With the widespread application of plastic products across various fields, the volume of plastic waste has surged dramatically. Relevant data indicates that approximately 300 million tons of plastic waste are generated globally each year, and most of it enters the environment directly without effective treatment, inflicting severe damage on ecosystems. As a critical pre-treatment step in plastic recycling and reuse, plastic shredding technology plays an irreplaceable role. By leveraging shredding technology, this waste can be converted into recyclable plastic pellets, enabling the circular utilization of resources. This not only mitigates environmental pollution but also reduces reliance on raw materials such as crude oil, providing robust support for the sustainable development of the plastic industry.

For example, after implementing a plastic shredding program, a city in the United States cut its municipal waste disposal costs by 30% and boosted the efficiency of plastic waste treatment by 40%. It now recycles around 200,000 tons of plastic waste annually, equivalent to saving 100,000 tons of crude oil. Achieving such high-efficiency treatment results is inseparable from suitable shredding equipment. China Xiaoma Plastic Shredders, with its comprehensive product lineup, offers solutions tailored to plastic processing needs in diverse scenarios. Following the application of its equipment in multiple domestic plastic recycling projects, enterprises have seen their shredding efficiency increase by over 35% and waste disposal costs decrease by 25%, making it a key force driving the development of the plastic recycling industry.

Based on variations in shredding methods and equipment, plastic shredding technologies are primarily categorized into two major types: physical shredding methods and chemical shredding methods.

Physical shredding methods utilize mechanical force to shred plastic, encompassing shear shredding, hammer shredding, extrusion shredding, and grinding shredding. Among these, shear shredding is the most prevalent approach: high-speed rotating shear blades cut plastic into small pellets, and roughly 80% of global plastic shredding processes adopt this method annually. It boasts simple operation, low costs, and minimal environmental impact, making it widely applicable for shredding various types of plastic.

In the realm of shear shredding equipment, the product range of China Xiaoma Plastic Shredders is highly targeted. Its XMG Low-Speed Shredder Series (with models ranging from XMG 180/120 to XMG 250/430) features a design where stepped rotating blades are arranged in a V-shape, perfectly aligning with the core requirements of shear shredding. It can grip the material to be shredded at the center of the shredding chamber, preventing material from adhering to the walls. Meanwhile, the stepped rotor blade design ensures that only one blade performs cutting at any given time, significantly enhancing cutting torque. For PP and PE scrap materials from industries like spray pumps, cosmetics, and toys in injection molding production, it enables efficient on-line crushing and recycling. Additionally, its low-power consumption and low-noise properties further reduce the operational costs of physical shredding methods.

Furthermore, Xiaoma’s XMJ Medium-Speed Shredder Series (XMJ 200/320, XMJ 200/420) adopts a scissor-type cutting structure, which also falls under the shear shredding category of physical shredding. Its soundproof enclosure design addresses the high-noise issue of traditional shear shredding equipment, making it particularly suitable for on-line processing of scrap materials from the auto parts, home appliance industries, and blow molding machines. This allows shear shredding technology to be applied in more precision manufacturing scenarios.

Chemical shredding methods decompose plastic into monomers or low-molecular compounds through chemical reactions. They are mainly suitable for plastic types that are difficult to shred physically, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS), and include processes like pyrolysis, solvent extraction, and acid-base treatment. However, chemical shredding methods typically require specific reaction conditions and equipment, leading to high costs and potential pollution. Currently, their application scope remains relatively limited.

Beyond the two main methods mentioned above, emerging technologies such as ultrasonic shredding and microwave shredding offer advantages like fast shredding speed and low energy consumption, but they have not been widely promoted yet. In contrast, physical shredding methods remain the current mainstream due to their mature technology and cost-effectiveness. China Xiaoma’s equipment innovations for physical shredding technology have further solidified its position in the industry.

The efficient operation of plastic shredding depends on a scientific technological process, and the requirements of each stage must be matched by corresponding equipment technology.

Pre-treatment includes cleaning, drying, and sorting. It is essential to ensure that the plastic purity reaches over 95%, the moisture content is below 2%, and the sorting accuracy directly impacts the subsequent shredding effect. Although pre-treatment primarily relies on manual labor and auxiliary equipment, the adaptability of subsequent shredding equipment is also crucial. For instance, sorted materials of different forms, such as hollow plastic bottles and pipes, require different types of shredders for processing—and this is precisely the advantage of China Xiaoma’s product range.

The main process consists of four steps: feeding, shredding, screening, and discharging. Among these, the shredding stage is the core, and appropriate equipment must be selected based on the material properties. The smoothness of screening and discharging is also closely linked to equipment design.

For the shredding of hollow materials (e.g., plastic bottles, blow-molded products), Xiaoma’s XMG 300/400 and XMG 300/600 Series Medium-Speed Shredders excel in the main process. Their V-shaped rotating blade design can accurately grip hollow materials, preventing slippage on the side walls of the shredding chamber and resolving the issue of low shredding efficiency for hollow materials. Simultaneously, they are compatible with a feeding fan recovery system or a bagging interface, allowing the shredded pellets to quickly enter the screening stage and minimizing process interruptions.

For long-length materials like pipes and profiles, traditional shredders often face difficulties in feeding due to the excessive length of the materials. Xiaoma’s XMP Series Pipe/Profile Shredders are specially designed with a nearly horizontal feeding hopper. Combined with a heavy-duty rotor with a diameter of 600mm, they can automatically draw PVC and PE pipes with a diameter of less than 200mm into the shredding chamber. Moreover, the bearings are installed outside the shredding chamber to prevent broken materials from entering and causing malfunctions, ensuring the continuity of feeding and shredding in the main process and perfectly addressing the industry challenge of shredding long-length materials.

In addition, for controlling the quality of shredded pellets, Xiaoma’s XMD High-Power Shredder Series uses high-alloy D2 or DC53 material blades, which guarantee uniform shredded pellets and reduce dust generation. Meanwhile, the blades can be adjusted using an external fixture without disassembling the machine, significantly shortening equipment maintenance time and ensuring the stability of the screening and discharging stages. These design details are precisely intended to meet the core requirements of the main process, such as "meeting pellet size standards" and "ensuring efficient equipment operation".

From the industry’s significance to technology classification and technological processes, every stage in the plastic shredding industry imposes distinct requirements on equipment. As a high-tech enterprise, China Xiaoma does not merely provide equipment but develops comprehensive solutions centered on the actual needs of the industry.

In addition to the dedicated shredders for shear shredding and different materials (scrap, hollow materials, pipes) mentioned earlier, Xiaoma also takes into account the integrity of the shredding process. It offers auxiliary equipment such as conveyors, dust separation devices, and metal detectors, which can be seamlessly integrated with the main shredders. For example, when a dust separation device is paired with the XMD High-Power Shredder, it can further reduce the dust content of the shredded materials, meeting the "high purity" requirement after pre-treatment. The metal detector can prevent metal impurities in waste plastic from damaging the blades, extending the equipment’s service life.

Taking the XMK Claw Blade Shredder Series (e.g., XMK-20C) as an example, its stainless steel body is equipped with a cooling water circulation system. It is not only suitable for shredding various soft and hard plastics but also can dissipate heat during operation to prevent the caking of shredded materials. This design not only resolves the material quality issue during the shredding process but also adapts to the requirements for pellet condition in the subsequent screening stage. Furthermore, all of Xiaoma’s equipment features easy cleaning and maintenance—such as the external bearings and regrindable blades of the XMD Series—which also lowers enterprises’ equipment management costs from an operational perspective, truly embodying the concept of "starting from needs and serving efficiency".

Today, China Xiaoma’s plastic shredding machinery and auxiliary equipment are sold globally. Its product design has always been centered on industry technology trends and technological process requirements, transforming equipment from isolated "tools" into the "core of solutions" integrated into the entire plastic shredding chain, and providing solid support for the sustainable development of the plastic recycling industry.