these questions to catch gaps early:
1) What is the guaranteed product size distribution at the target throughput, and how is it measured?
2) What steel and fiber contamination levels can the supplier demonstrate on similar lines?
3) What are the expected knife and screen change intervals on your tire mix (passenger vs truck)?
4) What dust collection and air handling is included vs excluded from the quote?
5) What is the maintenance access plan (lifting points, service doors, cleaning access)?
6) What is the installed power, and what is the expected kWh/ton range at your product size target?
GYIK (Valódi vásárlói kérdések)
What’s the difference between a tire shredder and a tire granulator?
A shredder is usually the first step: it turns whole tires into chips so the material can be conveyed and processed safely. A granulator is typically the step where you control particle size more tightly and focus on cleaning the product—especially continuous steel liberation and fiber removal. In practice, buyers choose the granulator stage based on what they plan to sell (chips vs crumb vs powder) and what contamination limits their customers enforce. If your customers buy crumb rubber, you usually need screening plus steel and fiber separation around the granulator, not just the cutter itself.
What should I specify first: particle size or purity (steel/fiber limits)?
Specify both, but start with what your customer rejects. Some buyers are tolerant on size but strict on steel or fiber; others are the opposite. Particle size drives screen selection and throughput. Purity drives how many separation stages you need and how much recirculation or rework happens. If you don’t specify limits, suppliers will quote assumptions and you’ll get surprises after commissioning. A practical approach is to define a target size range, a maximum oversize percentage, and explicit steel and fiber contamination limits, then require proof from a reference case or a material trial.
Why do tire granulators often have multiple magnets instead of one big magnet?
Steel is not fully liberated at the first cut. As tires are reduced from chips to crumb, more steel wire becomes free, and the steel size changes from large pieces to fine fragments. Multi-stage magnets allow removal at different points in the process, which protects downstream equipment and improves final product cleanliness. Buyers should ask where magnets are placed (before/after key size reductions), how they’re cleaned, and what steel contamination level the supplier can demonstrate at the final product.
How do I estimate wear-part cost and downtime for a tire granulation line?
Ask suppliers for knife life and screen-change intervals on a similar tire mix and output size—not a generic estimate. Wear depends on tire type (passenger vs truck), contamination (sand, wire load), and target size (finer crumb usually increases cutting work). Then convert that into planned downtime: how long a knife swap takes, how many staff are needed, and what lifting tools are required. The “cheapest machine” is rarely the lowest cost if your team cannot change knives and screens quickly and safely.
Are there regulatory or safety issues I should plan for beyond the machine itself?
Yes. Dust and housekeeping can become a permitting and safety issue, and maintenance procedures should be planned from day one. For U.S. facilities, OSHA guidance on machine guarding and lockout/tagout helps frame expectations for guarding, interlocks, and safe maintenance procedures. Build access and LOTO points into your equipment specification so safety is engineered into the line rather than handled informally. Also require clear procedures for jam clearing and knife changes. (OSHA: gépvédelem és 29 CFR 1910.147 kizárás/kitáblázás)
What end markets should I consider before I buy a tire granulator?
Start with buyers in your region and work backward. Common end uses for scrap tires include tire-derived fuel, civil engineering applications, and material recovery into rubber products. The U.S. EPA’s scrap tire overview is a useful starting reference for understanding end-use categories and program considerations. Industry reports also track how end-of-life tire volumes are used across markets; for example, USTMA publishes end-of-life tire management reporting. Use those references to sanity-check your market assumptions before you size a granulation system. (Sources: Az US EPA hulladékabroncsainak áttekintése és USTMA 2023 élettartam végi gumiabroncs-jelentés oldal)
