Horizontal Balers

Horizontal Balers

Horizontal balers are employed when heavy and rigid scrap waste is being compressed.The other type of industrial baler, the vertical baler, is used to compress more lightweight scrap material. In terms of design, horizontal balers can be either open-ended or closed-ended, and material is fed in from the loading area on one side of the machine and travels horizontally to the other side. Loading can be done manually, or by automated methods including conveyors, loader systems or air systems. The material is fed into a chamber where it is pounded, smashed and squeezed into a compact sized bale under great pressure. Depending on the type of material compressed, the bales can be heavy, and may require mechanical assistance to be moved to the next step of the process. After compression, the cubic bale is bound using wire, plastic or string in order to maintain its compact shape and prepare it for shipping or recycling.

Some bailers can be designed to produce bales in specific sizes, although custom capabilities in a baler will cost more than a standard model and this needs to be taken into account when determining choice of baler. Horizontal balers can handle multiple materials at once and offer a higher throughput capacity as well as more automated functions than a vertical baler. Typical materials compressed with a horizontal baler include corrugated cartons, non-ferrous scrap, textiles, aluminum cans and more. Automotive or packaging industries use larger, heavy-duty horizontal balers to make the removal and transportation of dense scrap easier. For high waste-producing industries including plastics manufacturing and grocery stores or food services, the necessity of compacting and baling is not only for recycling purposes, but also for the economic benefits as reducing the bulk of the waste reduces the money and effort required to dispose of it. As recycling becomes more central to industrial and manufacturing processes, baling equipment will continue to play a central role in the process. Complete turn-key recycling and composting systems can be designed around a basic baler, allowing businesses to be environmentally responsible in their waste management.

Horizontal Balers Photos Courtesy of International Baler Corporation.