Handling the remains of a demolition. Magnet or Grapple?

Maximum handling speed without sacrificing the accuracy of the collection

A more practical, more efficient, cheaper solution.

If you ended up at this page, you are probably looking for a better solution to manage the materials resulting from a demolition, whether it is an operation performed on metal buildings or an activity carried out on reinforced concrete structures. If your work is closely related to this sector, you surely know that every context has different characteristics and particular needs. To find the perfect tool, there are a few factors that you absolutely need to consider. Read the article and find the most suitable demolition equipment for your working sites. Find out everything you should know before your next purchase for an informed, conscious and extremely functional choice.

Removal of scrap from steel structures

To choose the most suitable equipment for post-demolition cleaning, it is first necessary to evaluate the type of structure being demolished. We therefore consider that in Europe demolition companies mainly intervene on steel or reinforced concrete structures. In the first case, after the structure has been cut with shears, a heap of scrap will remain which must be transported to the treatment and recycling center. The most critical aspect is generally the collection of the smallest elements that risk being left behind by equipment dedicated to massive handling. Two separate attachments are therefore used to clean the site following the demolition of metal structures. At first it may be useful to move and load most of the scrap with an orange peel grapple and, as a second step, it is advisable to clean the area more thoroughly with an industrial electromagnet. Precise, practical and adaptable to the most common construction machinery.

In this way, maximum handling speed is achieved without sacrificing the accuracy of the collection.

However, the big advantage of an industrial electromagnet can be seen on modest piles of metal scrap which require a relatively short handling time. In this case, the competitive advantage is obtained not so much from the reduction of times but from the possibility of completing the entire operation with a single equipment and a single machine. At this stage, being clear that the orange peel grapple alone would leave out the smallest pieces and therefore it would not be enough to complete the work, you will have to choose whether to use the grapple and the magnet or just the magnet. In fact, the grapple and magnet together are faster but if you want to collect and handle all the scrap with a single tool, then you can only look at an electromagnet, which is capable of magnetizing and lifting both very large and very small elements.

Manage the rubble of reinforced concrete structures

When the structure to be demolished is made of reinforced concrete, the factors to be considered for the choice of the attachment are completely different. In this case, after breaking the main structure and crushing the concrete which constitutes the largest volume of the demolished material, it is key to extract the metal parts. The advantage of this operation is twofold. First of all, a direct economic return is obtained by recovering the value of iron and cement; secondly, removing the ferrous residues from the cement prevents the risk of damage to the processing equipment that carries out the final crushing of the cement itself. This is a further indirect economic return. In this context, it is worth the use of electromagnets with teeth that allow you to move the crushed layer to bring the metal pieces to surface and extract them with extreme accuracy. Only in this way is it possible to obtain clean, well-differentiated scrap material, ready for subsequent use.

Magnets with chain VS magnets with teeth

At this point, the final step is to find the most suitable magnet for your company. When choosing, several factors come into play. These include the equipment on which the attachment will be mounted, the available power systems and the type of structures on which you work mostly. If the demolitions take place exclusively on metal buildings, the ideal choice is the electromagnet with chain: it has an unbeatable capacity/weight ratio and can be connected to excavators and loaders for extraordinary performance. If the context of use is mainly connected to reinforced concrete structures or if the demolitions concern both types of buildings, it will be better to opt for a magnet with teeth, perfect for extracting the metal waste from pulverized concrete and equally performing on heaps of scrap steel.

Ask for a quote and customize your magnet

Visit the ELECTROMAGNETS section and discover the specific features of all electromagnets. Did you know that our products can be customized to suit even the most specific needs? Contact us. We will be happy to give you all the information you are looking for, assistance on choosing the ideal magnet and advice on customization. Fill out the form below or call us to receive in a very short time all the answers you are looking for.