Baled PET bottles arrive dirty, mixed and strapped. Polyester staple fibre needs clean, single material flakes with no PVC, no cap fragments, no glue and no sand. Between those two points sits a washing line, and that is what this page covers.
This is a complete plant for turning used PET beverage bottles into fibre grade flakes. Bottles, including 5 gallon water bottles and other sized beverage containers, go in at one end. Washed flake that a fibre spinning line will accept comes out at the other. Capacity is scalable from 300 kg/h to 3000 kg/h per single washing line, so the same design serves a small regional recycler and a large industrial operation.
Minimum order one set. The spread is wide because the line is quoted by configuration, and a 300 kg/h start up plant and a 3000 kg/h line with a full drying stage do not sit at the same point in the range. Final price follows the model, the capacity and the stages you order.
The stages, in order of material flow: bale breaking, trommel screening, label removal, manual sorting, crushing, cold washing, hot washing, dewatering, drying, air label separation, storage. Not every project takes every stage, and that decision is worth making early rather than paying for equipment your material does not need.
Where this line sits in the wider recycling picture: it is the front end that feeds plastic pelletizing line and plastic recycling line solution work downstream, and the recovered flake often ends up back in pipe extrusion line territory as non food grade regrind.
PET bottles usually arrive compressed into bales held by steel straps or wire. The bale breaker pulls the bale apart and loosens the bottles so the rest of the line can handle them as individual items. One point worth planning for: the straps and wires must be cut and removed by hand before the bale is loaded. Leaving steel wire in the feed is how you break a crusher rotor, so build that labour step into your staffing plan rather than assuming the machine does it.
Broken up bottles still carry sand, rocks, metal fragments and general grit from the yard and the collection truck. The trommel is a large rotating drum with a mesh screen. Bottles roll and tumble inside it, and the rotation lets heavy impurities and small items such as loose caps fall through the mesh and out. Removing grit here protects every pump, blade and bearing downstream and keeps your wash water cleaner for longer.
The label separator takes labels off the bottles. Rotating blades create friction against the bottle surface and scrape the label away, and an airflow system carries the loose label material to a collection bag. Labels are usually paper, PP or PVC, all of which are contaminants in a fibre grade flake stream. Getting them off before the crusher is cheaper than trying to separate printed label fragments from flake later.
Placed after the label remover and before the crusher. This is a quality control checkpoint and there is no machine that replaces it. Workers visually inspect and manually pull out what machines miss: non PET bottles, loose caps, foreign material, and the PVC bottle that slipped into the load. One PVC bottle ground into a tonne of PET flake can push a whole batch out of specification, and at this point in the line a person can still see it and lift it out.
Bottles are reduced to flake. Crushing before washing, not after, is what allows the water and the heat to reach the glue and the dirt on every surface of the material rather than only the outside of an intact bottle.
Cold wash stages lift surface dirt, grit and remaining label fragments off the flake. The high speed friction washer works the flake against itself and against the drum wall at speed, which scours the surface. The floating washer uses a water bath, and the material split does useful work there: PET sinks, PP and PE caps float and are skimmed off the top. That density difference is a free separation step, and it is the reason caps are dealt with firmly before the drying stage.
After labels come off, flake still carries sticky glue residue. The steam washer uses hot water with added soap or soda to break down and wash away that leftover stickiness. Heat plus the cleaning agent does what cold water alone cannot. Glue left on the flake is glue that shows up later as black specks and broken filament in the spinning process.
Dewatering takes the bulk of the water out mechanically, then the drying system brings the residual moisture down to a level the downstream process accepts. Wet flake is a freight cost you pay for nothing, and moisture also causes bridging and caking in silos and feed hoppers.
The air label separator makes a final pass to lift any remaining light label material out of the flake stream. Cleaned flake then goes to the storage hopper, ready for bagging or for direct feed to the next stage of your plant.
The line is automated and computerized, with PLC control and inverters. Electrical components are internationally sourced brand name items, with brands confirmed on the order confirmation. The full line runs under load test before delivery, and a running video of the machine can be supplied before shipment.Companion equipment around a washing plant: PET bottle crushing washing line, PE PP film recycling washing line, washing and recycling production line, washing line machines.
This is the published equipment list for the line. Every cell is reproduced exactly as published, including cells that read as ambiguous.
| Name | Motor power (kw) | Dimension | Water consumption (T/H) | Stainless steel standard (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belt conveyer | 2.2 | 35009003000 | -- | -- |
| Label scraping machine | 11 | 260012001800 | 0.6-1.0 | 3-5 |
| Crusher | 37 | 220022003000 | 0.6-1.0 | 3-5 |
| Screw conveyer | 3 | 28008002600 | - | 3-5 |
| High speed friction washer | 30 | 320014002000 | 1-2 | 3-5 |
| Floating washer | 3*2 | 600017002200 | 0.5-1.5 | 3-5 |
| Steam washer | 7.5 | 180018002700 | 0.5-1.5 | 3-5 |
| Dewatering machine | 3 | 80022002200 | - | 5 |
| Drying system | 11 | 350022002200 | - | 3-5 |
| Label separator by air | 4 | 80011003800 | - | 3-5 |
| Storage hopper | - | 150015003800 | - | 3-5 |
| Electric elements | - | 20004501780 | -- | -- |
Three notes on the table, because we would rather point at the ambiguity than quietly pick an interpretation.
The floating washer motor power reads 3*2. That is how it is published. It most likely means two 3 kW drives rather than a single 6 kW motor, which is normal on a floating washer with more than one agitator or pump. We are not going to state 6 kW as fact when the source does not. The drive arrangement is confirmed per unit on the order confirmation.
Dimension column units are not given in the published header. The figures are consistent with millimetres on each axis, in length, width and height order, and we have reproduced the numbers exactly as published rather than converting them.
The last column is headed stainless steel standard (mm). It reads as a stainless steel specification figure per machine, with values from 3 to 5 and a single 5 on the dewatering machine. The exact meaning is settled in the technical agreement for your order, and we keep the numbers as published here.
How to read the equipment list
Motor power totals roughly 114 kW plus the floating washer drives. The two biggest consumers by a wide margin are the crusher at 37 kW and the high speed friction washer at 30 kW. This is what drives the electrical supply sizing at your site, and the reason a washing line is usually quoted with its own distribution panel.
Water consumption is concentrated in the washing stages. 0.6 to 1.0 T/H on the label scraping machine and crusher, 1 to 2 T/H on the high friction washer, 0.5 to 1.5 T/H on the floating washer and steam washer. The conveyors, dewatering machine and dryer show no water consumption. If you are planning a water treatment loop, the washing stages are where the load sits, and the hot stages are where heat recovery pays.
Largest single machine footprint is the floating washer at 600017002200. That is the long item in your layout, and it usually decides the orientation of the line.
Nothing smaller than a crushing stage. The smallest item on the list is the electric element cabinet at 20004501780. Controls and electrical hardware take floorspace too and are often forgotten in factory layout planning.
Other published data for the line: model designation PET washing line, material processed plastic bottle, plastic type PET, screw type washing machine, automation and computerized controls, certification ISO 9001 and CE, voltage 380V 50Hz, transport package plastic film, HS code 8477800000, production capacity 20 sets per year. Packaging as published: 6000.00 cm * 200.00 cm * 300.00 cm, gross weight 60000.000 kg.
The output of this line is an input to other plants, and knowing the destination tells you how far to push the washing stages.
Polyester staple fibre and filament. This is the headline application. Clean PET flake feeds spinning lines that produce polyester fibre for textiles, nonwovens and fillings. Fibre spinning is unforgiving: PVC contamination, residual glue, metal particles and moisture all show up as broken filament, black specks and spinning breaks. Fibre grade is the demanding end of the flake market, and it is why the label, sorting and hot wash stages are in the line.
Sheet and strapping. Flake for sheet and strapping tolerates slightly less demanding cleanliness than fibre, and some producers run a shorter line for this market.
Rigid PET products. Bottle to bottle recycling demands the highest purity of all, and food contact grades bring additional regulatory requirements. Where that is your target, say so at the enquiry stage, because it changes the specification.
Injection and general moulding. Non food grade regrind goes back into crates, furniture and general moulded goods.
Related recovery routes. The same plant logic is used for other plastic streams, with different machines in the wash train. See two stage recycling machine, plastic agglomerator, SMF series grinding machine for plastic recycling, auxiliary machines.
Downstream equipment families you may also be lining up: extruder, PPR pipe extrusion line solution, PVC pipe extrusion line solution, HDPE pipe production line 16-1600 mm, double wall corrugated pipe extrusion line, single wall corrugated pipe extrusion line, three layer high speed PE PPR HDPE pipe extrusion line, ABS pipe production line.
The line is a configured plant rather than a single machine, and customization is a real part of the offer. Published customization options include full customization, minor customization, customization from samples, customization from designs and flexible customization. OEM and ODM services are available. Here is where the boundaries are.
Capacity. Anywhere from 300 kg/h to 3000 kg/h per single line. Small recyclers and large industrial operations are both served, and capacity decides the size of every machine on the list.
Which stages you take. A basic line that sorts, crushes, washes, rinses and dewarms, through to a full line with hot washing, friction washing, floating separation and a complete drying system. If your end market is strapping rather than fibre, you may not need every stage.
Layout. Straight line, L shape or U shape, designed around the factory space you actually have. The equipment needs roughly 100 to 400 m2 of floor space. Send your factory floor plan drawings after the solution is confirmed and the CAD layout is drawn up for you.
Electrical specification. 380V 50Hz published as standard, with other voltages available on request. Electrical component brands are internationally sourced and confirmed per order.
Material handling equipment. Conveyors, screw conveyors, storage hoppers and the bagging or feed arrangement at the discharge end are all part of the scope decision.
Automation level. The line is computerized and automated throughout, and the degree of manual intervention is set by how many of the sorting and quality stages you want automated versus staffed.
Water and heat recovery. Water consumption per machine is published, and how you manage that water, recirculate it or treat it before discharge, is a project decision. Tell us your discharge rules and it is designed in.
Colour and finish. Set to your requirement.
Guess at ambiguous published values. The floating washer power cell reads 3*2 and it stays that way in our table with a note. A machine specification is not the place for a confident looking number that nobody verified.
Promise fibre grade output from a partial line. If your market is fibre, you need the sorting and hot wash stages. Cutting those stages to save money moves the output to a lower grade market, and no amount of tuning afterwards changes that.
Quote a capacity without your input material. 3000 kg/h is achievable on clean, well sorted, consistent bottles. Heavily contaminated bales with a high proportion of non PET material will run slower. Give us a sample description and the honest number can be worked out.
Design the layout before we know your building. Send the floor plan. A 6000 mm long floating washer does not fit everywhere it is first imagined.
Quote a warranty figure we have not agreed. Warranty is stated as included in the published attributes, without a period. The period for your order is written into the quotation rather than assumed.
Certification. The line is certified to CE and to ISO 9001, which covers the quality management system across the manufacturing process.
Component specification. Electrical systems are built with internationally sourced brand name components, including PLC controls and inverters, with brands confirmed on the order confirmation. This is deliberate engineering for the washing duty rather than a generic panel: a wet, warm, continuous process is hard on electrical gear, and the component choice is what keeps downtime low over years of running.
Stainless steel. Washing machines are specified in stainless steel, with the specification figures carried in the equipment table above. This matters more than it might appear. Wash water with soap or soda, at temperature, plus abrasive flake, is an aggressive combination, and mild steel in that duty shows up as rust staining on the flake and premature failure of the drum.
Testing before delivery. All lines undergo full load testing before delivery. That test is where alignment, water flow, conveyor tracking and control sequencing get checked with the actual machines bolted together, rather than being discovered at your site.
Manufacturing capability. CNC machining is used for the machined parts, and quality checks run through the build. The same manufacturing base supplies pipe extrusion and recycling lines, which is relevant to a buyer because spare parts and service come from a plant that builds the whole machine, not an assembly operation.
After sales. End to end service including design, customization, installation and technical support worldwide. After sales service is stated as provided, with the terms for your order in the quotation.
More technical documents under download. Application write-ups under news and application.
Minimum order. 1 set.
Lead time. About one month published for a standard line, confirmed per order. Longer configurations and the drying and hot wash stages are agreed at order stage.
Trade terms. FOB, CIF, CFR and EXW are available.
Payment terms. L/C, T/T, D/P, PayPal, Western Union and small amount payment.
Scope. The machines listed in the equipment table, in the configuration you confirm, with the electrical control system, the connecting pipework and the documentation.
Testing. Full load testing before delivery, with a machine outgoing video available.
Installation and commissioning. Design, customization, installation and technical support worldwide, arranged per project.
Warranty. As restated in the written quotation for your configuration.
Equipment that typically sits alongside or inside the line: mixing unit, automatic compounding system, automatic compounding system solution, crushing material suction machine, powder suction machine, continuous powder suction machine.
It processes used PET beverage bottles into clean flake. Its key functions are separating non PET components such as PE, PP or PVC caps and labels to obtain pure PET material, and thoroughly cleaning the flake to a standard that allows it to be reused.
300 kg/h to 3000 kg/h per single washing line, depending on the model configuration and the characteristics of the input material. Contaminated or unsorted bales run slower than clean, consistent feed.
Approximately 100 to 400 m2. Layouts can be designed in straight, L shaped or U shaped formations to suit the space you have. Share your factory floor plan drawings after the solution is confirmed and the CAD layout will be drawn up for you.
Yes. The plants are certified to the CE standard and to ISO 9001, which covers the quality management system through the manufacturing process.
Electrical systems use internationally sourced brand name components, including PLC controls and inverters, selected for the wet and continuous duty of a washing line. Combined with engineering specific to PET washing, the aim is energy efficiency, minimal downtime and long term reliability. Component brands are confirmed on the order confirmation.
Yes. Steel straps or wires holding the bales must be cut and removed manually before loading into the bale breaker. Plan for that step in your staffing. The bale breaker loosens the material, it does not cut steel.
It depends on your end market. Glue residue left on the flake is what causes black specks and spinning breaks in fibre production. If you are producing fibre grade flake, the steam washer and the hot wash stages are there for a reason. For lower grade markets you may be able to trim stages, and we will tell you honestly what that costs you in output quality.
Three ways, working together. The label remover takes off labels, which are often PVC or PP. The floating washer separates by density, so floating caps and light material are drawn off while PET sinks. And the manual sorting table gives a person the chance to pull a PVC bottle out before it reaches the crusher. One PVC bottle in a tonne of flake can push the batch out of specification, so the manual stage stays.
Per machine consumption is published in the equipment table. The washing machines take 0.6 to 2 T/H depending on the unit, and the conveyors, dewatering machine and drying system are listed without water consumption. Total plant consumption depends on your configuration and on whether you recirculate.
At 300 kg/h the line is a legitimate small recycler plant rather than a scaled down industrial one, and it suits operations starting out or handling a regional collection volume. Below that, hand sorting and a small wash train usually serve better. General questions are covered on the FAQ list.
Send these and the line can be quoted without a round of clarifying emails.
Input material. Bottle type and source, including whether 5 gallon water bottles and other large containers are in the stream.
Capacity. Target kg/h for your operation, from 300 up to 3000.
Contamination. Bale condition, approximate non PET content, and whether PVC bottles are common in your collection area.
Output grade. Fibre grade, sheet and strapping grade, or food contact. This decision drives which stages you need.
Stages required. Which of sorting, crushing, cold washing, hot washing, dewatering and drying you want included.
Water and discharge. Water supply available, and the discharge or recycle rules you have to meet.
Electrical supply. Voltage, frequency and available power capacity at site.
Layout. Factory floor plan drawings, floor area, headroom, and the loading and unloading route.
Output handling. Bagging, big bag station, or direct feed into a downstream line.
Destination and terms. Port of discharge and the trade term you work on.
Want to check the published equipment figures yourself first? view more machine details on the source product page, then send your input material and target capacity.
Full catalogue under products, with more machines on products page 4. Application groupings under solutions, and further line scopes under pipe extrusion line solution, profile extrusion line and other type pipe extrusion line solution. Company background is on about us and the home page.
Nicole | Email: ceo@cxsljx.com | Tel WhatsApp WeChat: +86 159 5118 7228
Send your input material, your target capacity and your end market, and we will come back with the stage list, the model sizes and a written quotation.