Top 5 Aspects to Picking the Right Crusher

A crusher&#;s discharge chute is under a lot of stress for the majority of the machine&#;s run time, and, as a result, requires regular maintenance. To eliminate these extra costs, look for the specially designed discharge rock box that reduces the need for wear-liner replacement.

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Thu June 09,
Sean Donaghy

Self-diagnosing a health issue can lead to incorrect treatments, prolonged recovery and perhaps an even more costly outcome. The same applies in the crushing industry. Operators shouldn't try to select a crusher without carefully sorting through the options and thoroughly evaluating what they need.

Surprisingly, more than half of our customers don't know what they need when they start looking at new crushing equipment. Things are further complicated when you consider the relativity of the industry &#; what one person considers hard rock might be medium to another. Choosing the right crusher comes down to examining each unique application and the desired output.

A short visit, a couple of questions and thorough evaluation of an operation can save an operator from the turmoil that comes with selecting the wrong crusher. Here are a few things to consider when it's time to add a new crusher to your operation.

#1: Evaluate your Application

The most critical factor here is the level of hardness of the material you're processing. This is typically measured in compressive strength, or the maximum force that material can withstand before breaking.

Primary jaw crushers process hard, abrasive materials such as granite, ores or recycled concrete. Cone crushers are known for their ability to crush hard, abrasive ores and rocks, but they are best suited for secondary crushing applications. Impact crushers are ideal for contaminated materials. They easily handle clay, dirt and metal mixed in with the material. While they can handle hard material, they are ideally suited for soft to medium rock.

#2: Determine Your Desired Output

If an operation can sell 450,000 tons per year, its crushers need to produce 37,500 tons each month. If the crusher is set up to run two days per week for nine hours per day, the operation will require a machine capable of processing just over 400 tph.

Proper production capacities are critical to the success of a business. A crusher that is too small fails to produce the desired tonnages, which limits yields and profits and caps the organization's growth potential. A machine that's too large carries extra expense with no added value.

#3: Consider Mobility

Stationary crushers offer the benefit of a custom, heavy-duty design. However, mobile crushers allow operators to move the unit closer to the face of the crushing activity.

Wheeled mobile crushers can be hooked up to a truck and hauled to different locations or relocated on a job site. These units are commonly self-contained, eliminating the need for additional diesel engines.

Tracked mobile crushers are ideal for applications that require movement within a job site. They are easily transported from one job site to another by simply loading them on a trailer. Because they're built for constant relocation, they're more compact and weigh less than wheeled crushers.

#4: Attention to Detail

Your crusher needs to withstand daily abuse. Investing in quality equipment and components up front will save money in the long run. Before making a purchase, evaluate the quality of some of the crusher's components.

&#; Be sure the engine has a good reputation and can meet the operation's output needs.

&#; Note the hopper size. An oversized hopper can accommodate larger equipment used to feed the unit.

&#; Look for AR-400 liners, which increase durability and product life. Abrasion-resistant transfer points will provide the extra strength needed for certain applications, greatly reduce costly replacements and prevent downtime.

&#; Be sure other components such as conveyors, bearings, rollers, shafts and drives are robust and built for high wear.

#5: Compare Apples to Apples

It's easy to get caught up in price. While saving money is important, so are the extras that will save time and money in the future. Take, for example, a crusher's discharge chute. This area of the machine is under a lot of stress for the majority of the machine's run time, and as a result it requires regular maintenance. Most machines need wear-liner replacements on a regular basis. Some machines, however, have a specially designed discharge rock box that eliminates wear-liner replacements. The specialized design uses a shelf system with an abrasion-resistant wear bar that allows crushed material to build up and act as a wear liner. The result is dramatic savings in labor and wear parts.

For more jaw crusher machineinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

Quality production at a low cost is everyone's goal. Just be sure to consider all elements of the crusher and your operation's needs before making your selection. After all, the right machine will make every job easier and more profitable &#; just what the doctor ordered.

Sean Donaghy is the national sales manager at IROCK. He has more than 20 years of experience in the crushing business and has been with IROCK for seven years.

If you are a rock, sand, gravel or mineral processing industry veteran, you know that there are several different types and styles of crushing equipment. The exact crushers you need&#;jaw, cone, impact or gyratory&#;depend on the jobsite, the product you&#;re making, and how much you need to produce.

An individual crusher&#;s construction and capabilities also dictate where in your processing operations it will fit. That is, you may have multiple types of crushers situated in primary, secondary and tertiary stations in a circuit format to perform the necessary material reduction work. Each type of crusher brings unique strengths and benefits to the process.

This article focuses on compression-style jaw crushers, which are most often employed in the primary stage of a crushing circuit. It&#;s important to know that cone crushers are sometimes used in their place, and we&#;ll also talk a little bit about when cone crushers may be preferred over jaw crushers. 

What is a Jaw Crusher?

Jaw crushers are sometimes also referred to as &#;rock breakers,&#; which speaks to their brute force. They are almost exclusively used as primary crushers because they excel at breaking up some of the largest and hardest materials into more manageable pieces for further reduction by different crushing equipment. Jaw crushers have a multitude of advantages, including:

• Ability to handle many different types of materials&#;from hard granite to reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and more&#;without displaying as much wear and tear as primary impact-style crushers.
• Typically output minimal fine materials and dust.
• More efficient than primary gyratory crushers.

Due to their smaller physical size, jaw crushers are also ideal for tight spaces, such as underground mining and mobile crushing applications, where some other primary crushing solutions do not fit.

What are the Different Types of Jaw Crushers? 

Jaw crushers have been around for nearly 200 years and are one of the most &#;historic&#; crusher types. Because of this, jaw crushers have undergone many technological advances through the years to become more durable and to improve their movement to reduce choking and increase operational speed. These design tweaks over time have perfected a machine that&#;s simple enough in its working principle that it may never become obsolete.

Today, two main jaw crusher configurations can be seen from the major equipment manufacturers. They differ based on how the swing jaw moves, though their output is similar.

Double Toggle&#;Blake Type or Overhead Pivot Movement

Double toggle movement jaw crushers like the Blake style (named for the inventor of the first successful mechanical jaw crusher, Eli Whitney Blake) have long been the standard for crushing hard and abrasive rocks, as well as sticky feeds. These jaw crushers have high energy-efficiency. The overhead pivot design further reduces wear and tear on crusher faces versus the Blake style.

Single Toggle&#;Overhead Eccentric Movement

More compact than double toggle designs, the single toggle movement jaw crusher was at one time unable to accept such large feed sizes, though it can typically run faster. Technological innovations solved the feed size issue, and now these machines are popular for how quickly they work. They do experience more wear and tear than the double toggle style crushers, but wear parts are widely available and economical.

How Does a Jaw Crusher Work?

Different jaw crusher designs will operate slightly differently, but how they work is similar across the board. All jaw crushers reduce large sized rocks ore, or other materials by a compression action. A fixed jaw, mounted in a V-shaped alignment, is the stationary breaking surface, while a movable, &#;swing&#; jaw exerts force on the feed material by pushing it against the stationary plate.

The space at the bottom of the V-aligned jaw plates is the output gap that dictates the size of the crushed product from the jaw crusher. The rock remains in the jaws until it is small enough to pass through the gap.

The video below created by SANDVIK illustrates how jaw crushers operate.

Which are Better: Jaw or Cone Crushers?

While jaw crushers may always be a smart primary crusher stage choice for many operations, it&#;s true that newer cone crushers are increasingly taking their place due to versatility. Cone crushers and jaw crushers both work by compression, reducing materials by squeezing them until they break apart.

The benefit that cone crushers offer over jaw crushers is their ability to output a more cubical product similar to impact crushers. Cone crushers have traditionally been used as secondary and sometimes tertiary crushing stations.

As far as answering whether one type of crusher is better than another, context is key. Everything comes down to what your production needs and goals are.

How Can I Find the Best Crushers for my Operations?

It&#;s true that crushers are customizable to help you extract material, break it down into usable product, and get it to market most economically and efficiently. The best way to find the right crushers for your unique operation is to work with a knowledgeable material handling solutions partner like Kemper Equipment.

The right partner can help you design a custom crushing circuit to boost your productivity and transform your operations.