The practice of taking old vehicles and using them to build new ones is known as vehicle recycling. When an automobile becomes no longer useful, it is typically transported to a junk yard, which is also often referred to as an auto recycling facility.
From Old to New
In order to conserve resources and save money in many regions, vehicle recycling is quickly becoming a standard practice. Automobiles are stripped down and all of the components are removed. Then, the various materials are separated and placed in containers where they can be recycled into brand new parts.
Since the beginning of automobile manufacturing, recycled metal has been a mainstay. Today, manufacturers are also using recycled vehicles as a source for rubber, foam and plastic to be used in new automobiles.
Shredded
Unlike the car crushing machine that you might expect to see in a junk yard, recycling facilities dismantle old vehicles by using a shredder. A vehicle shredder chews the vehicle into small pieces. Then a sorting machine is used to guide the various materials into different bins. Made up of huge steel drums that are equipped with steel teeth, the shredder will quickly turn an automobile into pieces about the size of a dinner plate.
Strip, Inventory and Crush
A large number of vehicles will be recycled on part at a time. Some salvage yards will allow customers to strip parts from junked and damaged autos. This makes it possible to repair vehicles at a much lower cost than purchasing new parts at the store.
In addition to individual customers pulling discounted parts to rebuild and repair vehicles, repair services can also be seen shopping at a junk yard. In some cases, the salvage yard will remove parts, inventory them and keep them stored in a warehouse. Some of the better auto recycling facilities will also offer a variety of services, such as installing parts, servicing and repairing vehicles.
The average junk yard these days will have a computerized inventory with a searchable database. In some cases, the inventory will be made available online for customers to search from the comfort of their own home or office.
Once the vehicles in Cincinnati have been parted out to the point that there is nothing more of value remaining to be salvaged, it is sent on to the crusher. The vehicle is flattened as much as possible. Then, it is sold to a recycling plant where it can be melted down to small pieces known as iron ingots.
