For 30 years, Vermeer has been a market leader in recycling and forestry equipment — known for their high speed tub and horizontal grinders. As the waste processing market has changed, the demand for equipment has changed as well. Today, Vermeer now offers one of the most comprehensive product offerings for the waste industry.
The LS3600TX low speed shredder is the most recent addition to the impressive lineup of powerful waste processing equipment by Vermeer. This machine allows operators to process contaminated waste that may cause damage to a high speed grinder.
Slow speed shredders are designed to work in a variety of markets and applications. Shredders can process diverse waste streams including construction and demolition (C&D), green waste, municipal solid waste (MSW), storm debris and materials from land clearing operations. An advantage of running a shredder is that material with unwanted contaminants can still be processed due to the high torque configuration and low rotor speed.
For a full list of approved materials to use in the LS3600TX, refer to the machine operator’s manual.
How the LS3600TX low speed shredder works
To help protect the driveline system against unshreddable objects, the LS3600TX low speed shredder includes a reversible mechanical transmission with a torque limiter. This feature automatically disengages the drive when maximum torque is reached.
Operators often use shredders for primary size reduction because they are less likely to damage components when encountering ferrous contaminants. If you regularly process materials with ferrous contaminants, you can add the optional cross band magnet to your shredder. This powerful magnet can effectively reduce ferrous contaminants from the end material, minimizing contamination in the final product.
So, what can the Vermeer LS3600TX shred? Here’s a rundown of its waste processing capabilities:
Construction and demolition
C&D includes a wide range of materials such as pallets, plastics, salvaged building components like doors and windows, or other building materials. Low speed shredders are well suited for a C&D jobsite due to the high probability of contaminants in the material. A similar application to C&D is building and construction debris. Building and construction debris is essentially general building waste. This may include drywall, wood, roofing, exterior items or material where ferrous contaminants could be found.
Curtis Van Der Wal, a Recycling and Forestry product specialist explained, “A benefit to processing C&D and building and construction debris materials is that disposal fees for the contractor can be reduced. Pre-shredded material has a higher compaction rate and can be disposed of in fewer trips or truckloads — saving time and money.” Another advantage with a reduced product size is that landfill space can be conserved.
Green waste
Green waste is considered the green foliage of trees — but could also include stumps, branches or other natural wood materials. There are different scenarios where green waste may be collected — like cleaning up after a natural disaster or services provided by municipalities.
Because green waste is not typically used for mulch, a shredder works well for this application – as having a consistent end product size is a lower priority. After the material is run through the shredder and contaminants have been removed, the end product is then better suited to be processed with a high speed grinder if needed.
With storm cleanup, the potential for contaminants or unknown materials in the green waste is higher. “Often after a natural disaster, volunteers or crews will make piles of materials that need to be processed,” Van Der Wal explained. “Depending on how organized or thorough this sorting process is, you may or may not have a significant amount of contaminants in the piles to process.” On storm cleanup sites where you are unable to verify what is in the material, it is better to use a slow speed shredder, as they can better deal with ferrous contaminants in the material compared to a high speed grinder.
Municipal solid waste
MSW can include many types of materials, but it is generally considered any items or materials that go into a landfill.
Shredding MSW is key to extending the life of a landfill. Landfills are only approved to store a specific volume or weight of material. When the limit is reached, a new site must be located and permitted for a new landfill. Processing MSW with a low speed shredder can reduce the material size and improve overall compaction of materials for that landfill. Like other applications, MSW has the potential for metal contaminants, making a low speed shredder a preferred machine to resize material.
There are many considerations to make before deciding if a slow shredder will be an effective solution for the work you do. Adding a shredder to your fleet could help you expand into a new market for your operation and gain an additional revenue stream. With a shredder, you will be able to process contaminated material steams that you may not have been able to process previously. With the LS3600TX, the applications are wide ranging.
Before determining if a low speed shredder will optimize your waste management capabilities, be sure to get in touch with your local Vermeer dealership to connect with a Recycling and Forestry specialist. A Recycling and Forestry specialist can help you navigate the equipment options available and will be there to support you long after the purchase.
For more information on industrial recycling equipment or to connect with a Recycling and Forestry specialist, contact your local Vermeer dealer.
Vermeer Corporation reserves the right to make changes in product engineering, design and specifications; add improvements; or discontinue manufacturing or distribution at any time without notice or obligation. Equipment shown is for illustrative purposes only and may display optional accessories or components specific to their global region. Please contact your local Vermeer dealer for more information on machine specifications.
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