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Plastic Squeezing Dryer — Semi-Plasticizing Dewatering for Film & Woven Bag Recycling
As a compact one-pass alternative to the costly, power hungry and critical to maintenance centrifugal dryer, hot air dryer and agglomerator; the KITECH JGM squeeze dryer reduces moisture content from 40% to 3-5% in one simple operation.
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3–5%
Final Moisture
200–1,000
kg/h Capacity
4
Model Options
92–95%
Water Separation
3-in-1
Replaces 3 Machines
60 Days
Guaranteed Delivery
Why Wet Film Recycling Needs a Plastic Squeezing Dryer
Used plastic film leaves your washing line still bearing 20-40% water as a percentage by weight. Feed that wet film directly to a pelletising extruder and you may notice inside pellets steam pockets, unstable melt pressure, reduced output and less money in your pocket.
A conventional centrifugal dryer achieves 10-15% moisture content but to stabilize your pellets you need 5% or less. An extra 10% efficiency in moisture content, from 15% down to below 5%, accounts for that extra place for the squeezing dryer — arguably the most critical recycling machine between your washer and your extruder.
Engineering Note
What the semi-plasticizing effect does is, as material is incrementally passing through the barrel under high screw pressure, the friction burns the plastic, not enough to damage the polymer chains but enough to increase its bulk density and decrease the surface area. This is critical in pelletising because it means less entrapment of air and therefore leads to more stable pelletising. It also results in smooth feeds of your extruder and less problems with venting.
Waste Plastic Processing
For waste plastics such as LDPE film, Agricultural film, PP woven bags or other soft waste plastics then ‘a squeeze dryer is not an option’ anymore but a necessity if you want your downstream pelletizing machine running with high throughput and minimal down time.
Since it is central to every film washing plant as the conversion from plastics washing line to pelletizing machine, the defining factor in pellet final quality and downstream throughput will be how efficiently a drying heater works.
Squeezer Dryer vs Other Drying Methods
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In a typical PE film or PP PE plastic film washing line, you will encounter three common drying methods before the pelletizing process: centrifugal dryer for bulk dewatering, hot air drying for thermal moisture removal, and mechanical squeezing for screw-press dewatering and drying.
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A plastic film squeezing machine like the JGM combines squeezing dewatering with semi-plasticizing in one step — handling soft plastic, wet film, washed film from bag recycling or film recycling operations. This squeezer dryer machine is used for squeezing and re-pelletizing PP PE film, LDPE film, and films and woven bags that would otherwise require a separate dryer machine, agglomerator, and pelletizing machine.
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Final plastic pellets produced from squeezed material show higher density and lower energy consumption downstream compared to those from centrifugal-only lines.
KITECH JGM Series — Models & Selection Guide
The four capacities vary in JGM are all built with the same semi-plasticising barrel assembly & can be specified for your bulk material in less than 2 minutes. All capacities share the same, 38CrMoAl nitriding steel machine plates comprising screws and barrels – a chrome-molybdenum-aluminum alloy which achieves a hardness of more than HV 900 after gas nitriding, outperforming in abrasive tasks regular carbon-steel screws by 2-3 times.
| Parameter | JGM300 | JGM320 | JGM350 | JGM380 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Power | 110 kW | 132 kW | 185 kW | 200 kW |
| Cutting Power | 4 kW | 4 kW | 5.5 kW | 5.5 kW |
| Screw & Barrel Material | 38CrMoAl | 38CrMoAl | 38CrMoAl | 38CrMoAl |
| Screw Diameter | 320 mm | 320 mm | 350 mm | 380 mm |
| Capacity | 200–300 kg/h | 300–500 kg/h | 500–800 kg/h | 700–1,000 kg/h |
| Length (mm) | 2,516 | 3,070 | 3,624 | 4,178 |
| Height (mm) | 2,205 | 2,257 | 2,309 | 2,361 |
| Width (mm) | 2,240 | 2,320 | 2,400 | 2,480 |
Which Model Fits Your Recycling Line?
| Your Washing Line Output | Recommended Model | Floor Space Needed | Power Supply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 300 kg/h | JGM300 | 2.5 × 2.2 m | ~114 kW total |
| 300–500 kg/h | JGM320 | 3.1 × 2.3 m | ~136 kW total |
| 500–800 kg/h | JGM350 | 3.6 × 2.4 m | ~191 kW total |
| 700–1,000 kg/h | JGM380 | 4.2 × 2.5 m | ~206 kW total |
Procurement Tip
To describe the type of machine by asking for a quotation we need your target material i.e. PE film, PP woven or mixed waste, your washing line throughput in kg/h and the power supply voltage at your disposal. We obtain from these requirements the optimum S/GJ model at the first attempt.
Squeezing Dryer vs. Centrifugal Dryer — Performance Comparison
Many recycling facilities will start with a centrifugal dryer because it is the best known of the blowing technologies. Wet Flakes are spun back and forth within a transparent perforated drum, the centrifugal force on droplets of water thrown to the outside of the spinning spins the moisture away.1 This is fine for rigid PET flakes or rigid plastic flakes but not so effective for soft films or woven bags.
Squeezing dryer Operates on a totally different principle. Instead of a spin separation it uses progressive applied mechanical pressure through a precision ground screw within a perforated barrel. Removing water by barrel drain holes under pressure rather than centrifugal, ensures no rotor wrapping and no clogging, and no batch to batch variation.
| Parameter | Squeezing Dryer (JGM) | Centrifugal Dryer | Hot Air Dryer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final Moisture | 3–5% | 10–15% | 1–3% |
| Energy per kg of Water Removed | ~0.08–0.12 kWh | ~0.05–0.08 kWh | ~0.8–1.2 kWh |
| Suited for Soft Film/Bags | Designed for it | Poor — wrapping issues | Works but slow |
| Output Form | Semi-plasticized granules | Wet flakes | Dry flakes |
| Machines Replaced | 3-in-1 (centrifugal + hot air + agglomerator) | 1 | 1 |
| Floor Space (typical) | ~8 m² | ~4 m² | ~15 m² |
| Noise Level (typical) | ≤78 dB(A) | ≥85 dB(A) | ≤75 dB(A) |
| Maintenance Interval | ~2,000–3,000 h (screw inspection) | ~500–1,000 h (rotor/screen) | ~1,000 h (burner/blower) |
3-in-1
One JGM squeezing dryer replaces a centrifugal dryer, hot air dryer, and agglomerator — reducing equipment count, floor space, and maintenance touchpoints in your recycling line.
Based on typical film recycling line configurations. Actual savings depend on line capacity and material type.
Where the numbers are most critical: a recycler processing 500 kg/h of film through a washing line and previously operating centrifugal drying + hot air drying + agglomerator can save a complete machine station by replacing it with one JGM350 squeezer. That translates into smaller motors, less maintenance, and more compact plant layout. In daily use, shifts that have adopted this combination, as opposed to centrifugal, speak of simpler days and fewer accidental time-consuming stops from rotor plugging.
How the Semi-Plasticizing Squeeze Process Works
The JGM squeeze involves four continuous phases, the feed, the squeeze, the semi-plasticise and the cut. These are designed with carefully controlled mechanical parameters unique to each stage that regulate the ultimate moisture level and end-product quality.
01 Stage
Feed
Washed film and woven bag material falls into the hopper. A screw conveyor (or gravity feed if layout dictates) provides metered feed into the barrel. Smooth, uniform feed is essential—if the screw is starved the throughput drops, if overfed the torque load and motor current rise. PLC-based automatic control for the JGM series automatically adjusts the feed rate according to the actual motor current.
02 Stage
Screw Squeezing — 92–95% Water Separation
Within the barrel is a custom built back-push zone on the 38Cr Mo Al screw which is capable of applying 10,000 kilos per cm2 of pressure. There are designed drainage cut-outs in the barrel, which when subjected to this pressure, squeezes the excess water out of the raw material and is collected back into the plant wash water, for reuse or disposal. Approximately 92-95% of the water pushed with the raw material is removed at this early stage solely through such mechanical squeezing.
03 Stage
Semi-Plasticizing at the Die Plate
Following the squeeze, the predominantly dewatered feedstock enters the die plate (again machined from 38CrMoAl). Here, the shear energy resulting from the screw compression has been transferred into the material with sufficient heat build-up to allow a partial fusion. The semi-plasticized statescript passes the die holes, increasing bulk density and closing surface area, without degradation. Electrical pre-heating allows fine-tuning final moisture to 3-5%.
04 Stage
Die Face Cutting
The four SKD-11 tool steel knives mounted to a die face cutter are cam-driven against a die plate, cutting the semi-plasticized filaments into consistent granules. the inverter-control cutting speed (VFD) allows you to vary the size of the granules to fit your downstream pelletizer specifications. NSK bearing-supported cutter shafts provide vibration-free operation above 400 rpm.
Stage 2 Deep Dive: Component Detail
- Screw: 38CrMoAl nitrided alloy steel, 320–380 mm diameter depending on model. The back-push zone geometry creates a progressive pressure gradient — higher at the die end, lower at the feed end — preventing material backflow.
- Barrel: 38CrMoAl with perforated drainage pattern. Hole diameter and spacing are calibrated to separate water without letting plastic fragments escape.
- Gearbox: High-torque planetary design with self-developed thrust bearing seat. The thrust bearing absorbs axial loads from the screw pressing against packed material — this is the component that determines long-term reliability in a squeeze dryer.
What emerges: semi-plasticized granules (3-5% residual moisture), bulk density higher than that of centrifugal-dried flakes, even particle size for direct extrusion or direct sale to downstream compounders.
Applications — From LDPE Film to PP Woven Bags
Centrifugaldryers receive soft waste plastics in the form of the JGM squeezing dryer. They are specially designed to cope with all the different types of material:
01
LDPE Stretch Film
Post-industrial stretch wrap, from the logistics and warehousing industry, is the largest volume feedstock for film recyclers. Once washed, LDPE film retains a significant amount of water trapped between the multiple layers of surface film. When this film is screw squeezed, the mechanics of the action push the layers into each other and forcibly expel the entrapped water. Output is a semi-plasticized granule with 3-4% moisture, suitable for pelletizing to produce recycled LDPE feedstock for the film blowing or injection molding process.
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02
Agricultural Film
Agricultural originated farm mulch film and greenhouse covers are heavily contaminated with soil, sand and decayed organic material. Even friction washed and float-sink separated, these films leave more residual moisture than clean industry source scrap. With a 92-95% water separation rate, the JGM barrel handles most agricultural-derived film streams. A 38CrMoAl screw is used to reduce the abrasive wear experienced by a steel or other alloy screw exposed to the sharp grit found in agricultural field under-lay.
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03
PP Woven Bags
Polypropylene woven bags, typical examples being cement, fertilizer and rice bags, are thick and rigid, and retain entrapped water within the weave make-up of the fabric. Friction dryers are unable to extract this water due to the woven fiber structure of the material causing the bag to wrap around the perimeter of the centrifugally spinning drum instead of fling water droplets outward. Mechanical pressure applied by the screw forces water directly out of the fiber weave structure, not matter the orientation of the fabric threads during the process. Polypropylene woven fiber materials are extruded from the JGM at typical moisture levels of 4-5%.
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04
PA (Nylon) and HDPE
Less utilized in the film recycling industry is PA or HDPE scrap originating from the post-consumer or post-industrial stream. PA is slightly easier to carry through the JGM process due to its relatively lower softening point at 183-185.C. and therefore requires more specific temperature controls during processing. PLC-controlled set points on the JGM series — including screw speed and optional cooling zones — overcome this challenge.
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Line Integration Tip
Your JGM process can be directly integrated with your plastic film washing line. A typical upstream arrangement runs: shredder → friction washer → float-sink tank → centrifugal pre-dewaterer → JGM squeezer. Downstream: JGM output → extruder/pelletiser → pellet cooler → bagger. Reference plans of common arrangements are provided free of charge.
Plastic Squeezing Dryer Tools
Relevant Certification Certificates
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the typical final moisture content after squeezing?
Expect a final moisture of 3-5% from one pass – eliminates 20-40% in washed film and exudates taken out of a washing line. 92-95% of free water is mechanically separated via barrel drainage holes before even reaching the die plate. Screw friction & optional electrical heat are sufficient for the rest. Solid, consistent, dried-up output is immediately fed to your pelletizing extruder with no rotary-dried step involved. We’ve seen operators run JGM output directly into single-screw extruders at rated capacity with no venting problems; a feat not commonly achieved on centrifugal-dried flakes at 12-15%.
Can the squeezing dryer handle agricultural film with heavy contamination?
Yes—contaminated farm film is one of its most relevant application. Use in combination with the upstream friction washer and float-sink tank, and the JGM squeezer takes care of everything else. Its 38CrMoAl screw and barrel are resistant to abrasive wear caused by the grit and sand that can cause softer alloys to fail in just a few months.
Squeezing dryer vs. centrifugal dryer — which should I choose?
Centrifugal dryers are capable of spining 10-15% moisture from stiff flakes, however produce a serious amount of wrapping and blocking on soft films & woven bags. A squeezing dryer applies mechanical screw pressure by the use of a perforated barrel to produce 3-5% moisture – and replaces in the same footprint 3 machines: the centrifugal, hot air & agglomerator dryers. Please refer to our comparative table above for direct comparison & detailed figures, including energy, noise and maintenance intervals.
Will squeezing overheat or degrade the plastic?
Friction heating heated medium components to the maximum of 120160 C. This is far away from degradation temperature, where intensive mixing is required to get a homogeneous material. PLC allows controlling the screw rotation, and also a cooling zone can be used if needed.
What capacity do I need for my plastic recycling line?
Select the squeezer suited to your washing line output. JGM300 is rated up to 300 kg/h, JGM320 is rated up to 500 kg/h, JGM350 is rated up to 800 kg/h, and JGM380 is rated up to 1000 kg/h. If your line output varies, up-sizing one step prevents the machine becoming subjected to constant maximum loads- we offer a free capacity evaluation tool, and can calculate the ideal match for your particular setup.
Does KITECH provide installation and operator training?
Yes. All JGM machines purchased come with installation to your premises and operator training plus “anytime” back-up. We have a worldwide network of agents in over 80 countries and equipment is shipped within 60 days from order agreement. For international clients who are not using our trained installation services, we can provide remote video commissioning.
Ready to Upgrade Your Film Recycling Line?
What is your washing line throughput and target material – we will advise on the most appropriate JGM model and supply a detailed quotation within 48 hours.
