A large-scale thermal break aluminum recycling facility in Hebei Province, China, has recently taken delivery of a complete HXPS1600 Thermal Break Aluminum Crusher line from Haoxing Machinery. The customer specializes in recovering aluminum from waste thermal break window and door profiles, aluminum-plastic composite panels, and industrial aluminum extrusions, processing an estimated 2,500–3,500 tons per month. Their previous processing method relied on manual stripping of plastic thermal strips and small-scale shredding, which was labor-intensive, inefficient, and yielded inconsistent aluminum purity. To modernize their operation and meet growing demand from secondary aluminum smelters, the company invested in a high-capacity crushing and separation system built around the powerful HXPS1600 hammer mill and fed by a rugged chain plate conveyor.
| Equipment | Model/Specs | Quantity | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chain Plate Conveyor (Infeed) | LB1200×12m, 11kW | 1 unit | Heavy-duty slat conveyor for bulky thermal break profiles |
| Thermal Break Aluminum Crusher | HXPS1600, 280kW | 1 unit | Hammer mill with hydraulic lid opener and replaceable liners |
| Discharge Belt Conveyor | B1000×14m, 7.5kW | 1 unit | Transports crushed mixture to magnetic separator |
| Overband Magnetic Separator | CX800, 4kW | 1 unit | Removes ferrous nails, screws, and iron fittings |
| Eddy Current Separator | ECS1000, 7.5kW | 1 unit | Separates aluminum granules from plastic thermal strips |
| Pulse Jet Baghouse Dust Collector | DMC-200, 15kW | 1 unit | Captures fine dust and light plastic particles |
| Centralized PLC Control Cabinet | Automated | 1 set | Full line synchronization and monitoring |
Thermal break aluminum profiles present unique feeding challenges. The profiles are often long (up to 6 meters), rigid, and have sharp cut edges that can easily tear standard rubber belts. The customer opted for the LB1200 chain plate conveyor for its infeed system due to the following advantages:
Exceptional Durability: Welded steel slats withstand the impact and abrasion of heavy, sharp-edged aluminum extrusions without tearing or puncturing.
Consistent Feeding: The chain-driven design ensures positive, non-slip traction, preventing material rollback and ensuring a steady feed rate to the crusher.
High Load Capacity: Capable of handling the surge weight when a full grapple load of profiles is dropped into the hopper.
Easy Maintenance: Individual slats can be replaced quickly if damaged, minimizing downtime compared to replacing an entire conveyor belt.
Haoxing Machinery's field service engineers are currently on-site completing the final mechanical assembly and alignment of the HXPS1600 thermal break aluminum crushing line. The photographs show the equipment during the installation phase, with the chain plate conveyor positioned at the infeed, the HXPS1600 crusher centrally located, and the eddy current separator being readied for final connection. Key installation milestones completed include:
Precision leveling and anchoring of the HXPS1600 crusher base frame.
Alignment of the chain plate conveyor discharge with the crusher feed opening.
Installation of the hydraulic power unit and testing of the lid opener mechanism.
Wiring and I/O checks of the centralized PLC control cabinet.
Once electrical connections are finalized, the line will undergo no-load commissioning followed by loaded material trials to fine-tune crusher screen size and eddy current separator settings for optimal aluminum recovery.
Processing Capacity: Designed to process 12–18 tons per hour of thermal break aluminum profiles, achieving a daily throughput of 100–140 tons (8-hour shift).
Aluminum Liberation: The high-speed hammer mill effectively shatters the aluminum while liberating the plastic thermal strips, preparing the material for efficient eddy current separation.
Final Purity: The combination of magnetic and eddy current separation is expected to yield aluminum granules with a purity of ≥98%, free from plastic and ferrous contaminants.
Output Granule Size: Adjustable screen grates allow output size to be controlled between 5–20 mm, producing a dense, furnace-ready product.
Labor Efficiency: The automated line will require only 2–3 operators, significantly reducing reliance on manual sorting labor.
"We process a tremendous volume of thermal break material, and the plastic strips have always been our biggest headache. Manual stripping is simply not viable at our scale. After researching several suppliers, we chose the Haoxing HXPS1600 because of its robust construction and the integrated chain plate infeed, which we felt was essential for handling our bulky profiles. The installation team has been professional and meticulous. We are very eager to see this line in full production." — Facility Operations Manager
This installation represents a significant step forward for thermal break aluminum recycling in the region. By deploying the HXPS1600 with a durable chain plate conveyor and advanced eddy current separation, the customer is positioned to dramatically increase their processing volume, reduce operational costs, and produce a superior quality aluminum product that meets the exacting standards of domestic and international secondary smelters. The project underscores Haoxing Machinery's capability to engineer complete, application-specific solutions for the most challenging aluminum scrap streams.
This article was edited by Liu Peipei from the Promotion Department of the Gongyi Haoxing Machinery Factory Online Department, based on actual tests conducted on 2026-04-22. If quoted, please indicate the source.
