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Write down your granulator ________________ ________________ serial numbers here ________________ ________________ for future reference ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ Sterling can advise you on proper selection and sizing of systems for your operating environment. Sterling is committed to a continuing program of product improvement. Specifications, appearance, and dimensions described in this manual are subject to change without notice. Bulletin No.
Safety Considerations Sterling granulators are designed to provide safe and reliable operation when installed and operated within design specifications, following national and local safety codes. To avoid possible personal injury or equipment damage when installing, operating, or maintaining this granulator, use good judgment and follow these safe practices: LEARN AND OBEY your company’s safety policy regarding granulating equipment.
to internal cutting chamber and screen chamber components. SAFETY GLASSES OR A FACE SHIELD MUST ALWAYS BE WORN when servicing or operating the machine. Although our machines are designed for the maximum in flyback control, caution must be used when operating near the area of the hopper feed opening in order to guard against unexpected material flyback. EAR PROTECTION may be required when operating the machine during granulation or very hard/noisy materials.
ALWAYS DISCONNECT AND LOCKOUT THE MAIN ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE GRANULATOR BEFORE PERFORMING ANY SERVICE. SAFETY INTERLOCKS MUST NOT BE BYPASSED. The mechanical and electrical safety interlocks ensure the safety of personnel. They should never be tampered with or removed for ANY reason. They should be frequently checked by a qualified mechanic for proper operation. NEVER modify the machine configuration or any individual component without written consent from Sterling.
Table of Contents 1 General Information 1-1 Introduction 1-2 General Description 1-3 Granulator Specifications 2 Shipping Information 2-1 2-2 2-3 2-4 2-5 2-6 3 Installation 3-1 3-2 3-3 3-4 3-5 4 Unpacking and Inspection In the Event of Shipping Damages If the Shipment is Not Complete If the Shipment is Not Correct Returns Uncrating Scope General Set-up Electrical Service Connections High Amperage Readings Accessing Cutting Chamber 4-1 Opening Cutting Chamber 4-2 Closing Cutting Chamber 5 Accessin
Table of Contents 7 Startup Checklist 7-1 Introduction 7-2 Fan Evacuation 7-3 Granulator Startup Checklist 8 Operation 8-1 8-2 8-3 8-4 9 Operation Instructions Temporary Machine Stops Final Machine Stops Emergency Stops Routine Maintenance 9-1 Lubrication Specifications 9-1-1 Description 9-1-2 Screw Jack Lubrication Instructions 9-2 Motor & Belts Servicing 9-3 Knife Removal & Adjustment 9-4 Rotor Knife Removal 9-5 Rotor Knife Sharpening 9-6 Rotor Knife Installation 9-7 Bed Knife Sharpening 9-8 Bed Kni
Charts and Figures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Granulator Specifications Table Granulator Dimensions Belt Span and Deflection Belt Deflection Force Table 11-12 33-34 Rotor Knife Drawings 36 Recommended Knife Replacement Blades 37 Bed Knife Drawings 39 Recommended Bolt Torque 41 General Drawings 46 BP1620, BP1628 & BP1640 Granulators Page 8 BP1600
1 General Information 1-1 Introduction This manual is intended to be used as a guide and reference for personnel who will be installing, operating, and maintaining the Sterling BP1600 Series Granulator. The purpose is to aid these individuals in applying efficient, proven techniques, which will enhance productivity. This Introduction includes a brief functional description, a physical description, and machine specifications for these granulators.
1-2 General Description Sterling granulators are designed to uniformly and consistently size reduce your scrap. They have been engineered to consistently deliver clean granulate with a minimum of “fines”. The rotor, on which the cutting knives are mounted, is a fabricated steel unit supported by bearings mounted outside the cutting chamber. A motor drives the rotor, which is capable of producing high torque loads.
1-3 Granulator Specifications Model “A” Dimension Weight Est. Throughput Figure 1 Granulator Dimensions BP1620 BP1628 51.25” (1301.8 mm) 59.25” (1505 mm) 3025 lbs (1372 kg) 3400 lbs (1542.
2 Shipping Information 2-1 Unpacking and Inspection You should inspect your Sterling BP1600 Series granulator for possible shipping damage. If the container and packing materials are in re-usable condition, save them for reshipment if necessary. Thoroughly check the equipment for any damage that might have occurred in transit. In case of breakage, damage, shortage, or incorrect shipment refer to the following sections.
2-3 If the Shipment is Not Complete Check the packing list. You should have: Sterling BP1600 Series granulator Bill of lading for equipment shipped Operating and Installation packet Electrical schematic and panel layout drawings Re-inspect the container and packing material to see if you missed any smaller items during unpacking. Determine that the item was not inadvertently taken from the area before you checked in the shipment. Notify Sterling immediately of the shortage.
2-6 Uncrating BP1600 Series Granulator BP1600 Series granulators are shipped mounted on a wooden skid then blocked and banded to prevent movement. All nonpainted items subject to corrosion are coated with a quality rust preventative and the machine is then covered with heavy duty polyethylene to protect it from moisture and dirt. Sterling granulators are normally shipped completely assembled unless the size of the machine or an agreement for special shipping arrangements causes partial disassembly.
3 Installation 3-1 Scope This section contains all instructions required for experienced installation personnel to install the Sterling granulator and prepare it for production. It is essential to follow all instructions carefully and in the sequence presented. Be sure to observe all DANGER, WARNING, and CAUTION statements in order to prevent personal injury or machine damage, and to observe all NOTE statements which are designed to assist in the performance of procedures.
Fastener (turn counter-clockwise to loosen) Loosen the fastener in the right side front door. Note that this fastener does not need to be completely removed from the front access door, as it is designed to be captive for convenience. NOTE: DO NOT USE ANY OTHER MEANS TO CRANK OPEN THE MACHINE OTHER THAN THE HAND CRANK PROVIDED. Using other methods of turning the jack could result in damage to the unit.
CAUTION! The knives mounted on the rotor and also located at the front and rear of the cutting chamber are extremely sharp. Always wear heavy gloves and exercise care when working in the cutting chamber. Wipe out the inside of the hopper and upper cutting chamber. Carefully inspect the interior of the cutting chamber for foreign material or debris. Slowly turn the rotor by hand to verify that it rotates freely and without obstruction or contact between the rotor and bed knives.
interlocks have been verified for proper functioning before shipment. It is only necessary to connect the electrical power source to the machine at the control enclosure. WARNING! All equipment must be grounded in compliance with Article 250 of the National Electric Code. The customer’s disconnecting means and branch circuit protection must also be in compliance with the National Electric Code and all Local Codes.
4 Accessing Cutting Chamber 4-1 Opening Cutting Chamber 1. Allow material to run out of the cutting chamber. 2. Shut OFF and LOCKOUT all power, including the main disconnect switch. 3. Release latch that holds (2) front doors closed. Loosen the handle (knob) on the front right hand door. This hand-knob when fully loosened stays captive to the door. 4. Loosen fasteners on front of machine. They are designed to remain with the upper screen chamber. 5.
5 Accessing Screen Chamber 5-1 Opening Screen Chamber 1. Allow all material to run out of the cutting chamber and screen chamber. 2. Shut OFF and LOCKOUT all power including the main disconnect switch. 3. Remove discharge chute located below the screen chamber. 2 fasteners holding the screen cradle in position. Hopper (Located under screen chamber.) 4. Loosen (2) fasteners holding the screen cradle in position.
WARNING! DO NOT LET THE SCREEN CHAMBER DROP!! Guide cradle to it’s resting position. 6. Remove the screen(s) and place them upright on their side. CAUTION! The knives mounted on the rotor, and the bed knives located at the edges of the cutting chamber, are extremely sharp. Always wear heavy gloves and exercise care when working in the cutting chamber. 5-2 Closing Screen Chamber 1. Ensure all tools, screws, and debris is removed from the inside of the screen chamber. 2.
6 Sequence of Operation 6-1 Scope This section contains the information required to carry out preoperational procedures, and the checklist of items, which should always be reviewed prior to a production run. DANGER! Before undertaking any machine repairs or maintenance, always make certain that the machine disconnect switch is turned to the OFF position or that the control enclosure is disconnected from the main power source.
• For granulators equipped with conveyors, fans, etc., test their operation also by pressing the appropriate pushbutton. Check fan outlets for proper airflow. • For granulators with emergency stop pushbuttons, test the buttons to insure all motion stops. • With the granulator running, loosen the handknob on the front access doors and screen chamber to verify the safety interlock switch shuts the machine off.
7 Startup Checklist 7-1 Introduction After all electrical and mechanical machine elements have been inspected and any defects corrected, the machine can be put into production once the start-up checklist has been referred to. 7-2 Fan Evacuation Sterling granulators can be supplied with an optional fan system to provide efficient, continuous evacuation of granulate from the machine. Sterling offers a large variety of fan configurations.
Are all accessory components electrically and mechanically connected with proper support and with all fasteners tight? Are cyclonic air separator and filter units empty? (optional equipment) Has the fan (optional) been verified for proper rotation direction? Are all electrical enclosure boxes tightly closed and clamped shut? Are all personnel clear of the machine and optional fan? BP1620, BP1628 & BP1640 Granulators Page 25 BP1600
8 Operation 8-1 Operation Instructions 1. Prior to machine startup -- All doors, covers, guards, and interlock switches must be in place, securely fastened, and functional. All accessory components must be properly connected. If the granulator has a bin, make sure it is installed. 2. Turn the main disconnect to the ON position. 3. Start the granulator and fan (optional) by pressing the appropriate pushbutton at the operator station. 4.
8-4 Emergency Stops Feedstock must be cleaned out of the hopper and cutting chamber prior to restarting the machine. NOTE: The Sterling BP1600 Series granulators are not designed for small purging, chunks of solid plastic or other heavy wall crosssectional pieces.
9 Routine Maintenance 9-1 Lubrication Specifications 9-1-1 Description All Sterling BP1600 Series machines are equipped with rotor bearings that are pre-lubricated & sealed from the factory. Mounting of the bearings on the Sterling BP1600 Series machines results in trouble free, low maintenance, and long lived bearing design.
9-1-2 Screw Jack Lubrication Instructions Lifting screws should be checked periodically to ensure that they are adequately lubricated. It is recommended that the screw jack be lubricated at monthly intervals, unless experience indicates that re-greasing should occur at more regular intervals.
Belt pulleys (Located on left-hand side of unit, under the sheave guard.) 1. Verify that the alignment of the pulleys is correct. Utilizing a straightedge of sufficient length to span from one pulley to the other, place it along the sides of both pulleys. The entire edge of each pulley should fully contact the straightedge. 2. Measure the belt span (see Figure 2). 3. Using a spring scale, apply a perpendicular force to any ONE of the belts at the midpoint of the span. 4. Measure the force (lbs.
Motor adjusting screws Loosen these 4 nuts on the bolts holding the motor on the motor base. Slide the motor either backwards or forwards to achieve the proper belt tension and retighten the nuts. 6. There will normally be a drop in belt tension during the first 24 to 48 hours of operation due to stretch and the belts seating themselves in the sheave grooves. 7. After this initial “RUN IN” period, the machine should be stopped and the belts should be re-checked for tension.
Table 2 Belt Deflection Force BELT DEFLECTION FORCE (in lbs.) SMALL SHEAVE DIAMETER (INCHES) 2.65 to 4.0 4.12 to 7.0 7.10 to 10.9 11.80 to 16.0 12.50 to 16.0 18.00 to 22.4 3.00 to 3.6 3.80 to 4.8 5.00 to 7.0 4.60 to 5.6 5.80 to 6.8 7.00 to 8.6 7.00 to 8.5 9.00 to 11.0 12.00 to 16.0 12.00 to 14.0 14.50 to 17.0 A RUN IN 6.00 8.25 21.00 25.75 51.00 58.00 4.90 6.00 7.30 9.00 10.30 11.60 17.10 20.00 22.70 32.70 37.30 B RUNNING 4.00 6.75 14.25 17.00 34.50 39.50 3.40 4.10 5.00 6.20 7.00 7.90 11.70 13.70 15.
DANGER! Before undertaking any machine repairs or maintenance, always make certain that the machine disconnect switch is turned to the OFF position or that the control enclosure is disconnected from the main power source. Either place a sign indicating that the main disconnect switch is to remain off or on the switch and/or lock the switch to prevent accidental activation by someone unaware of work in progress. 2. Follow instructions in Section 4 on opening the cutting chamber. 3.
9-5 Rotor Knife Sharpening The rotor knives must be sharpened to within .003” (0.076 mm) of each other. Greater dimensional variations prevent the proper setting of the knife gap and may create other serious complications. Grinding the cutting edge until it is free of nicks can be wasteful. It is not harmful to allow small nicks to remain in the cutting edge.
9-6 Rotor Knife Installation 1. Carefully lock the rotor with the locking pin to prevent it from turning. 2. Re-install the rotor knives onto the rotor. Do not torque the hex head rotor knife bolts fully at this point -- snug them down only. CAUTION! New or resharpened knives should be handled with extreme care. It is suggested that the sharp cutting edge be covered with tape to prevent damage to the knives or injury to personnel during installation. 3.
It is important to note that the minimum dimensions given for the rotor knife and bed knife cannot be combined simultaneously to produce a cutting combination. NOTE: Replacement knife sets and knife resharpening services are available from Sterling. Contact the Customer Service Department at (800) 229-2919. Figure 5 Bed Knife Sharpening 9-8 Bed Knife Installation & Setting 1. Install the new or resharpened bed knives, and clamps in the reverse of removal.
2. Align a rotor knife with the primary bed knife, in the front of the granulator. With a .006” feeler gauge between the rotor and bed knife, start to adjust the bed knife into the rotor knife using the adjusting screw. During the movement of the bed knife, slowly rotate the rotor back and forth checking the clearance. The proper clearance will be established across the length of the knife when a slight “drag” is felt on the feeler gauge. Partially tighten the bed knife hex head screws.
7. After the clearance setting of both the primary and secondary bed knives is complete and checked, turn the rotor by hand to ensure that none of the rotor knives hit the bed knives. 8. Double check inside the machine to make sure no tools or other articles are left in the cutting chamber or have fallen into the screen area. 9. Close the cutting chamber and tighten the fasteners (refer to Section 4-2).
10 Troubleshooting Problem Possible Cause No power. Solution Verify that the correct pushbuttons are being depressed and that the main disconnect switch is in the ON position. Try to locate grounds, a locked rotor or other reasons. Fuses are blown. Motor/(optional) fan motor will not start. Check for motor and fan overloads. If a limit switch is open. If fan is hinged type design (optional) If not equipped with fan After completing above inspection, machine will still not start.
Machine stalls/(optional) fan stalls Machine has loose or thrown belts. (Optional) Fan wheel is loose on shaft. Overloading of the machine Excessive power required-blown fuses Knives are dull Knife gap is too large Clearance between the rotor knives and screen is too small. Lack of lubrication Bearings sound noisy or are excessively hot Overloading of the machine Bearings have exceeded their rated life. Belts are too loose Overloading of the machine.
Problem Granulate builds up in the transition or tubing Feedstock hangs up in the hopper or cutting chamber No granulate Stringy granulate Possible Cause Fan wheel is loose on shaft. Transition or cyclonic air separator tubing is clogged. Solution Tighten set screws as required. Clean as required. Fan is not evacuating properly. Check for loose fan wheel on shaft, worn fan wheel, or loose drive belts.
Problem Possible Cause Knives are dull. Fines Solution Sharpen knives (refer to Section 9) and re-install. Plastic is clogging the screens or transition, preventing proper fan evacuation. Shut the machine down and clean. Rotor speed is too fast. Change the pulleys. Screen size is too small. Change to a screen with larger holes.
(1) set of rotor knives and bolts (1) set of bed knives and bolts (1) screen or set of screens, (depending if your model requires multiple screens) (1) set of belts (1) set of fuses (1) set of motor starter heaters (1) cyclone filter bag (optional) 12-2 Additional Parts If additional spare parts are required for your granulator, please consult the Sterling Spare Parts Express Department. The serial number of the specific granulator will be required when ordering parts from Sterling.
BP1620, BP1628 & BP1640 Granulators Page 44 BP1600
BP1620, BP1628 & BP1640 Granulators Page 45 BP1600
BP1620, BP1628 & BP1640 Granulators Page 46 BP1600
Service Notes BP1620, BP1628 & BP1640 Granulators Page 47 BP1600
Service Notes BP1620, BP1628 & BP1640 Granulators Page 48 BP1600
