New Eriez Shred1Data Demonstrates Scalable Copper Control and 94% Melt Yield

New performance data from Eriez shows that scrap recyclers can achieve precise copper control without compromising throughput. Full-scale installations of the Shred1 Ballistic Separator consistently deliver copper levels below 0.15% while processing more than 127 tonnes (140 tons) per hour.

Copper contamination has traditionally forced recyclers to choose between costly melt chemistry corrections and rejecting marginal feedstock. A recently published report indicates that the Shred1 removes this constraint, providing a purely mechanical solution that enables both high productivity and tight chemical control.

According to the data, the system delivers verified performance across four critical measures:

•    High throughput: Scalable operation well above 90 tonnes (100 tons) per hour, with many confirmed U.S. installations exceeding 140 tons per hour per Shred1.
•    Low copper levels: Consistent production of premium #1 shred containing 0.13 to 0.16% copper.
•    Improved melt efficiency: Melt yields increasing from a typical 88% to as high as 94%.
•    Rapid payback: Operational improvements that often deliver return on investment within months.

At a major U.S. scrap processing facility, the Shred1 consistently produced premium shred with copper levels as low as 0.13%. This performance allows the operator to blend higher-copper input material while still meeting melt specifications, ensuring all output ships as premium-grade product rather than being downgraded or diverted.

Comparable results were realized at a European recycling facility through a 76-heat melt trial. Low-copper shred produced by the Shred1 averaged 0.145%, with melt chemistry closely aligning with theoretical predictions. The consistency reduced dependence on dilution scrap and supported more precise furnace optimisation.

In addition to copper control, the report documents measurable improvements in overall melt performance. Material previously delivered an approximately 88% yield, which increased to 94% after installing the Shred1 combined with polishing magnet technology, improving furnace efficiency, and accelerating economic returns.

Installed downstream of primary scrap drum magnets, the Shred1 separates material using magnetic forces and high-speed ballistic trajectories. Unlike air, optical, or X-ray-based systems, the mechanical process sorts material by mass and density, delivering stable separation performance with minimal operator intervention and no loss of throughput.

During operation, liberated shred is conveyed at high speed toward the head pulley. Low-copper material, more strongly influenced by the magnetic field, follows the pulley arc and is discharged behind a splitter, while higher-copper material continues forward for additional polishing.

“Scrap processors are under growing pressure to meet tighter melt chemistry requirements without slowing production,” said Mike Shattuck, Business Development Manager-Recycling, Eriez. “These results show that copper control is no longer theoretical. The Shred1 delivers repeatable, measured performance at industrial scale and integrates seamlessly into existing shred lines.”

To learn more about the Shred1 Ballistic Separator, visit www.eriez.com/shred1. The full technical report, “Shred1 Ballistic Separator Elevates Low-Copper Recovery and Melt Quality,” is available at Eriez.com/shred1casestudy.