Hydraulic Gantry 400 Ton Scrap Metal Shear Machine – Q91-400

Description

400 Ton Scrap Metal Shear for Sale – The All-Round Ferrous Workhorse

The Q91-400 is a 400 Ton hydraulic scrap metal shear built for established recycling companies that have outgrown compact shears but do not need a mill-scale machine. If your yard processes a mixed daily diet of plate, structural sections, rebar, pipes and vehicle bodies at 35 to 55 tons of sized output per day, this is the tonnage class that handles the whole mix on one machine instead of two.

Who the Q91-400 Is Built For

This machine suits plants with three characteristics in common:

• A genuinely mixed intake: plate and structural sections arrive alongside rebar, pipes and car bodies, and you want one machine to size all of it.
• Established but not mill-scale volume: 35 to 55 tons of sized scrap per day, steady through the week.
• Two operators, not a crew: the machine has to carry the workload rather than being supported by a large manual team.

Buyers at this stage usually arrive from one of two places: they are running a 315 ton mid-tonnage shear that now queues behind material it should not be cutting, or they are running two smaller machines and are tired of paying for two power packages, two control systems and two maintenance points.

Why the 400T Class Is the All-Round Sweet Spot

Shearing force is not something you buy in a straight line — each step up buys you capability, but also purchase price, installed power and foundation cost. The 400 ton class is the point in the Q91 range where the machine is heavy enough for structural sections and thick plate, while still being a realistic purchase for a mid-sized operation. It is the workhorse tier: not the biggest, not the cheapest, but the one that keeps working through a ten-hour shift on mixed ferrous without being pushed past its rating.

400T vs 315T vs 500T – Choosing the Right Tonnage Class

Most 400 ton scrap metal shear enquiries start with a buyer who already owns something smaller. The decision is usually about duty, not about force on paper.

Item	Q91-400 (this model)	Q91-315	Q91-500
Shearing force	400 ton	315 ton	500 ton
Blade length	1,300 or 1,400 mm	1,200 or 1,300 mm	1,400 or 1,500 mm
Motor power	45 kW / 2×37 kW / 2×45 kW	2×22 / 37 / 45 kW	2×37 or 2×45 kW
Daily capacity	35–55 tons/day	25–45 tons/day	45–60 tons/day
Feeding tank length	5 / 5.5 / 6 m	4.5 / 5 m	5 / 5.5 / 6 m
Sweet spot	Mixed ferrous, plate to 40 mm, structural sections	Lighter mixed ferrous to 30 mm	Demolition input, plate to 50 mm

When the 400T Beats the 315T

Once heavy structural sections and plate above 30 mm become a daily feature rather than an occasional nuisance, the 315T starts paying for itself in blade consumption and cycle drift. The 400 ton class carries those loads with margin, which is why the machine holds its cycle time through the shift instead of slowing down as oil temperature climbs.

When You Should Skip Straight to 500T or 630T

Two scenarios mean the 400T is the wrong buy. First, if your intake is dominated by demolition material with large, irregular, concrete-adhered sections, a 500 ton demolition-focused shear will take that punishment more comfortably. Second, if you run continuous HMS 1 & 2 duty, that belongs on a 630T or above — the Q91-400 sizes mixed ferrous and heavy sections all day, but continuous heavy scrap on a 400T is outside its rating and we will say so before you order.

Key Specifications – Q91-400 400 Ton Gantry Shear

Item	Specification
Model	Q91-400 Hydraulic Scrap Metal Shear – gantry type
Shearing force	400 ton
Blade length	1,300 mm or 1,400 mm
Motor power	45 kW, 2×37 kW or 2×45 kW
Cycle time	20–35 seconds per cut
Daily capacity	35–55 tons/day, material-dependent
Feeding tank length	5 m / 5.5 m / 6 m
Power source	Electric grid, diesel generator, or on-site power
Input voltage	380V / 400V / 415V / 230V, 50 Hz or 60 Hz
Blade material	H13 or M6V tool steel, 56–62 HRC, four-sided reversible
Automation	PLC full-auto, remote control, emergency stop
Certification	CE / ISO 9001
Origin	Tangshan, China

What the Q91-400 Cuts – Mixed Ferrous, Plate and Structural Sections

Material Duty Ratings

Material	Q91-400 duty rating
Steel plates	Up to 40 mm continuously; up to 55 mm occasionally
H-beams / I-beams	Light through medium-heavy sections, including fabrication offcuts
Angle and channel steel	Light through heavy structural profiles
Rebar	Loose or bundled construction and demolition rebar
Steel pipes	Single or bundled, within wall-thickness limits
Car bodies	Flattened or pre-treated shells
Mixed ferrous scrap	Established-yard daily intake, shop and structural offcuts
HMS 1 & 2	Not continuous duty — mixed in controlled proportion; continuous HMS belongs on a 630T or above

Capability Boundary – What the 400T Should and Should Not Do

• Continuous duty: mixed ferrous intake, plate to 40 mm, structural sections and bundled rebar, all shift long.
• Occasional duty: plate up to 55 mm and the heavier offcut. A few cuts an hour at most, not a routine pattern.
• Step up instead: continuous HMS 1 & 2 and daily oversize plate belong on the 630 ton continuous-duty shear — and if your demolition intake keeps growing, the 500T will outlast this class on that duty.

Hydraulic Gantry Structure and Blades

The Q91-400 runs a stiffened gantry frame with cylinders sized for structural sections rather than light offcuts, premium hydraulic components and an optimised valve block, and a feeding tank of 5 to 6 metres so longer sections feed without re-handling. Blades are H13 or M6V tool steel at 56–62 HRC, four-sided reversible, giving four working edges per blade before replacement. On mixed ferrous with the plate share described above, expect regrind intervals to sit between the light-duty figures quoted for smaller models and the shorter intervals of continuous-HMS machines — we state the interval for your actual mix in the quotation.

Shearing Cycle – How the Q91-400 Works

Each cycle runs four stages: the grab or loader drops material into the 5–6 metre tank; the side rams clamp and compress the charge against the rear support; the moving blade descends through the charge and sizes it to the chamber length; and sized pieces discharge behind the machine while the blade returns. Published cycle time is 20 to 35 seconds per cut, with heavier sections at the upper end — model throughput on that figure, not on the best case.

Power Supply, Control and Safety

Motor packages are 45 kW, 2×37 kW or 2×45 kW, selected against your material mix and target throughput; voltage is configured to your switchboard at 380V, 400V, 415V or 230V, 50 Hz or 60 Hz. Full PLC automation sequences the cycle, remote operation keeps the operator clear of the shear zone, and an emergency stop reacts to abnormal hydraulic pressure. Power can be configured for grid connection, a diesel generator or an on-site supply, sized to the final motor package before shipment.

Shipping, Commissioning and After-Sales

The Q91-400 ships as separate heavy items — gantry frame and shear head, cylinder packages, hydraulic power unit and electrical cabinet — packed for container or flat-rack sea freight, with a packing list and lifting plan issued against your receiving crane capacity. We supply installation drawings and a commissioning checklist, and an engineer can attend for start-up and operator training. Spare parts cover blades, seals, valve components and hoses; blade geometry is shared across the Q91 range so spares stay interchangeable across tonnage classes.

Why Recycling Companies Choose HUAXIN

• We quote the duty boundary, not just the force. Every 400 ton scrap metal shear quotation states what the machine should and should not be asked to do.
• Configured before the order is cut. Voltage, blade length, tank length, motor package and automation level are set from your material profile and site conditions.
• Spares across the range. One blade geometry family across tonnage classes keeps regrinds and replacements simple.
• Bought factory-direct. You purchase from the manufacturer’s own Tangshan plant rather than a trading layer that owns neither the drawings nor the warranty.
• Straight answers on tonnage. If continuous HMS or demolition duty describes your intake better, we will point you at the 500T or 630T before you order.

Other Equipment in the Line

A gantry shear makes sized furnace charge in one pass, but it does not liberate mixed light scrap. Once your yard starts taking in sheet, profiles, appliances or non-ferrous in volume, a dual shaft scrap metal shredder does that job and feeds magnetic and eddy current separation behind it. We build both, along with scrap metal balers for the non-ferrous fraction, so the whole line can be matched to one specification.

FAQ – 400 Ton Scrap Metal Shear

Can the Q91-400 handle continuous HMS 1 & 2?

No — and we would rather say that up front than sell you a machine that fails. The Q91-400 sizes mixed ferrous, structural sections and plate to 40 mm all day, and takes HMS in a controlled proportion, but continuous heavy scrap is a 630T duty. If your intake is shifting toward continuous HMS, size the line to the 630 ton gantry shear instead.

What is the difference between the Q91-400 and two 315T machines?

One 400T replaces two 315Ts for most plants: one power package, one control system, one operator, one maintenance point, and enough force for structural sections that a 315T should not be cutting daily. Two smaller machines only win if you genuinely run two separate lines on different materials at the same time.

How much heavier duty is the Q91-400 than the Q91-315?

Roughly a tonnage step of 85 tons, plus a longer blade, a longer feeding tank and larger motor options. In practice the difference shows up as plate capability rising from 30 mm to 40 mm, daily capacity from 25–45 to 35–55 tons, and — most importantly — the frame and hydraulic margin to do that all day without cycle drift.

What plate thickness can the Q91-400 cut?

Up to 40 mm continuously, and up to 55 mm in occasional cuts. If plate thicker than that arrives daily, the 500T demolition-focused model or the 630T is the right class.

What should I send to get a 400T quotation?

Your material mix, the heaviest plate or section you see regularly, target tons per day, feeding method, site power available, and the end-use your sized scrap feeds. Those six points determine blade length, tank length, motor package and automation level — and whether the 400T is even the right recommendation.

Can the Q91-400 run on a generator or off-grid power?

Yes. The Q91-400 can be supplied for a diesel generator or grid connection, with voltage matched to your supply before shipment. Size the generator with margin above the motor rating, since peak-intake weeks are when a marginal power package shows itself.

Ready to size the line? Send your material mix, daily volume and site power details for a configuration recommendation and quotation within 48 hours — including a recommendation for a different tonnage if your numbers point that way. Review the whole scrap metal shear range or compare the 200 ton entry-level shear.