Granulators for the Plastics and Rubber Industry

Efficient Belt Granulation for Consistent Product Quality

Rotte belt granulators feature a modular design that combines cooling, conveying, strand or sheet guidance, and cutting technology into a continuous system. They perform the defined size reduction of plastic or rubber extrudates and provide uniform granules for subsequent production processes. The belt system ensures that strands or sheets are picked up in a controlled manner, guided, and fed to the cutting zone at a constant speed – a key prerequisite for reproducible granule sizes and homogeneous bulk behavior.

The core of the cutting system consists of two counter-rotating comb rollers that securely grip the material to be granulated and divide it into individual strips using a precise scissor cut – according to the blade widths. Special scrapers prevent material strips from wrapping around the comb rollers. A downstream rotary knife then cuts the strips crosswise to the direction of travel, determining the granule length depending on the set speed ratio. This results in adjustable granule sizes with application-specific cutting widths – even at the high cutting capacities required in continuous industrial operation.

Depending on product and process requirements, belt granulators can be combined with air or water cooling, integrated drying sections, or optional dedusting and screening units. The result is a granulation system that not only cuts but also conditions the material – from the still-warm, soft sheet to cooled, storage-ready granules.

Precise Granulation – Control and Line Integration

Rotte belt granulators are controlled by advanced automation technology that monitors all relevant process parameters. Line speed, cutting frequency, belt tension, temperatures, and fill levels are recorded and monitored to ensure stable granule quality. Clear user interfaces allow operators to adjust setpoints, select recipes, change orders, and retrieve diagnostic data without interrupting ongoing production.

Upon request, the systems can be equipped with a touch panel that enables particularly convenient operation, quick recipe changes, and intuitive visualization of all relevant statuses.

Thanks to well-designed interfaces, belt granulators can be seamlessly connected to higher-level control, ERP, or MES systems. In this way, granulation processes are linked with production orders as well as batch and quality data. In combination with other Rotte solutions – for example in rubber mixing or quality inspection – granulation becomes a transparent, data-driven component of your overall production, ensuring that everything from formulation to finished granule remains perfectly synchronized.

Flexible System Architecture for Plastics and Elastomers

Since every production line is structured differently, Rotte belt granulators can be freely configured in terms of performance, belt width, belt geometry, cutting head design, and system logic. This allows both small specialty batches and high-volume serial production to be processed reliably. The systems are designed for seamless integration into new and existing plastic and rubber lines – whether as a standalone unit or as part of a comprehensive plant concept including additional machinery, conveying systems, or quality assurance components.

Depending on requirements, the following modules may be integrated:

Infeed and cooling belts for strands, films, or sheets
Strangführungen und Übergabestationen direkt am Extruderkopf
Cutting heads in various geometries for variable granule lengths
Dedusting, screening, or classification units for granule preparation
Fördertechnik zur Beschickung von Silos, Big-Bags, Oktabins oder nachfolgenden Verarbeitungsschritten

This modular structure allows Rotte belt granulators to be optimally adapted to processing windows, material types, and product portfolios. System capacity can be specifically dimensioned, as can belt geometry, enabling both short campaigns and continuous high-load operations. The flexibility also allows switching between different plastic types, compounds, or rubber mixtures without fundamentally modifying the system technology.

Automated Feeding, Granulation, and Further Transport

Rotte belt granulators are consistently conceived as part of an automated overall process. They can take over strands directly from the extruder, combine multiple lines, or function as a link between preparation and processing stages. In addition to the cutting function itself, the systems also handle tasks such as controlled line start-up, automated strand infeed and outfeed, transfer to conveyor belts, or defined filling of containers and silos.

Depending on the configuration level, the following functions and options can be realized:

Synchronization with extruder or calender control systems
Automatic strand pick-up and discharge during start-up and shutdown processes
Defined container filling with target weight or volume monitoring
Integration with dedusting, cooling, and drying units
Powdering to improve flow properties or separate granules
Extraction systems to reduce dust and fine particles
Big bag stations for ergonomic and clean filling of large containers
Deep integration into existing material flow and logistics systems

The result is a granule logistics system that relieves operators, reduces process risks, and ensures consistent supply to downstream processing steps. Whether you want to granulate individual strands or entire sheets – Rotte precisely tailors the functional scope to your line.

Your customized belt granulator for continuous granulation – turning strands and sheets into precisely dosable granules

In plastics and rubber processing, granulation is a crucial step between material preparation and further processing. Extrudates, strands, or sheets must be precisely cooled, guided, and cut into uniform granules before they can be used as raw material in downstream processes such as injection molding, extrusion, calendering, or rubber mixing. In addition to pure cutting performance, reproducible granule size, stable material flow, low dust content, and reliable handling of different material formulations play a central role. Manual or partially automated solutions quickly reach their limits – both technically and economically – as quality requirements increase, throughput rises, and product portfolios change frequently.

Ulrich Rotte Anlagenbau & Fördertechnik GmbH therefore develops innovative, automated, and individually configurable belt granulators that safely, precisely, and economically convert plastic and rubber streams into granules. As with all Rotte solutions, customized systems for specific customer requirements are at the forefront: each unit functions as a high-performance granulator and is designed as a tailor-made special solution – adapted to material properties, throughput, temperature range, strand or sheet configuration, and the spatial and operational conditions at your site. Whether thermoplastic plastics, TPE/TPV, technical elastomers, or special rubber compounds: Rotte takes into account the respective processing windows, the desired granule sizes and bulk densities, as well as the requirements of downstream semi-finished and finished product manufacturing. Each granulation system is therefore engineered to optimally support the specific requirements of the respective manufacturer.

Proven Cutting and Conveying Technology for Daily Production

In continuous shift operation, belt granulators must withstand high mechanical loads and changing operating conditions over extended periods. Rotte therefore relies on robustly dimensioned machine frames, wear-resistant blade materials, and durable belt and deflection systems capable of handling thermal influences and abrasive filler behavior. Product-contact areas are designed to be easily accessible and cleaning-friendly in order to minimize downtime during product changes or maintenance intervals.

A special focus is placed on fast tool changes, enabling blades and wear parts to be replaced quickly and reducing setup times. Drives and belt guidance are tailored to the specific application and material to ensure stable process control even with varying viscosities or strand temperatures. Upon request, blade change procedures, regrinding intervals, and maintenance concepts can be individually adapted to your operation – ensuring maximum availability with predictable maintenance windows.

Typical Applications for Our Belt Granulators

Rotte belt granulators are used wherever plastic or rubber streams must be converted into defined granules:

Compounding and masterbatch production
Thermoplastics, TPE, and technical polymers
Rubber and elastomer processing with downstream granule utilization
Recycling and regranulation processes with changing input streams
Production lines with high requirements for granule quality and bulk behavior

Whether virgin material, recyclate, or specialty compounds – Rotte ensures defined granule sizes, reproducible cutting patterns, and granule quality that meets the demands of your downstream processes. Granulation processes that previously required significant manual involvement can now be implemented in an automated, safe, and economical manner.

From initial concept and assembly to commissioning, service, maintenance, and expansion, Rotte supports the entire lifecycle of your belt granulator system – including adjustments when formulations, products, or line layouts evolve.

Talk to us – we will support you in producing high-quality granules from strands and sheets for your applications.

Your Application, Our Solution – Turning Strands into High-Performance Granules

The belt granulators from Ulrich Rotte Anlagenbau & Fördertechnik GmbH combine powerful cutting technology, robust mechanics, and intelligent control into a solution tailored to your production. Our customers benefit from individually designed layouts, clearly structured operating concepts, and the flexibility to expand their systems as product portfolios or capacity requirements evolve. Each machine is engineered to fit both technically and organizationally into your overall concept.

The modular architecture ensures reliable handling of both high throughput volumes and diverse small-batch production. At the same time, automation reduces unproductive manual interventions, improves occupational safety, and increases economic efficiency – an important step toward future-ready processes in plastics and rubber manufacturing.

Your Partner for Customized Granulators in the Plastics and Rubber Industry

Every line, every material, and every target application comes with its own framework conditions. Ulrich Rotte Anlagenbau & Fördertechnik GmbH therefore develops belt granulators that are not off-the-shelf solutions, but specifically engineered in close collaboration with you. Based on a thorough analysis of your material flows, layouts, and quality objectives, we design systems that integrate seamlessly into your production – technically and organizationally – while meeting your individual requirements.

From engineering and design to manufacturing, assembly, and commissioning, our team supports the entire project lifecycle. Employee training as well as comprehensive service and maintenance ensure that your belt granulators operate reliably, precisely, and economically over the long term.

Rotte belt granulators thus create the foundation for stable granulation processes, high product quality, and sustainable, future-proof manufacturing.

Contact us – we will be happy to advise you on high-performance belt granulators, integrated granulation concepts, and the right capacity for your plastics and rubber production.

One Company, Many Advantages

Ulrich Rotte Anlagenbau & Fördertechnik GmbH is your specialist in custom machinery. In addition to our innovative solutions in special-purpose machinery and automation technology, you also benefit from a wide range of customer and after-sales services:

Your Advantages at a Glance:

Decades of experience in special-purpose machinery
Extensive know-how across all areas of automation technology
High expertise in the latest technologies and applications for Industry 4.0
All services from a single source—from development and design to manufacturing, assembly, commissioning, and regular on-site maintenance
Optional training of your machine operators, technicians, and supervisors at your facility
Mechanical engineering made in Germany – we design and manufacture exclusively in Germany
Personalized customer support – you will always have a qualified contact person available