Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/908212
AGGREGATES MANAGER / December 2017 13 Customize screen systems Take a holistic view toward processing Focus on quality control and maintenance New material science enables producers to customize their screen systems to better match their production goals while fi tting various budgets. Wire mesh has been the traditional screen media and is known for having the most open area, crucial to getting the most throughput. However, alternate materials such as rubber and urethane — and now rubber with a metal panel in the center — are being used to create more robust and modular screen system designs. Lower durometer screen materials help to keep the screens from plugging up while creating a consistent product. Understand what occurs in front of and behind the screen and how interaction between these various facets affects material throughput and effi ciency. In a moderate feed, the speed and stroke play a role in effi ciency. If material is only being fed down one side of the conveyor to the screen, it will affect pro- duction and could cause unnecessary wear on the equipment. Also, the closer in size the material is to the aperture, the harder it is to get through the screen. A larger aperture may be necessary to sort near-size product. Before or during each shift, the operation's main- tenance team should check screen panels. With a heavy feed rate, it's also important to use the entire top deck of a screen system to achieve the greatest effi ciency from all the decks. As part of quality control measures, check for consistency of the crusher feed. If a crusher goes empty, material will not be screened properly because a fi nished product is not being sent, and the material will continue to recirculate. Take note if crushing is being done effi ciently by monitor- ing what is coming off of the top screen and what is going back to the crusher. 2 3 4