Blue Devil

Twin shaft industrial shredder

BlueDevil

Industrial pre-shredder and twin-shaft shredder

The Blue Devil slow-speed scrap pre shredder, crafted from high-strength steel, is one of the strongest twin-shaft shredders in the industry. With slow-rotating, high torque shafts, it delivers exceptional performance, effortlessly tackling both scrap iron, ferrous and non-ferrous materials with precision and power.

Built for safety and efficiency

When used as a pre-shredder, the Blue Devil prevents explosions from sealed containers and tanks inside hammer mills, ensuring worker safety and reducing equipment maintenance costs. This resilience ensures smoother operations and significantly extends the life of the hammer mill. It is also designed to minimize dust and noise emissions, which makes the Blue Devil community-friendly.

The Blue Devil requires a minimum 9-foot by 8-foot concrete pad and can be built and commissioned typically within one week.

Materials Processed

Blue Devil: key benefits

  • Increase Efficiency:
    Pre-shedding for hammermill reduces energy spikes
  • More Productivity:
    Up to 30% hammermill production by pre-shredding
  • Exceptional Durability:
    25,000-ton blade rating offers minimal downtime
  • Low Maintenance:
    Low operating costs + easy-to-access parts
  • Small Footprint:
    Requires a minimum 9’ x 8’ concrete pad
  • Quick Setup:
    Typically, within one week of commissioning
  • Built-in Safety:
    Self-protection system detects unshreddable materials
  • Minimal Dust/Noise:
    Making it community-friendly
  • Designed to Last:
    Built to last up to 30 years

Blue Devil: intelligent control system

The custom-designed advanced PLC in our control container combines innovation and reliability. The hydraulic detection system automatically adjusts shaft speed based on the resistance encountered during shredding.

When critical conditions arise, such as an overload or encountering unshreddable material, the system instantly responds by slowing or reversing the shaft rotation, safeguarding the blades and shaft from damage.

The advanced control system also monitors key performance indicators (KPIs) while tracking alarms and shutdowns triggered by overloads. By integrating efficient components with smart technology, it ensures optimal performance and minimizes operating costs.

Customer support with remote assistance

Blue Devil’s control container is equipped with a responsive 10-inch high-definition touchscreen, providing seamless data uploads and storage directly on Zato’s service portal. Our support software leverages advanced digital technologies, including Augmented Reality (AR) and Industry 4.0, enabling our technicians to offer remote assistance with plant operations, installations, maintenance, and scheduled inspections. Customer service requests are resolved quickly, ensuring minimal downtime and optimal productivity.

With a global network of installed machines and a dedicated professional service team, we bring extensive expertise to deliver effective and cost-efficient solutions. Our strategically located spare parts worldwide ensure prompt and reliable support whenever needed.

Blue Devil advanced automation features

  • Innovative and automated control system
  • Automatic management of shaft shifting and speed adjustments based on resistance during shredding
  • Automatic detection of critical situations, such as overloads or unshreddable materials
  • Immediate preventive measures to avoid damage to the shaft or blades
  • Tracking of performance variables (KPIs) and monitoring of alarms and shutdowns due to overloads
  • Efficient components and smart technology solutions for low operating costs and superior performance

Dimensions

FAQ

How can power surges in the hammer mill be reduced?

Power surges can be minimized by feeding the hammer mill with homogeneous material free from unshreddables.
Using a twin-shaft shear shredder helps break up bales and perform controlled shearing, resulting in a consistent and uniform material flow.
This ensures more stable operating conditions for the mill, reducing electrical and mechanical stress and improving plant uptime.

Which machine can process OTR tires?

The most effective solution for processing Off-The-Road (OTR) tires is the twin-shaft shear shredder.
Its robust design and low-speed, high-torque cutting technology make it ideal for cutting large-diameter tires and preparing them for subsequent shredding and separation stages.
It is widely recognized as the primary shredder of choice for OTR tire applications.

What are the operating costs of an industrial shredder?

The operating costs of an industrial shredder are approximately €8 per ton, which is significantly lower than those of a hammer mill, typically ranging from €25 to €40 per ton.
This makes the shredder a highly cost-effective solution for scrap processing.

What is the best process to maximize the value of scrap intended for export in containers (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh)?

The most effective solution is shredding, which significantly increases scrap density and reduces the transport cost per ton.
The twin-shaft shredder is ideal for this purpose thanks to its low operating costs, compact footprint, and the fact that it does not require complex air filtration systems. This allows for optimized logistics and improves the competitiveness of exported material.

I’m considering replacing or complementing my shear baler: what’s the most efficient alternative?

When a shear baler reaches its maximum operating capacity, the most strategic choice is not to purchase a larger model, but rather to integrate a Blue Devil twin-shaft shredder.
This solution increases the overall productivity of the plant, improves material flow management, and allows for better distribution of workload across multiple processing lines.
The shredder works in synergy with the shear baler, handling both light and heavy scrap, and offers greater operational flexibility over time, avoiding future capacity saturation.

Are there customizable or tailor-made models of preshredder available?

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.

What is the delivery time for the pre shredder?

To ensure fast delivery and efficient service, Zato’s Blue Devil shredder is usually available for shipment the day after order confirmation.
We consider speed and customer focus to be among our core strengths.

How many days are needed to install a pre shredder?

The installation of a shredder generally requires three working days.
During this time, all positioning, mechanical and electrical connections, and functional checks of the system are carried out.

The fourth day is dedicated to operational testing with the customer’s material, under the supervision of specialized technicians.
In this phase, the machine is tested under real operating conditions, with any final adjustments made to optimize performance.

Do you offer test runs with my own material?

Yes, it is possible to test the machine using your own material.
We take a practical and transparent approach: we believe it is essential for the customer to evaluate the machine’s performance before purchasing.
For this reason, we offer the opportunity to organize an operational test using your material on an already installed and running machine.
During the test, you will be able to assess the output quality, particle size, density, and overall compatibility with your production process.

What is the most effective way to prepare material before a decoater?

The most effective way to prepare material for a decoater is by using a twin-shaft shredder. This shredding process reduces scrap size, homogenizes the feed, and removes surface impurities before thermal treatment. Well-prepared scrap improves decoater efficiency, ensures more uniform coating removal, and maximizes the recovery of clean aluminum. Additionally, the initial densification allows for better logistics and reduced energy consumption in the furnace, optimizing the entire recycling process.

How can we avoid or reduce downtime in hammer mills?

Downtime in hammer mills is typically caused by routine maintenance or unexpected damage due to explosions or non-shreddable materials. Using a twin-shaft shredder as a pre-shredder helps intercept problematic elements and reduces wear on internal components. This leads to smoother operation, fewer emergency interventions, and increased plant uptime.

Do I need a foundation or special flooring to install the preshredder?

The twin-shaft shredder does not require special foundations. A flat surface capable of supporting a static load of up to 70 tons is sufficient. This simplifies installation, reduces infrastructure costs, and makes the system easy to integrate into various plant layouts.

How can explosions in a steel mill furnace be reduced?

To reduce explosions in the furnace, it is essential to avoid feeding materials that contain liquids or compressed gases. A twin-shaft shredder helps eliminate gas cylinders, pressurized containers, and residual liquids before melting. In addition to enhancing safety, this process reduces the number of baskets required, shortens the tap-to-tap cycle, and increases the furnace’s overall productivity.

How can we reduce scrap transportation costs?

Untreated metal scrap takes up a large volume compared to its weight, resulting in high transport costs. The most effective solution is shredding, which increases material density by up to 3–4 times. This allows more scrap to be loaded into the same truck volume, reducing the number of trips required and lowering overall handling and transport costs.

How can scrap volume reduction be optimized?

To optimize the volume reduction of metal scrap, especially light scrap, it is recommended to use a twin-shaft shredder. This technology densifies the material, facilitates impurity separation, and ensures high throughput at low operating costs. Unlike hammer mills or inclined shears, the shredder operates continuously and efficiently, improving logistics and the overall cost-effectiveness of the recycling process.

How can we increase the productivity of the hammer mill?

The productivity of a hammer mill improves significantly when the input material is homogeneous and pre-treated. Using a twin-shaft shredder helps reduce the size of the scrap, eliminate non-shreddable materials, and ensure a consistent feed. This reduces residence time in the grinding chamber, lowers the risk of downtime, and extends the lifespan of internal components. The result is a more efficient, safer system with reduced operating costs.

How can we reduce explosions in the hammer mill?

Explosions in hammer mills are often caused by gas cylinders, airbags, or pressurized containers present in the scrap. Given the high volumes processed, it is difficult to ensure complete decontamination before feeding. The most effective solution is the use of a twin-shaft shredder as a pre-shredder, capable of opening and neutralizing the sources of explosion at their origin. This strategy can reduce the risk of explosions by up to 95%, limit damage to equipment, lower maintenance costs, and ensure continuous operation.

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