The pressing force of a metal scrap baler is not a single number but varies dramatically based on the type and purpose of the baler.

Here’s a breakdown from smallest to largest:

1. By Baler Type & Typical Force Range

Small Vertical Balers (for light gauge scrap):

Force: 10 to 50 Tons (approx. 20,000 to 100,000 lbs).

Use: Baling thin sheet metal, aluminum cans, turnings, and non-ferrous packaging in factories or scrapyards. Produces small "logs" or bales.

Medium Horizontal Balers (for general scrap yards):

Force: 100 to 500 Tons (approx. 200,000 to 1,000,000 lbs).

Use: The workhorse of many scrapyards. Bales fragmented sheet metal (car bodies, appliances), light structural steel, and mixed ferrous scrap into dense, mill-grade bales (typically ~2' x 2' x 4').

High-Density / "Logger" Balers (for maximum density):

Force: 750 to 2,500+ Tons (1.5 million to 5+ million lbs).

Use: Used to create ultra-dense "log" bales for optimal shipping and furnace charging. Often used for heavy melting steel (#1 HMS), thick plate, and prepared demolition steel.

Shear-Type Balers / Mobile Balers:

Force: 500 to 3,000+ Tons.

Use: These machines first shear (cut) long pieces (beams, rails, machinery) and then bale them. The force needs to be extremely high to cut through thick steel.

Automobile Flatteners / Crushers:

Force: 2,000 to 10,000+ Tons.

Use: While not always called "balers," they perform a similar function. A car flattener crushes a whole vehicle into a flat pancake, and a baler then stacks several pancakes into a mill-grade bale. Forces are immense.

2. Key Factors Determining Required Force

Material Type: Tensile strength is critical.

Carbon Steel requires much more force than Aluminum or Copper of the same volume.

Heavy Melting Steel (#1 HMS) requires more force than light gauge sheet (#2 HMS).

Desired Bale Density: Mills pay more for denser bales (less air, more metal per load). Higher force = higher density. Target densities are often 70-130 lbs/cu ft for ferrous bales.

Bale Size: Larger bale chambers often use higher forces to achieve density across a larger volume.

Scrap Preparation: Pre-shredded or sheared scrap packs more easily than long, tangled pieces.

3. Practical Examples & Industry Standards

A standard scrap yard horizontal baler processing car bodies and light iron might have a 200-400 ton main cylinder.

A major feeder yard or shredder yard producing premium bales will likely operate a 1,000+ ton high-density baler.

To produce a standard 60" x 30" x 30-48" ferrous bale at mill-approved density (~100 lbs/cu ft), a minimum of 250-300 tons of force is typically required.

Summary Table

Baler Type|Typical Press Force Range|Primary Use

Vertical Baler    10 - 50 Tons    Light gauge, non-ferrous, in-plant scrap    

Horizontal Baler    100 - 500 Tons    General scrapyard (car bodies, sheet iron)    

High-Density Logger    750 - 2,500+ Tons    Premium mill-grade bales for maximum value    

Shear Baler    500 - 3,000+ Tons    Cutting & baling long, heavy structural steel    

Auto Flattener    2,000 - 10,000+ Tons    Crushing whole vehicles prior to baling    

Conclusion: When asking "how much force," you must first define the material and the desired end product. For a typical scrapyard handling automobiles and light iron, forces in the 200 to 600 ton range are most common. For heavy industrial applications, forces quickly scale into the thousands of tons.