When purchasing a recycling machine, the purchase price plays an important role. However, the costs incurred during ongoing operation are crucial to long-term cost-effectiveness. Especially for machines that are used for several hours a day, energy consumption can account for a significant portion of operating costs.
Whether it's a shredder, granulator, cable granulation system, baler, or other processing equipment: Anyone looking to purchase a new or used recycling machine should therefore consider not only the purchase price but also calculate the total operating costs.
The operating costs of a recycling machine depend on several factors. These costs can vary significantly depending on the machine type, utilization rate, and the material being processed.
The most important cost factors include:
• Electricity or fuel consumption
• Maintenance and repair
• Wear parts
• Replacement parts
• Labor costs
• Downtime
• Operating and auxiliary materials
Therefore, an inexpensive machine is not automatically the most cost-effective solution. What matters most are the costs over the machine's entire planned service life.
The specified drive power provides an initial guideline for the technical sizing of a machine. However, it does not readily indicate how high the actual energy costs will be during operation.
Among other things, the key factor is how heavily and for how long the machine is utilized.
Other contributing factors include:
• Material processed
• Material size and properties
• Actual throughput
• Machine utilization
• Downtime
• Technical configuration
• Machine condition and maintenance
For a meaningful comparison, therefore, one should not consider only the installed capacity.
One useful metric could be the amount of energy consumed relative to the actual amount of material processed.
While a more powerful recycling machine may consume more energy, it can also process significantly more material in the same amount of time.
So the question is:
"How much electricity does the machine use?"
That alone is not enough.
What's more interesting is:
"What are the operating costs per metric ton of material processed?"
This makes it much easier to compare different machines and plant designs.
A recycling machine should be suited to the facility's actual material volume.
If the machine is consistently undersized, it can result in long cycle times and bottlenecks. Conversely, a machine that is significantly oversized can lead to unnecessary investment and operating costs.
Before making a purchase, you should therefore consider the following questions, among others:
• What volume of material is processed daily?
• How many operating hours are planned?
• What peak volumes need to be handled?
• What throughput is actually required?
• Are volumes expected to increase in the future?
Proper sizing is therefore an essential part of cost-effective machine design.
In many recycling machines, significant mechanical forces act on the material. Consequently, wear parts play a key role in operating costs.
Depending on the type of machine, components such as blades, cutting tools, screens, or other parts subject to wear and tear may need to be inspected regularly and, if necessary, replaced or refurbished.
The rate at which wear occurs depends, among other things, on the material, the load, the operating time, and maintenance.
When purchasing machinery, you should therefore also check how readily available replacement and wear parts are.
Regular maintenance incurs costs at first, but in the long run it can help prevent major repairs and unplanned downtime.
The following are particularly important:
• Regular visual inspections
• Inspection of stressed components
• Lubrication according to manufacturer specifications
• Timely replacement of wear parts
• Inspection of the drive and hydraulic system
• Cleaning of the machine
The required maintenance intervals depend on the specific machine type, manufacturer, and application.
Machine downtime is a cost factor that is often underestimated.
If a key machine in a processing line breaks down, it can disrupt the entire production process. In addition to repair costs, this may result in additional costs due to lost production and downtime for employees.
When purchasing a recycling machine, therefore, the availability of replacement parts, maintenance options, and technical support are also important factors to consider.
Used recycling machines can offer a significant investment advantage over purchasing new equipment. However, for a cost-effective assessment, the purchase price should always be considered in conjunction with the machine’s technical condition.
Relevant examples include:
• Year of manufacture
• Operating condition
• Previous use
• Existing wear and tear
• Necessary repairs
• Condition of key components
• Availability of replacement parts
A professionally refurbished used machine can be an attractive alternative to a new machine for many applications.
A new machine can be particularly appealing when there are very specific requirements regarding performance, automation, or integration into an existing processing line.
Even when high utilization is planned over many years, it may be worthwhile to compare different new and used machines in terms of their total cost.
The decision should therefore not be based solely on the purchase price.
To make a realistic comparison of machines, companies should take several cost categories into account:
Acquisition Costs
Purchase price, as well as any costs for transportation, installation, and commissioning.
Energy Costs
Electricity or fuel consumption under actual operating conditions.
Maintenance Costs
Regular inspections and necessary maintenance.
Wear and Replacement Part Costs
Costs for components subject to regular wear and tear and potential repairs.
Outage Costs
Potential economic consequences of unplanned machine downtime.
Only by taking this holistic view can we obtain a realistic picture of long-term economic viability.
When purchasing a recycling machine, the purchase price should not be the only deciding factor. Energy consumption, throughput, maintenance, wear and tear, and machine availability all influence the actual costs over many years.
A machine that is appropriately sized in terms of performance and features for the company's material volume can therefore be more cost-effective in the long run than a supposedly cheaper alternative.
Anyone comparing new and used recycling machines should therefore always take into account the total service life and the expected operating costs.