Philip Rahm International

How Magnetic Lifts Are Ideal For The Recycling Industry

Magnetic lifts are the ideal technology for industries that require huge amounts of ferrous materials. This is particularly helpful in the recycling industry, where iron and steel are regularly separated from other items. These machines are superior to other forms of hauling technology for a number of reasons and can be easily integrated into most plants. They are also safe and efficient, which means they can help a plant stay within code.

These devices are similar to other large crane-operated haulers, but they use different forces to perform their job. During operation, a large electromagnet is switched on. The electrical current orients the poles in a uniform direction, producing an intense attractive force that can handle thousands of pounds of scrap iron or steel. This is ideal for picking up cars, large appliances or large bulks of ferrous material. Once loaded, the material can be deposited onto conveyors where they are further separated or shredded into easier to handle pieces. Magnetic lifts can transport tons of metal in this way every hour with no loss of performance from the machine. This ensures consistent efficiency that plant operators can plan around.

Consistency is something that facility managers need from their machines. Without it, productivity suffers and work piles up. Magnetic lifts come with far fewer moving parts than the traditional crane hauler. While a strictly mechanical hauler can break down in a number of ways, using polarized forces to move metals is simpler and puts less wear on the device over time. As a result, plant managers can expect superior durability and performance over the long haul.

Recycling facilities spend the vast majority of their efforts on material separation. Before any reclaimed items can be reprocessed, they must be sorted into various material channels, typically a time consuming and labor intensive process. These machines can help in the separation process by pulling out scrap iron and steel exclusively. While eddy currents and other polarized separators can be installed along the production stream instead, a reclamation facility will achieve greater efficiency by presorting ferrous metals. This is something that traditional haulers are incapable of doing. Also, using electrical instead of mechanical forces allows the operators to finely control the amount of lifting power. If the facility wants to separate lighter scrap material from heavier objects, like cars or appliances, the device can be configured to do just that. With complete control over the operation, a facility can streamline its productivity even further.

However, a hauler is only as useful as it is safe. Dealing with tons of material can result in serious accidents if power is cut to the machine. Fortunately, every one of these devices comes with a backup permanent magnet that can function independently without any power to the unit. As the name suggests, they are permanently polarized and can exert just as much force, preventing any falling hazards.

Anything that traditional mechanical haulers can do, these devices can do better. They are more efficient, more reliable, and more precise. In short, they are a huge step forward in material handling.