Types of Crushing Equipment

Crushing equipment is used by a variety of industries to refine raw materials. One of the most popular pieces is the cone crusher.

The most important aspect of any cone crusher is its sizing gap. This setting determines the size of your finished product. It is important to maintain consistent CSS settings throughout a shift.

Cones

A variety of industries rely on crushing equipment to refine raw materials down to a size that more closely resembles the final product. This type of equipment generates incredible amounts of force to break down large rocks into small particles. From there, the user can continue refining the product until it meets their exact specifications.

One of the most popular forms of this machinery is the cone crusher. As its name suggests, it's a compression machine that uses a conical-shaped piece of steel, known as the mantle, to crush material inside the crushing chamber. As it rotates, the mantle continuously compresses and reduces material, producing finer and smaller particles with each rotation.

These machines are well-suited to a wide range of raw materials, although they do have one inherent drawback. Because the size of their feed opening is limited, these crushers aren't able to accommodate raw material that's larger than their maximum allowable size. As a result, it's important to sample throughout the crushing process to ensure that the machine is working properly.

Screeners

Screeners separate similar-sized materials by vibrating them. They are used in various aggregate processing applications, such as demolition waste, material recycling, and construction industry.

Depending on the application, screening equipment may be integrated directly after the primary crusher (as in crushed stone plants) or just before stockpiling and material transport. In the latter case, the screening plant may be used to create a more homogeneous product that is easier to handle and process.

Feeders

Feeders are used to regulate the flow of raw material to the crusher. They often include a preliminary screening device which allows smaller pieces to bypass the primary crushing stage, reducing wear on machinery and increasing efficiency. They can be designed to receive material from conveyors, hoppers, trucks and front-end loaders.

They are typically powered by a mechanical crank or eccentric and connecting rod, or with a hydraulic cylinder. The vibration of the feeder plates creates a reciprocating motion which moves material along its length toward the discharge end. The feeder plate is usually separated into pan and grizzly sections. The grizzly section pre-sorts the feed, while the pan sections agitate and move material toward the discharge end of the feeder.

Hydraulics

Hydraulics are a key component of any large crushing equipment. They transfer power by converting fluid pressure into mechanical energy to run hydraulic motors, cylinders, or other machinery. Typically, a hydraulic system is powered by oil, although sometimes lubricants or synthetic fluids are used.

In a jaw crusher, for example, hydraulics provide quick adjustment to the closed side setting. This allows more time to be spent on production. In addition, hydraulics help prevent debris from building up inside the crusher and can be shut off with a single push of a button.

Hydraulics are found in many types of industrial machines, from paper mills and logging to manufacturing and robotics. They're also a common feature in many cars, where they use hydraulic mechanisms to make it possible to lift and shift gears or stop the car with just a press of your foot. A similar mechanism is used in elevators, allowing them to move up or down and lean backward or forward.