Shredding textile waste is mechanically different from shredding plastic. A plastic bottle cracks; a cotton shirt stretches. In many textile applications, the machine performs best when configured to Shear rather than Tear. This guide explains the rotor geometries required for high-volume textile recovery.
Related equipment: textile waste single shaft shredder.
1. The Enemy: Winding (Wrapping)
Textiles are high-tensile materials. If the knife dulls or the gap is too wide, the fabric will not cut—it will wrap around the rotor shaft, eventually stalling the motor or burning out the bearings.
The Solution: The “Splined” Anti-Winding Rotor
Standard rotors are smooth cylinders. Textile rotors typically use Raised Splines or Wear Strips welded between the knife holders.
* Function: These raised areas prevent long strips of fabric from lying flat against the shaft, breaking the surface tension and preventing tight wrapping.
* Protection: Bolt-on Winding Discs at the rotor ends protect the bearing housing seals from fiber ingress.
2. Cutting Geometry: The “Double Scissor”
Straight cut knives act like a guillotine—high impact, high noise.
* V-Rotor (Chevron): Knives are arranged in a “V” shape.
* Effect: Pulls material toward the center of the rotor, preventing it from jamming against the side walls.
* F-Rotor (Fillet): Knives are arranged in a continuous spiral.
* Effect: Only 1 knife cuts at a time. Constant load, lower amperage spikes, smoother operation on heavy carpets.
3. Throughput Calculation Logic
Textile waste has incredibly low bulk density (60 – 100 kg/m³).
* Formula: $Capacity (kg/h) = Volume (m³) \times RPM \times Efficiency \times Density$.
* Implication: You need a physically larger machine to achieve the same tonnage as plastic.
* Example: A 1200mm shredder does 2 tons/hr of plastic. It will only do 600 kg/hr of loose textile.
* Fix: Hydraulic Ram Assist. A customized “High Speed” ram is required to force the fluffy material into the rotor to artificially increase density at the cutting point.
4. Application-Specific Output
- Rag Production (Wiping): 100mm – 150mm strips. Requires a large screen (100mm).
- Fiber Opening (Recycling): <40mm chips. Requires a small screen (40mm) and high rotor speed (120 RPM) to “open” the weave.
References
[1] “Mechanics of Fiber Cutting,” Textile Research Journal. Mechanics of Fiber Cutting
[2] “Design of Industrial Shredders,” Waste Management. Design of Industrial Shredders
