Combining orientation, trajectory physics, and magnetic capture, Eriez’s PokerSort is a must-have for ferrous metal separation.
As a global leader in separation technologies, Eriez is a pioneer in designing, manufacturing, and supporting magnetic separation, flotation, metal detection, and material handling equipment on an international scale.
Whether clients require standard equipment or bespoke solutions tailored to precise specifications, Eriez delivers.
A case in point – PokerSort is a unique ferrous separation system engineered for scrap and auto-shredding facilities.
It helps alleviate issues caused by long rod-like pieces, typically over 60 centimetres in length, commonly referred to as pokers. These pokers can damage downstream equipment in automobile and other metal scrap operations when left in with other recovered materials.
Using a special magnetic drum positioned at the end of the shredder discharge belt, Eriez’ PokerSort separates pokers as they catapult off the end of the belt with a different trajectory than the rest of the shredded material, or “frag”.
Jonathan Schulberg, Business Development Manager, Heavy Industry, Asia Pacific, says that by removing pokers at the earliest point, ferrous recovery has the best chance of being contaminant-free.
When left in the frag, ferrous scrap, which can include automotive components such as springs, tie rods, steering columns, and stabiliser bars, can jam conveyors, puncture belts, or damage downstream magnets and sorters.
Jonathan says early, automated removal prevents costly downtime and safeguards the entire metal recovery line.
“Installed at the shredder discharge, PokerSort exploits the natural trajectory difference between shredded steel and long rods,” he says.
“While frag falls directly into downstream separation, longer pieces extend past the belt and are captured by PokerSort’s magnetic drum and diverted into a separate stream.”
Once ejected from the separate stream, the metals are magnetically pulled over the PokerSort, into a chute or conveyor belt and collected in a bin or bunker.
“Like all Eriez machinery, the PokerSort relies on robust magnetic and mechanical principles, not fragile sensors or optics,” says Jonathan.
“By exploiting natural physical differences and magnetic force, PokerSort achieves reliable separation without complex sensing or programming.”
Straight rods longer than 61 centimetres, which extend beyond the conveyor trajectory, can be magnetically intercepted by the PokerSort’s drum and diverted into a separate collection stream before they cause damage or blockages downstream.
By removing long rods at the discharge point, unplanned downtime and maintenance is reduced, as well as operator exposure to dangerous situations, directly improving plant safety and economics.
Sitting at 45 centimetres in diameter and available in a range of sizes from 91 to 243 centimetres wide, the belt-driven PokerSort can be retrofitted to meet existing ferrous processing setups.
System sizes can range from 91.44 centimetres to 243.84 centimetres in width to accommodate various shredder discharge lines.
The PokerSort can integrate seamlessly with other Eriez solutions such as Magnetic Drum Separators for ferrous recovery and Shred1 Ballistic Separators for premium low-copper fractions.
Jonathan says the result is reliable, rugged performance ideally suited for abrasive, high-volume scrap environments.
Automation
A core advantage of the PokerSort is its automation. It eliminates the need for manual poker picking at a shredder, which reduces labour costs, safety risks, and human error.
“Operators on site will only be required to monitor and empty the poker collection bin, freeing labour for higher-value tasks,” says Jonathan. “Automated systems like the PokerSort are designed to make day-to-day operations simpler and more effective.”
Running continuously in sync with shredding throughput, the PokerSort delivers consistent efficiency tonne after tonne.
Removing pokers upstream also stabilises downstream automated systems, such as magnetic drums, ballistic separators, and eddy current separators, allowing them to operate with fewer interruptions and lower maintenance.
For more information, visit: www.eriez.com
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