Hammer mills, industrial metal shredders

The ideal machine is the hammer mill. Its ability to crush and liberate metals ensures a homogeneous, high-density output that meets industry and furnace standards.

Conventional systems require at least two operators: one for the loading crane and one for mill feeding, plus personnel for manual sorting. With ZATO technology, the same crane that loads the shredder also feeds the mill, so only sorting staff are needed.

Thanks to standardized models and continuous production, Zato hammer mills are generally available with a delivery time of about 3 months from order confirmation.

No, our production is based on standardized models.
This approach allows us to ensure short delivery times, spare parts always available, and quick, efficient maintenance.
Standardization means offering reliability, operational continuity, and faster technical support — without compromising performance.

Conventional hammer mills require over 5–6 months to install due to complex civil works and foundation needs. Zato’s mill, built on a self-supporting steel structure, can be fully installed in under 30 days, significantly reducing time, cost, and setup complexity.

In conventional mills, replacing the screens is time-consuming and complex. Zato has developed a rear-extraction system with hydraulic control that allows screen changes in just a few hours, without lifting the rotor. This increases operational flexibility, simplifies maintenance, and improves overall plant efficiency.

Hammer replacement frequency depends on multiple factors: the type of material processed, the hammer’s properties, and operational conditions. Feeding compact scrap leads to faster wear, while pre-shredded material significantly extends hammer life and lowers operational costs. Proper feed preparation is key to minimizing wear-related expenses.

An effective feeding system is key to ensuring continuous and safe hammer mill operation. Traditional systems rely on steel conveyors, dosing rollers, and gravity chutes, which require constant operator input and have high operating costs. The Zato system replaces all of that with an automated hydraulic pusher controlled by electronics, which optimizes material feed in real time—improving efficiency and reducing reliance on operators.

Unlike conventional mills that require long conveyors for gravity feeding, the Zato hammer mill stands out for its compact design. Its hopper and hydraulic pusher system eliminates the need for inclined belts, reducing space requirements and maintenance costs. This allows installation in tight spaces while maintaining high performance.

To achieve optimal LIBS separation, it is essential to ensure effective contaminant liberation from the aluminum.
The single-shaft shredder (Blue Marlin) is ideal due to its precise control of output size and minimal fine generation, keeping the material open and suitable for LIBS sorting.
For higher volumes (over 10–15 t/h), a hammer mill is recommended for its processing capacity.
In both cases, a pre-shredding step with a twin-shaft shredder (Blue Devil) is advised to open bales, remove unshreddables, and improve downstream efficiency.