History of shredding knives
The history of shredding knives is intertwined with the evolution of industrial processes and the need for efficient material processing in different sectors. Here is brief history....
The concept of cutting or shredding materials has been around for centuries. In ancient times, people used simple tools like knives and other sharp objects for cutting and shredding tasks. The Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries brought about significant advancements in machinery and manufacturing processes. This period saw the development of more sophisticated cutting tools, including early forms of shredding devices used in various industries.
The first-ever patent for a paper shredder was filed in 1909 in America and was based on a hand-operated pasta-making machine. Although the design never actually made it off the page it inspired the industry that followed and developed into the advanced technology that we rely on today. History tells us that the first paper shredder to be made was produced by Adolf Ehinger in Germany in the 1930s.
Shredding has also enabled businesses to improve commitments to environmental standards. It’s much easier to recycle paper that has been shredded and many shredding partners will ensure that shredded waste goes straight to a recycling centre and doesn’t end up contributing to the increasing landfill issue. In the forestry and woodworking industries, shredding knives were used for processing wood into smaller pieces. This was essential for creating materials such as pulp for papermaking.
In the forestry and woodworking industries, shredding knives were used for processing wood into smaller pieces. This was essential for creating materials such as pulp for papermaking. With the rise of the metalworking industry, shredding knives became crucial for processing scrap metal. Recycling and reusing metal materials became more common, and shredders played a vital role in breaking down metal objects into manageable pieces for further processing. In Anatolia in the 7th millennium, copper ores and perhaps lead were smelted for the first time. According to the slag found, lignite was used. In the next millennium, the discovery of copper metallurgy spread in the growing civilization of the Near East. The art of obtaining the necessary metal by reducing the ore is another important landmark in the history of mankind. The metal acquires completely different properties from the initial raw material through the metallurgical process. Recycling metal prior to the industrial revolution was actually fairly common. This is largely because, before mass production, people had to be more resourceful. In Europe, for example, evidence suggests that scrap bronze and aluminium was collected and melted down for perpetual reuse. However, it’s fairly clear that, unlike today, the benefits of recycling were economic rather than environmental.
As plastic materials became widely used in the 20th century, the need for efficient plastic recycling also grew. Shredding knives are integral components of plastic shredders, breaking down plastic waste into smaller particles for recycling purposes. Today, shredding knives are used in various industries for shredding a wide range of materials, including paper, cardboard, plastics, metals, and more. High-powered industrial shredders are capable of processing large volumes of material quickly and efficiently. The largest scrap metal shredder in the world was designed with 10,000 hp by the Schnitzer steel group of Portland, Oregon in 1980. The 9,200 hp (6,860 kW) Lynxs at the Sims Metal Management plant at the mouth of the River Usk in Newport, Wales has access by road, rail and sea. It can process 450 cars per hour.
sources:
https://www.hillmetalrecycling.co.uk/news/history-scrap-metal/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_shredder
https://karolvasilko.com/download/Historia%20a%20vyvoj%20techniky%202014.pdf