Metal recycling machines are an important part of any metal recycling business. These machines are powerful and can do many things with scrap and recycled metal, including melting, crushing and briquetting. Anyone wanting to work with metal recycling equipment will need to go through training in order to learn how to operate and maintain this type of equipment. Safety training is also essential to work with any type of scrap metal processing equipment.

To use a aluminum recycling machine or any other type of processing machine, you will need to find resources where you can train for operations, safety, and maintenance. You can find metal recycling equipment education and training opportunities through:

1. Training courses designed to teach safety, operation and maintenance of a metal recycling machine.

2. Seminars that showcase the latest technology.

3. Online resources for training and educational information.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn how to operate machines for recycling metal through training courses

On-site training courses are important for those that want to learn how to handle machines for recycling metal. These courses will often provide a mix of classroom training, safety training and hands-on training with the machines. Most training courses are provided by consulting groups or manufacturers of metal recycling equipment.

I recommend: Schnitzer Steel Industries provides comprehensive training programs for those that they hire to work at their steel manufacturing and recycling centers. ABS Consulting provides customized courses in mechanical integrity of your company's equipment. Additional safety training is also provided.

Attend seminars and workshops for the scrap metal recycling business

Seminars will provide you with continuing educational opportunities if you are already in the recycling industry. You can also check out the latest in equipment technology and network with other professionals in the field. This can provide more business and new outlets for your recycled products.

I recommend: Green Industry and Equipment Expo provides many educational opportunities, including a showcase of new products and equipment for recycling and green industries. The Southeast Recycling Conference and Trade Show features many metal recycling equipment manufacturer exhibits, plus educational seminars on the recycling industry.

Find online resources to learn how to use equipment for recycling metal

There are many other resources online that can provide you with additional education on one or more types of metal recycling equipment. These resources can include forums for experts, instructions on how to use equipment for specific metals, and user manuals for equipment.

I recommend: MetaMetal provides detailed instructions on how to use its product with metal recycling machinery to produce a quality final product. Global Recycling Equipment provides operator manuals for most of its metal recycling equipment for sale.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Because there are many types of scrap metal recycling equipment, it is a good idea to use the equipment manual as part of any training program.

While many think of recycling as "the right thing to do," others realize that recycling is a business, and the metal recycling business is a profitable one. If your business plan includes metal recycling, you'll want to start here to learn about choosing the right metal recycling equipment to set up a scrap metal recycling business.

Selecting equipment for recycling metal requires knowledge of metal recycling in its different forms. For example, if you want to recycle scrap metal, you'll need to learn about scrap metal processing equipment. But if you want to collect soda cans, you'll need to know more about things relating to the aluminum recycling business. Don't get overwhelmed; instead, take a deep breath and start finding answers to the three questions below. With a little leg work you'll find the answers you need to purchase the metal recycling machinery you need.

1. What type of metal recycling business will you run (what kinds of metals will you recycle)?

2. What metal recycling equipment will you need?

3. Where can you get the appropriate metal recycling equipment?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Define the scope of your metal recycling business

Metal recycling machines vary widely, as do recyclable metals. Before you go any further into setting up machines for recycling metal decide what metals your metal recycling business will handle. Think in terms of supply and demand: what types of metal can your metals recycling business sell to remanufacturers? Next, look at a waste composition study for the areas your metal recycling business will service. A waste composition study looks at what types of waste and how much waste a landfill or waste-to-energy facility collects.

I recommend: Contact the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for each state where your metal recycling business will operate. Ask them how you can get copies of city and county waste composition studies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has a list of DEPs by state. Compare the metals going into waste facilities with the current market prices for different types of metal. RecycleNet Corporation posts daily updates to market prices paid for recyclable metal. The United States Geological Survey tracks worldwide supply and demand for metals.

Pair metals with metal recycling supplies and equipment

Now that you know which recyclable metals your scrap metal recycling business can collect and how much you can expect remanufacturers to pay for them, you'll need to find scrap metal recycling equipment.

I recommend: If you want to set up an aluminum recycling business, you can learn about the technology of an aluminum recycling machine at The Aluminum Association. You can also learn about different technologies and processes for your scrap metal recycling business at the American Iron and Steel Institute. Both of these websites publish recent developments in metal recycling equipment.

Purchase new or used metal recycling equipment and supplies

Once you work through the first steps, it's time to purchase metal recycling equipment and supplies. You can find a bevy of machines for recycling metal online.

I recommend: The Environmental Expert S.L. website lets you find and compare metal recycling machinery. Resource Recycling, Inc. provides free metal recycling machine information to better arm you as you decide which scrap metal tools and metal recycling machines to purchase for your business.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider membership in a solid waste organization like the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA). Groups like SWANA can help you stay abreast of not only trends in the metal recycling business but wider industry trends and new technology.

Knowing metal-recycling equipment terminology can help you when you make your next purchase, at your next trade show event, at the next City Council meeting or any other social situation where this socially responsible topic is coming up. Many places are paying top dollar for recycled metal, and knowing metal-recycling equipment key terms, acronyms and definitions are will help you the next time you discuss this topic. Metal-recycling equipment key terms can include equipment types, background information needed before you begin investing in metal-recycling equipment and acronyms surrounding the industry. Staying abreast of the necessary words and phrases can put you one step ahead of your competition and colleagues.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Waste-composition study

Waste-composition studies are helpful for metal-recycling businesses because they help look at what types of waste and how much waste a landfill or waste-to-energy facility or a government organization collects.

I recommend: Check out the waste-composition study at Larimer County Colorado. Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania also has information about a waste-composition study.

DEP

DEP is an acronym for a department of environmental protection. DEPs can help you find waste-composition study information.

I recommend: Take a look at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Check out the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, as well.

Densor

A densor is an aluminum can compressor. This machine is different than a can flattener because the densor increases density, while the flattener flattens.

I recommend: Take a look at the densor models from CP Manufacturing.

Shears

Shears are a cutting metal-recycling tool. Shears can come in standard sizes or you can have them custom made to fit any size job or weight of product being cut through.

I recommend: Find out more about what metal recycling shears can do from ASKO.

Balers

Balers take compacted metals, such as stainless steel cans, aluminum, insulated wire and more, and fit them into condensed packages much like a hay baler takes straw and converts it into hay bales. This makes for ease of transport and sale of the raw materials.

I recommend: Look at the baling capabilities available through Olympic Wire and Equipment.

Granulators

Granulators are a recycling tool used for scrap wires and cables.

I recommend: Look at cable granulators and separators from Gensco Equipment.

There are many machines for recycling metal available on the market. These machines make recycling simpler by cutting, compacting and baling scrap metal into easy-to-transport bundles. Most metal recycling equipment can be used for all types of non-ferrous metals, including steel, aluminum and mixed scrap. Ferrous metal materials have different properties making them less likely to be recycled. Choosing the right machine for the right material is important for speed and efficiency in metal recycling.

Information on metal recycling equipment types and styles is essential in choosing the right machines for your business. Many resources exist for finding the right types of equipment. Types of equipment needed will vary depending on the type of metal a company recycles, but most plants will need:

1. Shears for tearing up scrap metal;

2. Baling and compacting metal recycling machines;

3. Separators and lift magnets for sorting through metal scrap.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose hydraulic shears as part of the equipment for a metal recycling business

A common type of scrap metal processing equipment is the shears. The shears take in scarp metal of different shapes and sizes and cuts them into more uniform pieces. Once this is done, the scrap can then move on to the next machine in the process. Shears come in a range of models, from simple mechanical shears to large hydraulic shears.

I recommend: Asko provides a guide on how to select the best grade of knife for shearing machinery used in metal recycling. Advanced Machine Design provides information and specifications for its AMD hydraulic shears.

Purchase an aluminum recycling machine for baling and compacting

Another set of machines that is very important in the aluminum or steel recycling process is the compactor and baler. The compactor helps to reduce the total size of a pile of recyclable scrap. The baler then works to ensure that the pile is packaged for transportation or transfer to another area of a recycling plant.

I recommend: Olympic Equipment provides information on how its line of balers can perform. Harmony Enterprises provides information on the difference between the types of bailers and compactors it manufactures.

Consider large scrap metal recycling equipment such as lifting magnets

The largest metal recycling machine most recycling plants use is the lifting magnet. This magnet is a powerful tool used to separate metal materials from scrap piles. Lifting magnets will be able to grab the best materials for recycling while preventing non-metal materials from entering the shears or balers.

I recommend: Winkle Industries provides specifications for many models of lifting magnets plus information on the durability design features. Shields provides information and specifications for the types of lifting magnets it sells including heavy duty lifting magnets that can separate ferrous from non-ferrous metals.