Technological Expertise and a Premiere: Labotek Partner’s GETECHA at Fakuma

At this year’s Fakuma, the German plant manufacturer & Labotek GB partner GETECHA will be showcasing its extensive range of services for implementing automated size reduction solutions for the plastics and recycling industries. In Hall A3, the company will present numerous exhibits demonstrating how users of injection moulding, extrusion, thermoforming, and blow moulding technologies can efficiently and sustainably grind and reuse their production waste.

As a special highlight, the company will be introducing its new RS 150 compact granulator, specifically designed for grinding sprues directly at the injection moulding machine.

Plastic processors, recycling experts, and recyclate manufacturers seeking competent partners for modern grinding technology projects at Fakuma should plan to visit stand 3210 in Hall A3. Here, plant manufacturer GETECHA will be showcasing a wide range of machines and services for the implementation of automated system solutions for efficient grinding of waste, offcuts, and production residues. The focus will be on various hopper granulators, flexible feed and discharge technology, and, importantly, the engineering expertise the company uses to tackle even the most challenging tasks.

Another highlight of GETECHA’s presence at this year’s Fakuma is the introduction of the new RS 150 granulator, tailor-made for direct use in injection moulding technology lines. “This compact granulator is a cost-effective and versatile all-rounder for the production-integrated grinding of sprues and light faulty parts. It guarantees excellent regrind quality even when processing TPE and POM, has low energy consumption, and takes up minimal space with its dimensions of 674 x 435 x 775 mm. It also requires very little maintenance,” says Eva Rosenberger, Sales Manager and Shareholder at GETECHA.

Efficient, compact, and flexible

The new RS 150 is a hopper model for manual or automated material feeding via injection moulding machine handling systems. It can be adapted to feed heights of around 775 to 1,280 mm, has a powerful three-blade rotor in a horizontal design, and is prepared for connection to a vacuum extraction system provided by the customer. The design allows flexible adaptation to different production conditions. For example, the rotor variants, drives, and blade qualities can be customised to each specific case, and the hopper can be designed for feeding by sprue picker or manual feeding.

Intervention protection is ensured from a low feed height of 775 mm, and depending on customer requirements, the new RS 150 is available with either a low or high frame. “A fill level sensor prevents the material box from overfilling, ensuring material does not back up into the cutting chamber. Optionally, a warning signal can be issued, or a hopper loader activated, ensuring the production process remains stable,” explains Eva.

As an additional option, GETECHA can equip the new beside-the-press granulator with modern sensor technology that monitors capacity utilisation and consumption in the context of an overall system, allowing the system to react in a targeted manner to reduce consumption and release operating reserves.

Wear-resistant for abrasive materials

Alongside the new RS 150, GETECHA will be exhibiting several granulator models at Fakuma that have proven their reliability in many areas of plastics and recycling technology. This includes the GRS 180 series of granulators, also designed for grinding sprues and faulty parts from injection moulding processes. The hopper version is suitable for both manual and automatic feeding via a handling system. The GRS 180 system features optional wear protection plates in the hopper, making it suitable for abrasive materials when combined with wear-protected hard metal blades on its seven-blade rotor.

An optional water-cooled cutting chamber reduces the thermal load on the material being ground, preventing it from softening in the cutting chamber. The rated power is 2.2 kW, effectively reduced to around 1.1 kW under load with the use of GETECHA’s EnergySave system. “We also offer a screw feeder for positioning under the injection moulding machine and a sluice hopper for productions with increased cleanliness requirements,” explains Eva.

Designed for higher throughput

For plastics processors and recyclers with higher requirements for size reduction technology, GETECHA will be exhibiting a GRS 300 A at its Fakuma stand. This model features a higher frame and can be moved on rollers for easy discharge of regrind into a collecting container. It can be used as a small central granulator or a large beside-the-press granulator for grinding sprues and faulty parts. The inclined ten-blade rotor of this granulator, driven by a 5.5 kW motor, allows the system to start up even when partially filled. At rotor speeds of 230 rpm, depending on the type of plastic and screen perforation, its wear-protected blades (HSS quality) can grind up to 80 kg of material per hour. As Eva Rosenberger emphasises, “this granulator also offers easy cleaning and tool-free screen changes.”

The RS 2404 A, which GETECHA will also display at Fakuma, is designed for an hourly grinding capacity of up to 160 kg of material. This mobile compact central granulator has a cutting chamber and feed hopper in a double-walled, sound-insulated design. The parts are fed manually or by conveyor belt and ground by an open three-blade rotor with attached blades (drive power 5.5 kW). The granulator at the exhibition will include an integrated extraction system, sound-insulated conveying fan, exhaust air dedusting unit, and the GETECHA GE 12 regrind dedusting system.

As the largest model in its range of granulators, GETECHA will be presenting the RS 38060 A for the efficient size reduction of blow-moulded containers and injection-moulded parts at this year’s Fakuma. This central granulator, driven by a 22 kW motor, is a universally applicable system designed to process containers and tops and tails up to 60 dm³ in size. The feeding hopper is generously sized, and its design is very easy to maintain: the screen carriage runs on rollers and can be fully extended without tools. “Other key features of the granulator include the optimally tuned rotor and the hand hydraulics for easy opening of the hopper,” says Eva Rosenberger.

Analysis and integration

Overall, GETECHA’s current service catalogue offers modern grinding technology for volumes ranging from 10 to 5,000 kg/h. All of the company’s granulators are characterised by a design that has been thoroughly thought out, can be customised, and allows for low-maintenance, energy-efficient operation. The plant manufacturer’s high level of consulting expertise includes analysing individual applications and integrating the grinding solution into the customer’s infrastructure, which often reveals additional savings and optimisation potential. All GETECHA grinding systems can be automatically controlled and integrated into the customer’s IT infrastructure.

GETECHA GmbH are a principal partner of Labotek GB.

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