Tech Tip: Maximizing Screen Performance

Get Double Bearing Life With a Smarter Aggregate Screen Setup

Maximizing screen performance requires getting off to a good start, and attention to detail on day one means more dollars made down the road.

When setting up a new screening circuit, there is much to consider, but first the vibrating screen’s operational settings must be adjusted and maintained to suit the specific application.

“Speed and stroke are two of the major factors to fine tune when setting up a screen,” says Ed Sauser, vibratory product manager at Superior.

He shares the following tips to achieve top screen productivity right from the start.

Dialing In Settings

Speed (RPM) and stroke (amplitude) work together in standard formulas that offer optimum screening efficiency in a specific application. In very general terms, finer screening requires less stroke and higher speed, while coarse separation needs increased stroke and lower speed.

Proper speed for a given application creates a material travel rate and a bed depth that allows finer materials to pass through. In combination with proper speed, the screen’s stroke must be set at a level that’s strong enough to prevent plugging without risking damage to any of the machine's components.

Most manufacturers use the Vibrating Screen Manufacturers Association (VSMA) formula to determine optimum screen capacity, which is the calculated capacity per square foot of screen area in tons per hour. Additionally, the VSMA handbook offers a detailed, illustrated resource for step-by-step screen setup.

A quick manual check with a stroke card can reveal whether your vibrating screen is running at optimal amplitude and motion.

The Consequences of Untimely Maintenance

“What that means is that after about three or four years, you should be replacing one-third of your shoes every year until you stop using the machine,” he adds.

According to Bennington, this is the most cost-effective route operators can take with their shoe maintenance. Still, despite a pattern that offers simplicity, most operators put this routine aside with the aim of simplifying maintenance further. 

Unfortunately, such attempts tend to backfire, resulting in even more intense maintenance and additional downtime.