Mobile Productivity, New Systems, Solving Producer Challenges and More.
By Mark S. Kuhar
Aggregates producers are always looking at the latest product innovations and improvements. Here are some of the latest developments in the areas of crushing and breaking.
Kleemann
The intuitive SPECTIVE operating concept from Kleemann contributes significantly to efficient operability of the Kleemann crushing plants. The mobile application SPECTIVE CONNECT, in particular, supports the operator on the worksite on a typical workday.
The crushing tools of the plants can now also be managed conveniently in SPECTIVE CONNECT. The system has been extended by the practical “Tool Management” feature for this purpose. Tool Management permits documentation of the plant crushing tools and their service lives in SPECTIVE CONNECT.
SPECTIVE CONNECT is first used to make the manual selection of the tool. These are the TRON rotor ledges for the impact crusher, the BITE crusher jaws for the jaw crusher and the CONE bowl liner and crusher cone for the cone crusher, which are available in different versions.
The current tool, the operating hours with this tool and the crushed tons during the current usage period are displayed in the dashboard. Furthermore, other optional tools can be displayed and assigned to the project. The operator thus always has an overview of the tools installed in the machine.
When a tool is assigned, the current date, the current operating hours and – with the use of a belt scale – the plant performance are documented. If it is necessary to change the tool, a new tool can be assigned in SPECTIVE CONNECT or the time of turning can be documented.
The previous tools remain in a history. After some time, an average service life can be calculated, or read out. A pending tool change can then be planned in good time. Advantage to the operator: Good planning for less downtime.
The Tool Management information is available to all connected SPECTIVE CONNECT users – synchronization takes place automatically. For simple repeat ordering of the tools via your Wirtgen Group contact person, Tool Management also includes an order form.
The continuous further development of the digital toolbox of SPECTIVE and SPECTIVE CONNECT makes possible more safety for the operator, higher plant availability, better utilization and thus higher cost-effectiveness.
Wirtgen Group (Kleemann), www.wirtgen-group.com
McLanahan
McLanahan Corp. has partnered with Cemex for its latest project in Shepperton, West London, U.K. The plant will include an UltraWASH 5165-31S and an UltraCRUSH CC90 Cone Crusher system to allow the producer to process natural sand and gravel.
McLanahan’s team of process engineers and design engineers worked closely with Cemex to design the best solution for the needs of the project. The UltraWASH and UltraCRUSH will work together to allow the plant to produce two sizes of aggregate and one concrete sand. The McLanahan UltraWASH consists of a feeder, sizing screen, pumps, hydrocyclones, dewatering screens and product conveyers. The UltraCRUSH Cone Crusher is designed on a modular structure that allows for quick installation and start-up, all while still producing the necessary spec size for the project.
The raw feed material will be introduced into the McLanahan systems by land conveyor to a variable speed belt feed hopper. The primary rinsing screen separates the feed into 10- and 20-mm aggregate, while everything greater than 20 mm is conveyed to the UltraCRUSH to be sized and recirculated back into the system. The 4-mm sand and water from the process will be sent to a sump before being pumped to Hydrocyclones, which classify the sand to meet required specifications by separating out any fine sand and silt. The product sized sand then discharges from the Hydrocyclones onto a Dewatering Screen to remove excess moisture before stockpiling.
“We are delighted to provide a solution to one of the largest aggregate producers in the U.K. Cemex operates 22 quarries in this region and this is the first plant supplied by McLanahan for their operations here,” said Donal McNicholl, director of sales – U.K. & Ireland for McLanahan. “We are proud to be continuing to form strong relationships in the U.K. with companies like Cemex, and we look forward to seeing where this partnership can take both companies.”
“Working with McLanahan, to install the new plant equipment at our Shepperton quarry in West London, will allow us to continue to produce essential building materials to support the demand for local building and infrastructure improvements across the area. The team at McLanahan were receptive to the specific requirements of the site and we were delighted with their flexibility in meeting our needs,” said Kevin Cage, head of aggregate operations UK for Cemex.
McLanahan Corp., www.mclanahan.com
Sandvik
Sandvik showcased its CH840i cone crusher and QI353 mobile impact crusher, while at the same time displaying its rock tools offering, at this year’s AGG1 show in Nashville.
The Sandvik CH840i is a technologically advanced, high-capacity mid-range cone crusher for secondary and tertiary crushing, designed for crushing applications in mines or large sized quarries. It features a maximum feed size of 10 in. and includes an automation and connectivity system, which adapts the crusher to varying feed conditions ensuring maximum 24/7 performance.
The Sandvik QI353 is the most versatile, mid-sized mobile impactor available on the market today, the company stated. Targeted to the quarry, recycling and contractor segments, it has been built in response to customer research with more productivity, uptime, efficiency, flexibility, connectivity and safety at the forefront of its innovative design.
Sandvik, www.sandvik.com
Stedman
Stedman Grand-Slam secondary impact crushers are built to handle thousands of materials, ores, and chemicals in wet and dry applications. The crushing action of the Grand-Slam HSI delivers properly sized material the first time through.
The field-proven, Stedman Grand Slam secondary impact crushers will give you years of dependable and profitable service, the company stated. Innovative features make it superior in performance to any type of its kind today. These are available in 12 low-maintenance, minimum downtime models with interchangeable breaker bars, breaker plates, and side liners for all models.
Design simplicity offers safe and easy access for breaker bar replacement and unexcelled access to all other areas of the crushing chamber. The front opening feature eliminates the need for a crane. If preferred, Stedman also offers a rear opening housing on all models of its granite and stone crushing machine.
Stedman, www.stedman-machine.com
Superior Industries
Superior Industries Inc. announced it finalized its intended acquisition of Belen, N.M.-based CEMCO Inc. As part of the sale, Superior attained a 147,500-sq.-ft. manufacturing facility in the heart of the American Southwest.
“This acquisition comes at a time when we’re responding to dealers and increasing manufacturing capacity,” said Jason Adams, president of Superior Industries. “The New Mexico facility will be the new home to all of Superior’s impact crushers, increase portable plant manufacturing by about 40%, and give us more room to strengthen stock of critical components.”
The Cemco VSI name and design aren’t going anywhere, said Superior, as the pioneering vertical shaft impactor is widely used and very popular in the production of cube-shaped aggregate. Going forward, the company will be rebranded as Superior Industries, but the Cemco VSI name will live on as a trademark for Superior’s VSI crushers.
“The facility is awesome, the VSI is a high-grade performer, but it’s those hard-working men and women of Belen, N.M., that we’re most blessed to have in our expanded company,” said Adams. “In fact, we want to double the amount of employees in Belen as soon as we can.”
Superior previously announced that along with the well-established Patriot Cone Crusher, the company now manufactures a Dakota Cone and Endeavor Cone. Each model has its own set of unique features, so aggregate producers get premium performance in a wide variety of applications.
“Instead of having to make a choice, we want to offer our customers a solution,” said Adams. “From one manufacturer, aggregate producers now have three cone crusher options and can pick what’s right for their application, marketplace, and crews.”
The Dakota Cone Crusher is a roller bearing design, which typically offers the most efficient use of horsepower per ton of crushed rock. Some features include a steel threaded bowl, one piece cast mainframe, a tramp relief system with fewer accumulators, and a hydraulically operated ant-spin system, which eliminates labor-intensive installation of individual gears.
Superior’s new Endeavor Cone is a spider bushing design. Historically, spider bushing cones accept the largest range of feed sizes and are known for simple operation and favorable maintenance. Other features include the strongest shaft style our industry has designed to date, which is supported on a cast top and cast bottom shell; top access chamber, which is safer to access and simpler to maintain; and multiple strokes and liner configurations for increased application flexibility.
With these two additions, Superior’s cone crushing products are capable of high performance in primary, secondary or tertiary applications and within portable or stationary settings. Maximum feed opening is up to 18-in. (450 mm) with horsepower ranging from 200 to 800 (150 to 600 kW).
Superior Industries, www.superior-ind.com
Metso
The installation of Nordberg HP4 cone crushers, along with other strategic plant enhancements, has ushered in a new era of efficiency for the Harding Street Quarry in Indianapolis. By reducing the recirculating load, the production of sellable products has increased, as well as performance, safety and operational efficiency.
In 2022, Heidelberg Materials – formerly known as Lehigh Hanson – identified a crucial challenge with their operation. Alarmingly high recirculating loads were compromising the efficiency at Harding Street Quarry, resulting in the production of suboptimal materials. Faced with this obstacle, the quarry crew took charge and turned to Metso and our distributor, Process Machinery Inc. (PMI), demonstrating their commitment to enhancing efficiency and overcoming challenges head-on.
“We were crushing it, not getting it down to the size, coming back around and recirculating, which just generates more fines every time it went through the old crushers” said Randy Jones, superintendent, Harding Street Quarry.
“The issues that we were having with our old crushers had to do with the consistency and product yields. We were struggling with keeping up with certain sizes and keeping certain gradation.”
Metso’s distributor, PMI, studied the situation and came up with a plan. To get to the bottom of the issue, significant modifications needed to be done to the plant layout. The core of the plan was to replace two large and inefficient Symons 7’ SH cone crushers with two new Metso Nordberg HP4 cone crushers. This would secure reduction of fractions and maximize the limestone that was being crushed.
PMI designed, engineered and installed upgrades to the plant that – together with the new Nordberg HP4 cone crushers – helped in eliminating the recirculating load. This solution meant that materials, once correctly crushed, could continue their journey without the unnecessary burden of being sent back through the processing cycle.
These modifications have enabled Heidelberg to produce more 8’s 11’s and 12’s – which are the target aggregate sizes they need – thus marking a transformative success for Harding Street Quarry.
“After looking at other options the Metso solution was the best option for us,” said Jones. “PMI helped Heidelberg determine what size was needed to meet all their solutions, and so far, it’s been flawless.”
Metso, www.metso.com
Rock Products talks to Montabert
Rock Products recently caught up with Montabert General Manager Aaron Scarfia and Senior Buyer/Planner Chelsi Langa to talk AGG1, breakers and more.
RP: How was the AGG1 experience for Montabert this year?
Chelsi Langa: I thought it was pretty good. I think we had a good turnout and we had a lot of people who were interested in the demolition tools and attachments that we are now going to be offering along with the Lehnhoff couplers, so I think there was definitely a lot of generated interest there between those two points.
RP: What percentage of the people stopping at the booth were from the aggregates industry versus demolition or construction?
Langa: Definitely aggregates, but also demolition and a lot of construction. I know Aaron talked to a number of people, so he might have some different points of view on that.
Aaron Scarfia: I was actually surprised how many people were interested in the pulverizer for demolition that we brought to the show. Many aggregate producers who were attending the show actually have their own processing facilities: recycling facilities where they require a pulverizer or some sort of demolition attachments.
RP: What was the primary tool you were showing at AGG1?
Scarfia: We always show our breakers, as many quarries have breakers and booms to break up oversize when it gets stuck in their crusher. It is important to note the partnership between Tramac and Montabert, we really wanted to highlight that, plus the fact that a Tramac boom comes with a Montabert breaker. Also you could put a Lehnhoff coupler on it and you could then put a sorting grapple, a pulverizer – there are so many ways you can use these tools. The versatility is amazing and I think operations really value the ability to turn on a dime and do something else, and do it quickly, as we all know time is money.
RP: Regarding the people you talked to at the booth, was there a lot of tire-kicking or were people actively telling you they were at the show to buy?
Langa: There was a little bit of both. There was one gentleman that was super interested in the pulverizer and he came back at least three times asking different questions and getting different specs.
RP: Were the people that you talked to equipped at their operation with the proper heavy iron to accommodate your breakers or pulverizers?
Scarfia: Most of the attendees that I was part of the conversation with were planning on using existing equipment and wanting to match something up to what they already had in use. We do occasionally talk to some customers who want to get more innovative and maybe use more attachments, but their excavator is just a bucket machine. In that case obviously entry level cost would be a bit higher.
RP: Can a producer put your attachments on just about any machine?
Scarfia: We can put our couplers and attachments on pretty much anything. If an excavator is old and the oil less than ideal, or contaminated, it’s a simple oil change but as long as the fluid stays clean we can put a coupler or attachment on most excavators. A lot of customers have told us, “I like to put breakers on my older equipment with high hours because breakers are hard on excavators.” One of our approaches is to educate them that Montabert Breakers are not as hard on excavators, our powercells are fully suspended and we have pressure absorption within the breaker itself so the percussion going up into the boom is very limited. We are actually starting to shift the thinking of some of these potential customers and they’re starting to put our breakers on new machines.
RP: What is the next step for Montabert in terms of promotion for your products?
Scarfia: At AGG1 we launched our low-cost quarry maintenance program so we’re heavily promoting that in the market right now with dealer involvement but also our new rebuild facility in Nashville, Ill. We feel like we’re well equipped to help end users be proactive in scheduling their maintenance. All of our breakers come with telematics so we can reach out to customers and tell them when it’s becoming time – they have enough percussion hours on a tool – to start thinking about a reseal and really driving home that this breaker is going to last for years and years if they do the regularly scheduled maintenance.
For more information go to www.montabert.com.