Knife Cutter
Fast, uniform material cutting for size reduction.
The S. Howes industrial knife cutter provides fast, uniform cutting of a variety of product with a series of rotary and fixed bed knives. A sizing screen prevents oversized product from leaving the cutting area until the desired size has been obtained.
Rotors spin at a nominal speed of 500 rpm to cut various complex materials, producing a tip speed of approximately 280 fpm. The throughput of the machine is related to the screen size installed. If a high throughput process is required while attaining significant size reduction, two or more machines can be combined in series to provide staged size reduction without significantly reducing throughput.
Several models can accommodate material capacities from 2,400 to 7,000 lbs per hour and can be custom-engineered for the most demanding cutting requirements.
Let the experts in size reduction design your knife cutter.
Features & Benefits
- Compact design requires little floor space.
- Sizing screens are available in virtually any hole size or shape, and custom patterns are also available.
- Low energy usage design for economical operation.
- Constructed in stainless steel or mild steel, depending on the application.
- Quick screen removal design for rapid product changeovers.
- Replacement knives are stocked at S. Howes for quick delivery.
- Belt-driven cutting blade design to handle particularly difficult materials.
- Low RPM provides trouble-free operation for cutting a wide variety of materials.
Size Reduction Screen
A sizing screen is used to prevent oversize product from leaving the cutting area until the desired size has been obtained. Available in many hole sizes and shapes and custom patterns are designed as required.
Sample Applications
Knife Cutters provide fast and precise material sizing via rotary and fixed knives.
Sizing screens can be customized based on your specific product and requirements.
- Animal Feed
- Bark
- Cereal
- Corn
- Oat Groups
- Plastics
- Nuts
- Pepper
- Potatoes
- Spices
- Vegetables
- Wood Chips
Downloads
Options & Accessories
- Custom sizing screens
- Clutch driven blase design
- Screen access doors
Test Lab & Innovation Center
Your Material Product. Our Thermal Processing Equipment.
Make sure your new process equipment delivers your desired final material requirements.
Lab Testing
Leverage the CPEG Innovation Center and expertise in process engineering to test material product prior to the design or purchase of bulk solids and material handling equipment.
Testing With Rental Units
When material testing in the Innovation Center is not feasible, S. Howes provides rental equipment that can be shipped directly to your site for reliable testing of powder and bulk solids materials.
Featured Industries
Biomass & Biofuels
Ethanol plants and biodiesel producers rely on S. Howes equipment to convey, mix, screen, and process grain and biomass feedstocks throughout production. Our mixers, conveyors, and screening systems are built for the wet, fibrous, and variable-density materials common in biofuel operations.
Food & Pet Food
Food and pet food producers require equipment that delivers consistent blending, conveying, and sizing while meeting sanitary processing requirements. S. Howes sanitary mixers, conveyors, screeners, and size reduction equipment are built to handle ingredients from raw materials through finished products.
Forest Products
Sawmills, pulp processors, and wood byproduct producers work with fibrous, abrasive, and moisture-variable materials that demand purpose-built equipment. S. Howes conveyors, screeners, and size-reduction systems are engineered to reliably handle wood chips, sawdust, bark, and biomass residuals.
Waste & Recycling
Waste processors and recyclers handle highly variable feedstocks that demand robust, wear-resistant equipment capable of continuous operation. S. Howes conveyors, lump breakers, screeners, and size-reduction systems are built to reliably process municipal, industrial, and specialty waste streams.
FAQs for Knife Cutters
What is an industrial knife cutter used for?
An industrial knife cutter provides fast, uniform size reduction of a wide range of bulk solid materials using a series of rotary and fixed bed knives. It is used for cutting fibrous, tough, and irregular materials to a consistent particle size ahead of downstream processing.
How does a sizing screen control output particle size?
A sizing screen inside the cutting chamber prevents oversized material from exiting until it has been reduced to the desired size. Screens are available in virtually any hole size or shape, and custom patterns can be designed to meet specific process requirements.
What materials can the S. Howes knife cutter process?
The knife cutter is suited for animal feed, bark, wood chips, cereal, corn, oat groups, plastics, nuts, pepper, potatoes, spices, vegetables, and other materials requiring uniform size reduction.
What throughput capacity does the knife cutter provide?
Several models accommodate material capacities from 2,400 to 7,000 lbs per hour. For higher throughput requirements with significant size reduction, two or more units can be combined in series for staged size reduction.
Can knife cutters be configured for staged size reduction?
Yes. When high throughput and significant size reduction are both required, two or more knife cutters can be run in series to achieve staged reduction without substantially reducing overall processing capacity.
How are the knives maintained and replaced?
Replacement knives are stocked at S. Howes for quick delivery. The quick screen removal design also supports rapid product changeovers with minimal downtime.