What's the Difference Between Single, Dual & Quad Shaft ...

The single-shaft (single-rotor), double-shaft or four-shaft industrial shredders guarantee different performances and are suitable for the treatment of different types of material.

To choose which type of shredder to prefer it is necessary to take into account many factors, such as:

• Type of material to be shredded: some materials can be treated by both single-shaft shredders, double-shaft or four-shaft shredders, while others require a specific type of shredder. Rubber and WEEE, for example, can only be shredded with a double shaft, while plastic or industrial pallets require treatment with a single rotor.

• Dimensions of the material to be shredded: normally double-shaft shredders are used for the treatment of large waste, because they allow a drastic reduction in their volume thanks to the presence of a double system of blades that turn in the opposite direction. The four-shaft shredders are a further development of this type of technology, they are also equipped with a grid to calibrate the size and are therefore suitable for the treatment of large quantities of large waste. The single-rotors, instead, are suitable for grinding smaller material, even if the possibility of customizing the dimensions of the blades allows them to be equally high-performance and able to operate effectively even in the long term, with lower maintenance costs that are lower to the ones of the double-shaft shredders.

• Possible presence of non-shreddable material: a very important factor to be taken into account is the possible presence inside the material to be treated of non-shreddable components that could damage the blades of the machinery. If you cannot be sure that the material to be treated is completely free of non-shreddable components, it is better to prefer a slow single shaft device, which would suffer less damages and could could receive maintenance assistance faster than a double-shaft or a four-shaft shredder. In addition, the Camec single-shaft shredder is equipped with a shock sensor that stops the machine in the event of a collision with foreign components.

• Post-treatment size of the material: if you have decided to install a shredder with the sole aim of reducing the volume of the material you have to treat, the best choice is a double-shaft shredder, which is able to shred a wide range of materials, always guaranteeing high performance. If, on the other hand, you not only want to reduce the volume of waste that you shred, but also want to obtain a residue that has a uniform size, it is advisable to use a single-rotor which – being equipped with a grid that regulates the output of the material – permits to obtain residues of defined size. If the material to be shredded cannot be treated in a single-rotor, but you still need to control the size of the shredding product, the choice may fall on a four-shaft shredder, which can be equipped with a grid.

To discover the characteristics of our single-shaft, double-shaft and four-shaft industrial shredders and to find out what type of material they can handle, download the CAMEC Industrial Shredder Guide!

The main differences between these shredders, other than the number of shafts, are the shred size and shaft speed. Shred size determines whether the remaining scraps will be large and irregular, or small and of uniform size, while shaft speed affects throughput rates and the types of materials that can be shredded with that particular shaft type.

Dual shaft shredders are slow-speed shredders that produce large and inconsistent shreds that are the width of the knife by various lengths, sometimes up to 2’ to 3’ long depending on the material.

Single shaft shredders are high speed shredders that produce small, consistent shreds that are the size of the screen in the shredder. Single shaft shredders also incorporate a ram that force-feeds the material into the rotor.

Four shaft, or quad shaft shredders are slow-speed shredders that produce small, consistent shreds that are the size of the screen in the shredder.

How Do You Know Which Shredder Will Work Best for You?

There are two main factors to take into consideration when determining which shredder best suits your needs: the application and shred size. If you are needing a shredder that produces a consistent shred size for purpose of confidential document destruction, then you may be more inclined to purchase either a single or quad shaft shredder since these models contain screens that ensure each shred is reduced specific to the dimensions you need.

Alternatively, if you just need to reduce your waste in size with no specific size requirements you will likely want to purchase a dual shaft shredder.

While dual shaft shredders can be used for a wide range of applications, the most common applications for dual shaft shredders are: plastics, tires, e-scrap, paper and metals. Dual shaft shredders are used as a primary shredder for the size reduction of bulky material.

Quad shaft shredders are most used for e-scrap and medical waste due to the fact they efficiently produce small, consistent particle sizes across a wide range of materials.

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Lastly, single shaft shredders are popular in the wood and plastics industry because they incorporate sizing screens to provide a uniform shred size.

All in all, the majority of these shredders can be used for a wide range of applications. However, what matters most in selecting your shredder is what you would like to do with your shreds in the end. Every business has unique requirements; our experts will work with you to find the best solution!