Not all balers are the same. Whilst they are used for the same purpose, they produce vastly different results.
To help you identify which type of baler may be best for you, here are the five typical types of baler:
Vertical Balers
This type of baler is the most commonly found machine on the market and takes up the smallest footprint by standing upright. They are typically taller than they are wide.
This range of balers can be found in small and low headroom environments or could be as tall as 4 metres.
They are ideal for companies with limited space and provide options for small to mid volume producers of waste. You may find these machines are most suitable if you produce less than 20 tonnes of recycling per week.
The more material you need to recycle, the less this range is typically efficient however because you are restricted by the cycle time of the machine. During the machines cycle, the door is closed to the chamber to prevent further filling and potential for injury, you can not continue filling until the door re-opens.
Multi-Chamber Balers
This is a vertical baler but with multiple chambers (up to four). This means you could recycle your cardboard, plastic film, rigid plastics, tins and cans as example, in one machine. You could alternatively, cycle the machine and while it is baling in one chamber, continue filling in the other. You might only want to do this however if you do not have headroom for a larger machine.
Horizontal/Semi Automatic Balers
This type are particularly popular for mid to large size producers. This is because the models can come with a splayed hopper which sits atop the machine and can be continually filled while the machine cycles. You can also fit a photocell so that the machine cycles automatically, which ensures the operator only needs to focus on filling the machine with material until the bale is ready to be ejected. This machine typically has significantly less downtime than a vertical Baler Machine but still requires to be manually tied off once the baler is ready to eject.
Fully Automatic/Channel Balers
Like the above semi automatic balers, these models can be continually fed by a conveyer, chute, bin lift, extraction system by hand and from a dock or from ground level.
They will also fully tie the bale and eject out onto a ramp. Dependent on the size of the ramp, you will save significant amounts of labour and prevent production stoppages.
With the right in-feed option you could have a fully autonomous baling operation.
They can also be fitting with modems and other specialist controls to notify remote operators of any issues (such as when the bale ramp is full requiring bales to be collected) as well as to provide controls and timing of material feeds.
Twin-Ram Balers
Two ram balers are the most effective balers for processing different types of material. This could be cardboard, hard plastics, RFD or plastic films; these models produce extreme bale weights and densities.
What’s the difference between a Fully Automatic or Twin?
The main consideration is heavier bale weights and on average a twin ram baler will process wider and greater volumes of waste materials whereas a fully auto or Channel baler is suited only for one material at a time such as for processing cardboard in a production plant or distribution centre.