VK 5012 60.4 HP Channel Baling Press

The HSM VK 5012 60.4 HP is the 45 kW (60.3 hp) build of HSM's 500 kN automatic channel baler and the quickest-cycling version of the press. Ram force, the 43.3 x 29.5 in (1,100 x 750 mm) bale of up to 1,058 lb (480 kg) and the wire tying are the same as on the 30 kW model; the larger drive shortens each cycle so the baler does not become the bottleneck. It is meant for sites with bursty infeed or bulky, springy material such as plastic film, where a smaller motor would leave material queuing at the opening.

VK 5012 60.4 HP at a glance

• 45 kW (60.3 hp) drive, the largest offered on this press
• 500 kN ram, roughly 51 metric tonnes of force
• Four wire ties as standard, five-wire option for film
• 1,020 x 1,250 mm opening for uncollapsed cartons and full big bags
• Rated for material up to about 60 kg/m³

Why film needs the bigger motor

Low-density, elastic material such as film takes more ram strokes to build a bale than cardboard does. On a smaller drive those extra strokes turn into a backlog at the infeed. The 45 kW motor keeps the cycle short under that load, which matters for film-heavy retail waste, high-volume e-commerce cardboard, a shredding operation baling its own output, or any line run at full conveyor speed.

Labor saved over a vertical baler

Material is fed continuously, a light barrier fires each stroke, and finished bales are wired and pushed out of the channel by the machine. Nobody opens a door, ties off a bale or tips one out, so a conveyor can feed it unattended or one person can load it while doing other work. Material-adaptive software, chamber and channel linings in wear-resistant steel, and bale length adjustable from 600 to 1,200 mm come with every VK 5012. HSM's frequency-regulated drive option, which it says uses 40% less energy, is worth pricing on a 45 kW motor running several shifts.

VK 5012 60.4 HP specifications

No installed weight or noise figure for this press appears in HSM's public article data, and outside sources conflict, so we leave both out. Certified weight, rigging requirements and sound data for your build are confirmed in writing before you order.

45 kW against the 30 kW VK 5012

The 30 kW (40.23 HP) VK 5012 produces the identical bale on a smaller connected load and electrical installation, and costs less to run over its life. If your volume is steady and moderate, it is the better buy. Pay for the 45 kW drive when peaks, film or a full-speed conveyor would otherwise outrun the press.

Who should buy it, and who should not

Buy it when the baler must never be the reason a line stops. Skip both VK builds if you bale well under a tonne a day; an HSM V-Press vertical baler is the more sensible machine. Material well above 60 kg/m³ is outside HSM's stated range. Treat it as a capital installation: a 480 V three-phase supply sized for 45 kW, a prepared floor, a bay of roughly 9 by 4 meters and forklift access at the discharge end, with delivery, rigging and commissioning quoted after a site survey.