OTR Tire Shredding — AXE Model 5 Primary Grinder
Industrial Friction
OTR tire shredding mechanical degradation poses a fundamental challenge: steel-belted radial carcasses (1.5–4 m diameter, 1,102-11,023 lb unit mass) resist controlled fragmentation due to the high tensile strength of embedded steel cord layers. Conventional multi-stage cutting lines — hydraulic shearing followed by rotary grinding — require 3–4 processing stages to achieve the ≤2" fraction demanded by pyrolysis reactors and rubber recovery systems. This multi-stage approach drives capital expenditure above €2.5M, floor-space requirements exceed 400 m², and operational availability drops below 70% due to blade replacement cycles on contaminated feedstock.
Technical Solution
The AXE Model 5 primary grinder with Volvo Penta TAD 1643GE diesel powertrain processes whole OTR tires at 9 ST/h, achieving the target 2" fraction in a single mechanical pass without pre-cutting or debeading. Twin-shaft asynchronous crushing kinematics provide controlled tear propagation through steel-belted rubber by exploiting the differential elastic modulus between cord layers and rubber compound. The hydrostatic drive with torque-limiting protection absorbs catastrophic load spikes from oversized carcasses, eliminating mechanical overstress incidents. The utility of heavy OTR tire processing efficiency improvement reaches 340% compared to conventional blade-cutting methods in controlled field trials.
Economic Impact & ROI
Achieved 45% TCO reduction versus multi-stage cutting lines through single-pass processing that eliminates intermediate handling stages and reduces labor requirements by 60%. Capital payback in 14 months — fastest in the portfolio — with 85% projected 5-year ROI. Revenue streams include crumb rubber at $176-274/ST, steel cord recovery at $78-118/ST, and pyrolysis feedstock preparation eliminating external pre-processing contracts valued at $24-39/ST.