If you’re actively shopping for rock crushers, you probably already have your particular operation’s exact requirements in mind, or at least have a good idea about your crushing needs. As you know, the sizes, varieties, and hardness of the rock you need to crush, as well as the necessary output from the crusher are key factors in deciding what type or style you should be shopping for. (Our earlier post here on the blog goes into detail about crusher types to help you sort through that decision-making process if you’re unsure.)
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Whether you are shopping for new crushing equipment for your operation, or are looking to incorporate some quality pre-owned machinery to save on cost, Kemper Equipment is your one-stop shop for rock crushers. Our goal is to match your company’s specific needs with the ideal equipment every time, but if you’re new to the mining or quarrying industry, we realize you may not even know what questions to ask about crushers you see for sale either through us or another resource. Today’s blog post will take a closer look at what you need to know from any equipment dealer or third party seller in order to make the right crusher purchase.
What type of rock crusher do I need?
At the highest level, you must know whether you’re in need of a primary crusher for larger rock coming straight out of the quarry, a secondary crusher to refine the output from the primary crusher, or a tertiary/final reduction crusher that will output your finished product. If you’re looking for all three types to set up a new plant or replace an existing plant, we’d love to talk with you about your specific needs and overall processes. In these design/build and retrofit scenarios, working closely with a professional team of equipment experts at Kemper Equipment will assure that your rock crushing system is as efficient and cost-effective as possible.
It’s true that while experts know what type of crusher is in front of them just from casually viewing it, less experienced buyers may not know exactly what they’re seeing. There is overlap between primary and secondary crushers regarding what types are appropriate. Jaw, impact, and gyratory crushers can be utilized for both primary and secondary crushing, but specific facts about the individual machines will determine their stage placement in production. Similarly, roll crushers may be employed in a secondary or tertiary position in the crushing process, though they are typically more suitable for use as a tertiary crusher. Different types of cone crushers can also be found in secondary and tertiary placements, too.
Additionally, you may also come in contact with portable full crushing plants. These do-it-all crushers are great for businesses that often need to move around to different work sites, though even more stationary operations sometimes find them suitable depending upon the material they’re working with. Portable crushing plants are above all convenient and flexible, though the initial cost may be somewhat high compared to buying individual pieces of equipment, especially if you are only looking to replace one crusher in your process.
What tonnage do I need to produce?
This question seems simple but is actually quite complex. By asking a seller about the capacity of a particular rock crusher, you’re really asking to learn several facts about it, including the horsepower, the size of the feed opening, and what size feed material it will accept for crushing. Is it a primary, secondary, or tertiary crusher (with primary crushers accepting the largest size material for reduction, of course)? These factors, along with the crusher’s type (jaw, impact, gyratory, etc.) will give you an idea of how many tons of rock can be processed per hour through the crusher based on some mathematical computations. Capacity can vary also based on your operation’s feeding method, and on the feed material characteristics such as bulk density, moisture, and more.
It’s true that entire textbooks have been dedicated to the extraction and processing of rocks and minerals, and knowing the capacity of a particular rock crusher for sale can be difficult without seeing it in person, taking measurements, and verifying information with the manufacturer. Of course, the main thing you need to know before you even ask this question is how many tons your operation is looking to process per hour or day. Shopping for crushing equipment before you know this fact will be almost impossible.
What’s the final size product I need to make?
Asking about the minimum setting of rock crushing equipment will give you the significant information you need about how small the crusher can break down material. For example, a primary jaw crusher will typically have a minimum setting between 4” and 6”. To further break down this material, your secondary and tertiary crushers will need to have smaller minimum settings. Reduction ratios also come into play when considering how small material will be broken down between the three stages in the crushing process. Often, between primary and secondary crushing, you may expect to see an 8 to 1 reduction, which can be easily achieved with a cone crusher. From there, you’ll need to know how fine your final product needs to be so you can choose the right tertiary crusher. For example, fine cone tertiary crushers typically have a minimum setting of about 3/8”.
How about the price?
While pricing varies based on whether equipment is new or used, different types of crushers will sometimes carry vastly different price tags, as well. For example, gyratory crushers are generally much more expensive than jaw and impact crushers. It’s true that if you’re scouring online listings for used equipment, you’ll often see prices listed. However, how do you know if it’s fair? Generally, those who are selling pre-owned crushers will try to get the highest price they can, and that may lead you to overpaying when you don’t have to. Purchasing your equipment through a reputable, professional dealer like Kemper Equipment, with factory warranties, service, and support will always assure that you get your money’s worth.
Also on the subject of price, you’ll want to know the maintenance requirements for any crusher you’re purchasing. Some crusher types naturally require more downtime for maintenance than others just based on their construction. For instance, standard cone crushers feature manganese parts that need to be changed out every six weeks to six years depending upon the rock being processed, and this maintenance can take up to one full day to complete. Other crusher types have similar maintenance needs, but frequency and downtime for replacing parts will vary. These considerations should be calculated into the overall cost of the crusher.
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:
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- 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.
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