Precautions for Crusher Feed Control

Precautions for Crusher Feed Control

The stable, efficient operation and long service life of a crusher largely depend on correct and uniform feed control. Poor feeding methods are a major cause of equipment overload, uneven wear, reduced output, and frequent malfunctions. The following are key points to note during operation:

I. Core Principles: Uniform, Continuous, and Controllable

**Strictly Prohibit Overfeeding or Underfeeding:**

**Overfeeding (Excessive Feeding):** Leads to blockage of the crushing chamber, a sharp increase in motor current (overload), potentially causing tripping and shutdown, and in severe cases, damage to core components such as the main shaft and bearings.

**Underfeeding (Intermittent Feeding):** The equipment operates without load, resulting in low output and accelerated wear on vulnerable parts such as crushing plates and hammers due to the lack of an effective material cushion, leading to unnecessary energy consumption.

**Maintaining Continuous and Stable Feeding:** The ideal feeding state is to maintain a suitable filling level in the crushing chamber, forming a "material cushion" that protects vulnerable parts while being crushed.

**Maintaining Continuous and Stable Feeding:** The ideal feeding state is to keep the material in the crushing chamber at a suitable filling level, forming a "material cushion" that protects vulnerable parts while being crushed. II. Material Size Control: Oversized Feeding Strictly Prohibited

Strictly Adhere to Maximum Feed Size: Each crusher has a clearly defined maximum allowable feed particle size (found on the equipment nameplate or instruction manual). Feeding materials exceeding this size is strictly prohibited, as it can easily cause material jamming, blockage of the crushing chamber, and even impact damage to the equipment structure.

Use Pre-treatment Equipment: If the incoming material contains a small number of oversized pieces, they should be screened out beforehand using a grid screen, bar screen, or pre-treated using a hydraulic breaker.

III. Material Property Control: Preventing Foreign Objects and Inappropriate Materials

Remove Metal Foreign Objects: Unbreakable metal parts such as iron blocks, chisel tips, and shovel teeth mixed in the material are "killers" of the crusher. They must be strictly removed before feeding using a magnetic separator to prevent them from entering the crushing chamber and causing damage to the hammers, plates, and liners, or even serious accidents such as rotor jamming.

Controlling Material Moisture and Viscosity: Materials with high moisture content and high viscosity (such as wet clay) are prone to adhesion and blockage in the crushing chamber and discharge port. Moisture content should be reduced as much as possible beforehand, or a model suitable for wet, sticky materials (such as a heavy-duty hammer crusher without grates) should be selected. If this is necessary, close monitoring is required, and unclogging tools should be readily available.

IV. Matching Feeding Equipment and Method

Use suitable feeding equipment: Vibrating feeders or plate feeders should be used, as they provide uniform, adjustable-speed continuous feeding and are ideal choices. Avoid using uncontrollable tilting feeding methods.

Correctly Adjust Feeding Speed: The feed rate should be adjusted in real time according to the operating current of the crusher's main motor. Maintaining the current between 85% and 95% of the rated current is the optimal feed rate.

Ensure Centered Feed Point: Material should be evenly fed into the entire width of the crushing chamber to avoid uneven feeding, which can lead to severe one-sided wear and uneven machine stress.

V. Monitoring and Emergency Response During Operation

Dedicated Monitoring: Operators should constantly monitor the motor ammeter, equipment operating sounds, and vibrations. Abnormally high current, unusual metallic clanging sounds, or severe vibrations often indicate improper feeding or the entry of foreign objects; the machine should be stopped immediately for inspection.

Handling Blockages: In case of blockage, feeding must be stopped immediately and the crusher power supply turned off. Only after the equipment has completely stopped should the blockage in the crushing chamber be cleared. It is strictly forbidden to dig with hands or tools while the equipment is running.

Summary: Proper Feeding Leads to Effective Processing

Feed control is the "first step" in crushing operations and one of the most critical steps. Always remember the four key principles: stable and continuous feeding, uniform and qualified particle size, clean and iron-free material, and appropriate feeding speed. Developing standardized feeding habits is the best protection for the equipment and the fundamental guarantee for achieving high output, low consumption, and long-term operation.