New Drawer Magnet Insert Reduces Downtime

MBA Polymers recently integrated an innovative manual self-cleaning magnet insert into one of their existing Drawer Filter Magnets at their Worksop plastics recycling site in the United Kingdom. This new drawer magnet insert drastically reduces the time required for cleaning ferrous metal captured by the high-strength tube magnets, providing easier and safer operations for staff.

Bunting stands out globally as a premier manufacturer of magnetic separators, eddy current separators, metal detectors, and electrostatic separators. The company’s European manufacturing facilities are located in the United Kingdom at Berkhamsted and Redditch (near Birmingham).

Established in California, USA, in 1997, MBA Polymers initially operated a small-scale production facility in Richmond, Virginia. Over the years, with relentless determination and strategic investments, MBA Polymers has earned recognition as a leading global player in recycling plastics from end-of-life durable goods like computers, electronics, appliances, and automobiles.

MBA Polymers UK boasts the world’s largest and most advanced plastics recycling production unit, specializing in recovering waste plastics and rubber from “shredder residue” that would otherwise end up in landfills. This residue consists of materials left over from the extensive shredding and metal recovery process of end-of-life automobiles, appliances, and other large metal-bearing goods and equipment typically recycled for their high metal content.

Seven years ago, MBA Polymers installed four Drawer Filter Magnets from Bunting, each equipped with rows of high-strength rare earth neodymium tube magnets enclosed in a sealed outer housing. These magnets attract and hold magnetically-susceptible particles, allowing metal-free material to proceed to the next stage of the recycling process, crucial for effective recycling and preventing damage to downstream equipment.

To address the challenge of cleaning metal contamination from the tube magnets efficiently, Bunting introduced a new drawer magnet insert. This quick clean magnet insert seamlessly integrates into existing Drawer Filter Magnet housings, requiring no modifications. Operators simply withdraw the entire drawer insert, clear any obstructions, and then pull out the tube magnets through the front Perspex cover. Metal contamination is attracted to the front plate, fitted with robust plastic washers that prevent metal from escaping the housing. As the tube magnets are fully withdrawn, any captured metal loses its magnetic hold and falls into a separate waste collection area due to gravity.

Thanks to this new insert, cleaning the tube magnet grid now takes as little as 40 seconds, significantly reducing downtime. Moreover, operators no longer need to manually remove trapped metal from the tube magnets, enhancing safety.

Guy Hughes, Extrusion Manager at MBA Polymers, emphasized the advantages of the new system, stating, “With the new magnet system, we can ensure that contamination is removed pre-screen, resulting in an even higher quality product delivered to our customers.”

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