Sterling granulators are designed to provide safe and
reliable operation when installed and operated within
design specifications, following national and local safety
codes.
To avoid possible personal injury or equipment damage
when installing, operating, or maintaining this granulator,
use good judgment and follow these safe practices:
LEARN ANDOBEY your company’s safety policy
regarding granulating equipment.
MOVING ORLIFTING THE GRANULATOR:
Although our equipment is built and engineered for
great ruggedness in operation, care must be taken when
moving the machine along the floor or lifting it.
Damage may occur to sheet metal covers, electrical
cabinets, or small brackets if pressure is applied to
them when moving the granulator. When lifting the
granulator, be certain of total machine weight and the
capability of the lifting equipment (see the Granulator
Specification Sheets for machine weights and
dimensions).
GRANULATOR LOCATION: Adequate area for
routine maintenance should be provided in order to
open the machine for knife, screen, or cleanout service.
Proper service area clearances also should allow
people who are working on the machine to be clearly
visible to others, thereby reducing the potential safety
hazards.
SAFE HOUSEKEEPING: The work area must be
kept clean and uncluttered to allow personnel safe
movement around the granulator during periods of
operation or maintenance. No hand tools or other
metal objects should be left on or about the machine.
Any tools or other metal objects which mistakenly fall
into the hopper feed opening can cause severe damage
BP1620, BP1628 & BP1640 Granulators Page 3 BP1600
to internal cutting chamber and screen chamber
components.
SAFETY GLASSES OR A FACE SHIELD MUST
ALWAYS BE WORN when servicing or operating
the machine. Although our machines are designed for
the maximum in flyback control, caution must be used
when operating near the area of the hopper feed
opening in order to guard against unexpected material
flyback.
EAR PROTECTION may be required when
operating the machine during granulation or very
hard/noisy materials. The Occupational Safety and
Health Act of 1970 has established guidelines for
Permissible Noise Exposures (OSHA 1910.95) that
should be followed.
NEVER attempt to operate the granulator unless it is
fully assembled with all guards and interlocks in place
and functional.
OBSERVE all danger, warning, caution and safety
labels on the equipment.
Upon completion of any machine maintenance, be
certain ALL SAFETY GUARDS AND COVERS are
securely and properly fastened prior to resuming
machine operation. All fasteners must be in place and
properly tightened. ANY SHORTCUTS MAY
RESULT IN INJURY TO PERSONNEL OR
DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT.
NEVER wear any loose fitting clothes, neckties, or
dangling items such as earrings, belts or shoestrings.
Jewelry such as wristwatches, bracelets, or rings
should NEVER be worn. Long hair must be tied back
or placed in a tight fitting hairnet. NEVER lean
against or rest hands/feet on the granulator when it is
in operation or open for maintenance. NEVER stand
on the granulator when it is in operation.
ROTATION OF MOTORS: All rotating items in the
granulator are clearly marked on the machine. Always
check for proper rotation of motors.
ELECTRICAL GROUNDING: All electrical
equipment on the granulator must be grounded in
accordance to all local codes and Article 250 of the
National Electric Code.
BP1620, BP1628 & BP1640 Granulators Page 4 BP1600
ALWAYS DISCONNECT AND LOCKOUT THE
MAIN ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE
GRANULATOR BEFORE PERFORMING ANY
SERVICE.
SAFETY INTERLOCKS MUST NOT BE
BYPASSED. The mechanical and electrical safety
interlocks ensure the safety of personnel. They should
never be tampered with or removed for ANY reason.
They should be frequently checked by a qualified
mechanic for proper operation.
NEVER modify the machine configuration or any
individual component without written consent from
Sterling.
For further information on granulator safety, installation, and operation, see the American
National Standard for Plastics Machinery - Granulators, Pelletizers, And Dicers Used
For Size Reduction of Plastics - Construction, Care, and Use. ANSI B151.11-1982.
Sterling has long recognized the importance of safety and has designed and manufactured
it’s equipment with operator safety as a prime consideration. As a user, we expect you
will abide by the foregoing recommendations in order to make operator safety a reality.
2-1 Unpacking and Inspection 12
2-2 In the Event of Shipping Damages 12
2-3 If the Shipment is Not Complete 13
2-4 If the Shipment is Not Correct 13
2-5 Returns 13
2-6 Uncrating 14
3 Installation 15
3-1 Scope 15
3-2 General 15
3-3 Set-up 15
3-4 Electrical Service Connections 17
3-5 High Amperage Readings 18
This manual is intended to be used as a guide and reference
for personnel who will be installing, operating, and
maintaining the Sterling BP1600 Series Granulator. The
purpose is to aid these individuals in applying efficient,
proven techniques, which will enhance productivity.
This Introduction includes a brief functional description, a
physical description, and machine specifications for these
granulators. Additional sections within the manual provide
instructions for installation, pre-operation, preventative
maintenance, and corrective maintenance.
Section 2, Shipping Information, includes all required data
for receiving, unpacking & inspecting the granulator.
Section 3, Installation, provides information on the proper
setup of the granulator. Also included are illustrations,
which will aid in utilizing techniques to accomplish these
tasks efficiently. We can provide the assistance of a factory
trained technician, for a nominal charge, who will help in
training your operator(s).
Pre-operation Instructions include procedures, checks, and
adjustments, which should be followed before commencing
with operation of the granulator. These instructions are
intended to supplement standard shop procedures performed
at shift, daily, and weekly intervals.
The Troubleshooting Section is intended to serve both as a
guide for identification and location of most common
problems and as a source of detailed assembly and
disassembly instructions for those areas of the equipment
requiring service.
The Spare Parts Section contains a partial list of
recommended parts, which may require replacement. Refer
to the Spare Parts Manual for a comprehensive listing of
components, which can be purchased.
BP1620, BP1628 & BP1640 Granulators Page 9 BP1600
1-2 General Description
Sterling granulators are designed to uniformly and
consistently size reduce your scrap. They have been
engineered to consistently deliver clean granulate with a
minimum of “fines”.
The rotor, on which the cutting knives are mounted, is a
fabricated steel unit supported by bearings mounted outside
the cutting chamber. A motor drives the rotor, which is
capable of producing high torque loads. The granulator is
equipped with a magnetic starter that is protected by
manually resettable overload heaters. The slanted rotor
knives produce a scissors cutting action which reduce the
possibility of feedstock jamming in the cutting chamber.
Motors are individually fused for maximum protection in
compliance with the National Electric Code.
The control enclosure houses all of the necessary wiring,
fuses, overload heaters, motor starter coils, along with the
115V control transformer and granulator operating controls.
The control enclosure is built to meet NEC, JIC (M.T.), and
ANSI-B regulations.
You should inspect your Sterling BP1600 Series granulator
for possible shipping damage. If the container and packing
materials are in re-usable condition, save them for
reshipment if necessary.
Thoroughly check the equipment for any damage that might
have occurred in transit. In case of breakage, damage,
shortage, or incorrect shipment refer to the following
sections.
2-2 In the Event of Shipping Damages
Important!
According to the contract terms and conditions of the Carrier,
the responsibility of the Shipper ends at the time and place of shipment.
Notify the transportation company’s local agent if you
discover damage.
Hold the damaged goods and packing material for the
examining agent’s inspection. Do not return any goods
to Sterling before the transportation company
inspection and authorization.
File a claim against the transportation company.
Substantiate the claim by referring to the agent’s report.
A certified copy of our invoice is available upon
request. If the shipment was prepaid, call us for a
receipted transportation bill.
Advise Sterling regarding your wish for assistance and
to obtain an RMA (return material authorization)
number.
Sterling BP1600 Series granulator
Bill of lading for equipment shipped
Operating and Installation packet
Electrical schematic and panel layout drawings
Re-inspect the container and packing material to see if you
missed any smaller items during unpacking. Determine that
the item was not inadvertently taken from the area before
you checked in the shipment. Notify Sterling immediately
of the shortage.
2-4 If the Shipment is Not Correct
2-5 Returns
until you receive shipping instructions from Sterling.
If the shipment is not what you ordered, contact the Sterling shipping department immediately. For
shipments in the United States and Canada, call 1 (800)
229-2919; for all other countries, call our international desk
at (508) 399-6400. Have the order number and item
number available.
Hold the items until you receive shipping instructions.
BP1600 Series granulators are shipped mounted on a wooden
skid then blocked and banded to prevent movement. All nonpainted items subject to corrosion are coated with a quality rust
preventative and the machine is then covered with heavy duty
polyethylene to protect it from moisture and dirt.
Sterling granulators are normally shipped completely
assembled unless the size of the machine or an agreement for
special shipping arrangements causes partial disassembly.
If inspection revealed no shipping damage, unpack the unit by
removing the polyethylene covering and banding. For detailed
uncrating information, follow the instructions listed below:
1. Remove the nails holding the box to the skid and lift the
box off carefully, avoiding staples in the 1’ x 4’ wood
supports. Cut steel banding.
2. Use a pry bar to remove the blocks securing the unit to the
skid.
3. Insert forks between skid and granulator from the side
(guard side) until they protrude beyond the opposite side
of the unit. The forks must be equidistant from the
centerline of the unit and the unit must be balanced on the
forks.
4. Lift the unit off the skid with a fork truck. Lift slowly and
only high enough to clear the skid. Use a pry bar if
necessary to carefully remove the skid from the unit.
5. Lower slowly. The unit should land on its foot pads or
optional casters and can then be moved into position.
6. Temporary hardware has been installed to prevent side
panels from shifting in transit. Remove hardware.
Important!
Retain the crating material for reshipping the granulator in case hidden
This section contains all instructions required for
experienced installation personnel to install the Sterling
granulator and prepare it for production. It is essential to
follow all instructions carefully and in the sequence
presented. Be sure to observe all DANGER, WARNING,
and CAUTION statements in order to prevent personal
injury or machine damage, and to observe all NOTE
statements which are designed to assist in the performance
of procedures.
3-2 General
The site selected for installation of the granulator should be
prepared in advance. Be certain that the area to be
occupied by the machine is clean, level and free of
obstructions. The site selected must have a floor rated to
easily support the weight of the machine. A concrete floor
of 4” minimum in thickness is recommended.
3-3 Set-up
Make certain the floor is clean, level, and free of
obstructions before placing the machine into position.
Visually inspect the hopper infeed opening to insure that no
stray packing material or debris are present.