Indeco shear delivers productivity and reliability

Pieces Auto Talbot, a Quebec auto demolition company, has been operating an Indeco ISS 20/30 rotating shear for the past eighteen months with optimum results.

1 July 2016

The demolition of automobiles and other machinery, such as construction and agricultural equipment, has long been an essential part of the production cycle of ferrous metals supplied to the iron and steel industry.

Today, two-thirds of the steel produced in the world comes from scrap metal, meaning that this activity is more important with respect to iron ore extraction, which accounts for only a third. China and other Asian markets, which see a high demand for raw material, have had a critical role in determining the volumes and price trends of ferrous and non-ferrous metals for years. Despite the current contraction in demand, the recycling industry has continued to develop techniques and use machines that improve productivity and boost profit. Today Indeco offers a range of shears that permit the recycling sector to operate equipment that assures that both goals are achieved.

Talbot improves production thanks to a ISS 20/30 rotating shear

Pieces Auto Talbot based in Stoneham, Canada about 20 km north of Quebec City has been doing business in the auto demolition market for many years. The company delivers the material to Montreal where it goes through another treatment process; the recycled material is then loaded onto ships directed to Asia. Brothers Bénoit e Pierre Arsenault, founders and owners of the company, decided a year and a half ago to switch cutting systems, opting for a shear instead of the oxygen/acetylenecutting torch. On the advice of the Indeco SMS dealer, one of the major distribution companies on the Canadian market with 39 centers across the country, Pieces Auto Talbot made the choice for an Indeco ISS 20/30 rotating shear with 360° rotation. Purchased over 18 months ago, the shear has proven extremely productive and has demonstrated exceptional reliability over an extended period of time. The ISS 20/30 rotating shear has effectively given a new impetus to the company, transforming their business and enhancing profitability. As Benoit Arsenault commented: “For years we used the cutting torch both to make primary cuts and reduce the scrap to furnace-ready pieces, but though we had a skilled and expert workforce, we couldn’t handle all the work at peak activity. The Indeco ISS 20/30 rotating shear allows us to perform problem-free cutting of a pipe with a 3/4″ thickness and 10″ diameter, a railway track, an IPE beam up to 16×50, an HEA beam 12×58, or a 2.8″ solid cylindrical bar. The shear turned out to be excellent for cutting big bundles of electric cables and tires and definitely improved safety conditions.” Added Pierre Arsenault: “Before we bought the shear we could fill one 30-ton container a week using three people working with the torch, whereas now we can fill two containers for a total of 60 tons using just one machine operator. We are still operating our old Komatsu excavator, but are about to buy a new one from SMS. We’re sure this will improve the speed and precision of the movements and the rotation of the shear, and that we’ll gain an additional advantage when it comes to productivity. By operating 8-10 hours per day, every day, except holidays and when weather conditions don’t permit, we doubled productivity. After more than a year and 4000+ tons of material produced without experiencing even one problem, we’re in a position to say that the ISS 20/30 rotating shear is extremely reliable.”

A dependable workhorse

Behind such reliability is an innovative design and quality in construction, A result of close attention to the factors affecting the durability of components and productivity. Like the other shears in Indeco’s range, the ISS 20/30 rotating shear benefits from the manufacturer’s experience in the structural use of high-strength steel applied with success to their range of breakers. For this reason, the shear body assures long-lasting performance and resists flexing over time. The piercing tip is constructed with a single blade that covers half of the piercing surface, whereas the four main knife blades are identically sized, interchangeable and reversible to get maximum use. The regeneration valve speeds up no-load movement of the jaw, which opens and closes more quickly, reducing cycle times and increasing productivity, while the hydraulic cylinder, an exclusive Indeco design, is sized larger to provide the required strength in any working condition. Special attention was also given to the choice of hard-wearing hydraulic gaskets that resist up to 700 bar. The shear cuts with precision even after prolonged use thanks to the dual guide pack system, which adjusts the jaw’s alignment tolerance and prevents deflection in both directions during entire cutting cycle.