Complete Cable-to-Granule Processing with Copper and Plastic Recovery
The TG-CableLine 100 is an integrated cable and wire recycling line for metal recyclers, e-waste processors, and cable manufacturers who need to recover clean copper or aluminum metal from insulated electrical cables. The line connects shredding, granulation, air separation, and vibration table sorting into a continuous process that separates conductive metal from plastic and rubber insulation, producing clean metal granules ready for smelting or resale.
The target buyer processes 100 to 500 kg of cable per hour. The line handles copper-bearing cables (communication wire, power cable, building wire) and aluminum-bearing cables. It is not designed for steel-armored cable or cable with lead sheathing without pre-processing to remove the armor or sheath.
Five Processing Stages
Primary Cable Shredder
Twin-shaft shredder reduces cable bundles to 20-40 mm strips. Low-speed shearing prevents copper smearing and insulation melting.
Granulator
High-speed knife granulator chops strips to 3-8 mm granules, liberating conductor from insulation. Screen controls maximum granule size.
Air Separation
Air knife or density table separates light insulation from heavier metal granules based on specific gravity differential.
Vibration Separation Table
Vibrating deck further purifies the metal granule stream. Remaining non-metallic contaminants are ejected.
Metal Collection and Baling
Clean copper or aluminum granules collected in holding bins. Optional baling press compacts granules for transport.
System Configuration
| Stage | Equipment |
|---|---|
| Primary Shredding | Twin-shaft, low-speed |
| Granulation | High-speed knife granulator |
| Separation Method | Air + Vibration table |
| Output Fractions | Metal granules + Insulation |
| Control System | PLC with stage interlocks |
| Dust Collection | Integrated cyclone + filter |
| Power Supply | 50 Hz / 60 Hz configurable |
Why Cable Recycling Needs Dedicated Equipment
Electrical cables consist of conductive metal (copper or aluminum) encased in insulating material (PVC, PE, XLPE, rubber). Recovering the metal requires liberating it from insulation at a granule size where physical separation becomes effective. General-purpose shredders cannot achieve this liberation-a dedicated granulator with precise knife clearance and screen sizing is required.
The separation stages exploit the density difference between metal and insulation. Copper has a density of 8.96 g/cm³, aluminum 2.70 g/cm³, while common insulation materials range from 0.9 to 1.4 g/cm³. This large differential allows air separation and vibration tables to effectively sort metal granules from insulation particles.
Cable Types and Processing Boundaries
| Can Process | Requires Pre-Processing |
|---|---|
| Copper communication wire (Cat5, Cat6) | Steel-armored cable (strip armor first) |
| Power cable up to medium voltage | Lead-sheathed cable (remove sheath) |
| Building wire (THHN, Romex) | Cable with heavy steel conduit |
| Automotive wiring harnesses | |
| Aluminum conductor cable (1–50 mm) |
The line does not process fiber optic cable, which contains glass fiber rather than metal conductor. If your feed stream includes fiber optic content, discuss this with our engineering team.
Engineering and Support
Our engineering team configures granulator knife profiles, screen sizes, and separation parameters to match each buyer's cable types and target purity. The line ships with installation supervision, operator training, and a 12-month warranty. Each machine includes a spare-parts kit; standard lead time for replacement wear parts is under 45 days. The manufacturing facility operates under ISO 9001 quality management.ent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Request a Detailed Proposal
To prepare an accurate quotation, include your typical cable types and conductor material (copper, aluminum, or mixed), cable diameter range, estimated hourly or daily volume, whether cables include armor or sheathing, target metal purity, site power supply (50 Hz or 60 Hz), and whether you need the optional baling press for metal granule output.
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