A copper wire granulator is a sophisticated recycling machine designed to efficiently separate copper from its plastic or rubber insulation (and sometimes other metals), producing high-purity copper granules.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the copper wire granulator’s working principle:
Core Principle:
The machine utilizes the differences in density and physical properties between copper and plastic, combining crushing, vibration, and airflow separation techniques for separation.
Step-by-Step Process:

1. Feeding:
   Scrap insulated copper wires of various sizes and types are fed into the machine’s hopper via conveyor belts or manually.
   For thicker cables, a separate pre-crusher is often used to pre-crush the material for smoother processing.
2. Primary Crushing (Granulation):
   The wires are fed into a rotating granulator or crushing chamber equipped with hardened steel blades or rotors.
   Here, the material is shredded and crushed into uniform small pieces (typically 3-10 mm). This process breaks the bond between the copper core and the insulation without melting or altering the chemical properties of either material.
3. Separation Stage:
   Airflow Separation/Vibrating Screen:
   The mixture of copper granules and plastic/rubber fragments (now called “granules”) falls onto a vibrating screen or airflow separation system.
   Vibrating Screen: The granules are sorted by size. Appropriately sized mixtures continue forward; oversized granules are typically returned to the crusher for secondary crushing.
   Airflow Separation (Aspirator): This is the crucial separation step. A controlled stream of air is blown across the falling granules. Due to their lower density, the lighter plastic/rubber fragments are blown away by the airflow into a separate collection bag or bin. The denser copper granules, unaffected by the airflow, fall straight down.
4. Collection:
   Copper Output: The separated, pure copper granules are collected in bags or bins. They can now be sold to copper smelters or foundries for smelting and reuse.
   Plastic Output: The separated plastic/rubber fragments (often called “fluff”) are collected separately. While of lower value, this material can often be sold for use in the manufacture of plastic lumber, building fillers, or other recycled plastic products.