New scrap drum from Eriez

Eriez Magnetics Europe Ltd. has recently launched their super strength P-Rex permanent magnetic scrap drum (Fig.). For many years electric motors or meatballs in shredder streams have caused problems for both scrap processors and steel mills. With the launch of this new separation system Eriez can minimise meatball hassles and maximise revenue opportunities while reducing the need for hand sorting. The P-Rex is a simple mechanical metal separator with no electricity requirements and low maintenance.

Meatballs are electric motors or armatures consisting of a spherical steel shell with copper windings inside, which are usually removed using large electro magnetic drums or by hand picking from the waste stream. When drum magnets don’t operate at peak performance, large sphere-shaped objects like meatballs can be near impossible to capture. Fragments of electric motors, alternators and other items containing copper, aluminium and steel are missed and money is lost. The new P-Rex scrap drum can solve this problem. With today’s electromagnetic drum magnets, a steel core is used to project the magnetic field. These cores generate a limited magnetic force at the drum edge because the electric coil that is wound around the core takes valuable space across the width of the drum, resulting in weak zones at the edges. These weak zones can amount to 20 % or more of the surface of the drum. Because the P-Rex is a permanent magnet, it extends to the edge of the drum. That means wider and more efficient separation. Wider separation means greater profits through greater recovery. A further benefit of the P-Rex Drum having permanent magnets refers to temperature. Electro magnetic drums consume power and heat up when in use. The higher the temperature the greater the loss of magnetic strength and in summer and hot climates this can be a problem.

P-Rex’s permanent magnets are permanent, they maintain their strength. P-Rex lasts forever, uses no electricity and is very strong with an attractive force that surpasses the largest and strongest electro drums on the market today. When comparing P-Rex drums to electro drums, P-Rex outperforms them by more than 20 % during both hot and cold conditions.


Eriez Magnetics Europe Limited, Bedwas, Caerphilly (UK), www.eriez.com