Every injection molding cell generates scrap, and what happens to that scrap in the moments after it comes off the press matters more than most plants give it credit for. Runners, sprues, and rejected parts that pile up in bins, get moved by hand, or sit waiting for a centralized granulation run represent a quiet inefficiency that compounds across every shift.
Beside-the-press granulation addresses that inefficiency at its source. Positioning a compact granulator directly at each press cell and processing scrap as it is generated changes the rhythm of the operation in ways that are easy to underestimate until you have seen it working.
Processing Scrap Where It Happens
The logic behind beside-the-press granulation is straightforward: material is generated at the press, so that is where it should be processed. Rather than collecting runners and parts in a bin, transporting that bin to a central granulation area, waiting for a processing window, and then returning regrind to the press, a beside-the-press granulator handles the entire cycle in the same footprint as the molding cell.
The result is regrind available continuously and immediately, rather than in batches. For presses running high regrind blend ratios, that continuous supply removes a scheduling constraint that can otherwise force production to slow down or pause while waiting for processed material.
Why Low-Speed Granulators Are the Right Fit for This Application
The beside-the-press environment has specific requirements that make a low-speed granulator the most practical choice for most applications. Operating at reduced rotor speeds, typically well under 100 RPM, a low-speed granulator cuts material through shearing rather than high-speed impact. That difference matters in a production environment for three practical reasons.
First, noise. A low-speed granulator runs significantly quieter than a conventional high-speed machine, which matters when it is operating continuously feet from a press operator. Second, dust and fines. Slower cutting speeds generate less heat and fewer fines, which protects material quality and keeps the area around the press cleaner. Third, compact footprint. Low-speed granulators designed for beside-the-press use are built to fit into tight cell layouts without disrupting material flow or operator movement.
Regrind Quality and Resin Protection
The quality of regrind produced beside the press directly affects how cleanly it can be blended back into production. Material that has been sitting in a bin, handled multiple times, or processed through an undersized granulator tends to produce irregular particle sizes and higher fines content, both of which create inconsistency at the molding machine.
A well-matched beside-the-press granulator with the right screen produces uniform, consistent regrind from fresh scrap, which is significantly easier to blend and feed predictably. For plants that have struggled with regrind quality and attributed it to the material, the actual issue is often the process.
Contamination Control and Multi-Press Floors
On floors running multiple resins or colors, beside-the-press granulation also simplifies contamination control. Each cell handles its own scrap, which means material stays segregated by resin family without requiring color-coded bins, collection schedules, or reliance on operators to sort material correctly before it reaches a central granulator.
Virtus Equipment offers a range of beside-the-press granulators suited for injection molding environments of varying scale, including the C Series low-speed granulators and the A Series compact soundproofed granulators. Whether you are looking to equip a single cell or standardize across a multi-press floor, the right machine makes the operation cleaner and the regrind more useful.
Have Questions? We’re Here to Help.
Reach out to the Virtus Equipment team directly:
- (239) 219-1800
- sales@virtus-equipment.com
- Watch the C Series low-speed granulator on YouTube
- Watch the A Series compact granulator on YouTube
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