Wear processes and performance of blade pair in small‐scale single‐shaft plastic shredder machine

Abstract

Shredder blades and fixed blades were used as a set of blade pair to perform the shredding action. Comparable research was performed on the blade pair to understand its wear mechanism and shredding performance. The loading distribution along the two‐edge shredder blades in helix configuration was identified. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x‐ray, x‐ray diffractometer analysis, and hardness tests were used to characterise the surface, elemental composition, microstructure, and hardness of the worn blade pair. The shredder blades’ wear mechanism was categorised as progressive wear which dominant by abrasive, following by adhesive and oxidation wear. The shredding efficiency of the two‐edge shredder blades in helix configuration was 69.24 %, recycling efficiency at 96.83 % and retention of 3.17 % after the shredding process.