In today’s competitive manufacturing landscape, efficiency is everything—and waste is the enemy. As global industries demand higher productivity with lower environmental impact, companies are re-evaluating how they manage metal scrap and coolant waste. Enter pucking equipment, an innovative solution that transforms messy, bulky chip waste into compact, high-value pucks.
At the forefront of this technology is PRAB, a trusted name in automated metal scrap processing equipment. With over 65 years of expertise and a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan, PRAB continues to help manufacturers worldwide turn scrap into profit.
Pucking equipment is a specialized machine that compresses loose metal chips and swarf into dense, cylindrical pucks. These pucks are easier to handle, store, transport, and, most importantly, recycle. The process often includes coolant recovery, which helps reduce waste while lowering operating costs.
This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about maximizing material value, reclaiming lost fluids, and contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable operation. For manufacturers seeking smarter scrap management, pucking equipment isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.
Before exploring how PRAB’s pucking equipment solves industry challenges, it’s essential to understand the problems many metalworking facilities face:
Bulky Metal Chips: Loose chips take up a lot of space, are difficult to manage, and increase disposal costs.
Coolant Loss: Chips often contain up to 20% residual coolant. Disposing of them without recovery leads to significant financial and environmental waste.
Compliance Risks: Environmental regulations around waste disposal and fluid handling are getting stricter.
Operational Inefficiency: Manual handling of wet chips can slow down operations, pose safety risks, and reduce productivity.
The bottom line: untreated metal scrap is costing manufacturers time, money, and regulatory peace of mind.
PRAB’s pucking equipment is engineered to address these problems with precision and durability. Here’s what sets it apart:
PRAB’s equipment compresses chips into dense pucks with up to a 50:1 reduction in volume, dramatically improving storage and transportation efficiency.
Integrated systems reclaim valuable coolant from chips during the pucking process. This not only reduces the need to purchase new fluids but also eliminates the risk of improper coolant disposal.
Manufactured in PRAB’s 114,000-square-foot facility, these machines are made for rugged, 24/7 industrial environments. Every unit is built to last, even under heavy use with abrasive metal chips.
No two operations are alike. PRAB’s pucking equipment can be tailored to specific materials, volumes, and plant layouts, ensuring optimal performance for any facility.
Let’s take a moment to visualize the ROI of pucking equipment:
A manufacturer generates 2,000 lbs of aluminum chips per day.
Without puckers, these chips take up space, require frequent hauls, and lose up to 15% in residual coolant.
With PRAB’s pucking system, those chips are transformed into dense, stackable pucks. The recovered coolant is filtered and reused. Scrap buyers offer higher prices for dry, compacted material.
The result? Lower waste handling costs, higher scrap revenue, reduced coolant expenses—and a cleaner, more compliant operation.
PRAB doesn’t just sell standalone equipment. The pucking equipment integrates seamlessly with other solutions, including:
Chip Conveyors – Moving chips directly from machine tools to processing equipment.
Coolant Filtration Systems – Enhancing coolant recovery and extending its usable life.
Automated Scrap Management – Creating a fully automated, lights-out scrap processing system.
This level of integration enables manufacturers to create a closed-loop system, boosting sustainability and productivity simultaneously.
Environmental stewardship isn’t just good PR—it’s good business. PRAB’s pucking equipment helps companies:
Reduce landfill waste
Minimize coolant contamination
Meet or exceed EPA and local environmental standards
Improve plant cleanliness and safety
It also positions manufacturers as leaders in green manufacturing, a competitive advantage in today’s eco-conscious market.
With over six decades of innovation and customer-centric engineering, PRAB is more than a supplier—it’s a partner. Our team works closely with clients from initial consultation to final commissioning and beyond. Every piece of pucking equipment is a result of in-house manufacturing, rigorous quality checks, and a deep understanding of real-world shop floor challenges.
When you invest in PRAB, you're not just getting machinery. You're gaining a strategic advantage.
As industries continue to digitize and automate, scrap management must evolve too. PRAB’s pucking equipment stands at the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and profitability.
The next frontier? Smart systems that monitor performance in real-time, AI-driven optimization of scrap flow, and deeper integration with ERP systems to provide actionable production insights. With its forward-thinking approach, PRAB is ready to lead the charge.
In the world of metalworking, scrap is inevitable—but waste is optional. With PRAB’s cutting-edge pucking equipment, manufacturers can transform a traditional liability into a measurable asset. From reducing environmental impact to improving the bottom line, the benefits are clear and compelling.
So, the question is no longer “Can you afford to invest in pucking equipment?” but rather, “Can you afford not to?”
As the manufacturing landscape becomes smarter, leaner, and greener, those who embrace technologies like PRAB’s pucking systems will lead the way. The future of metal scrap processing is here—and it’s compact, efficient, and puck-shaped.