Ed Sauser from Superior Industries gives his tips on how to troubleshoot a vibrating screen and address common pain points.
When a vibrating screen is causing issues in the quarry pit, how do you go about troubleshooting it?
While no operator or quarry business wants to spend significant time troubleshooting these pain points, it is a reality that all equipment, including vibrating screens, will eventually break down.
When that happens, workers need to know what to look for and how to troubleshoot the problems to return the equipment to operation and negate downtime on site.
Ed Sauser, vibratory product manager for Superior Industries, shared his industry insights into the best ways to troubleshoot common issues on the vibrating screen.
Screen troubleshooting – stop, look, and listen
When it comes to the first rule of troubleshooting, Sauser has one golden rule for all operators. Stop a second – and just observe.
“What do you see, hear, or smell when taking an up-close look at a vibrating screen? Many plant operators are keenly aware of the sights, sounds, and smells that signal proper screen operation, or a potential need for maintenance,” he said.
However, whether the operator is an industry veteran or a new trainee, Sauser said it is important to develop observation skills when troubleshooting equipment.
He shared what to look and listen for when the screen is running – and a few things to observe and note when inspecting the equipment during shut down.
Look for a symmetrical operation
When the screen is running, look for even operation from side to side.
It is important to note whether one side of the screen is moving identically to the opposite side. Screen operation must be symmetrical. If not, screening efficiency is immediately affected, while costly damage to the machine is likely over the long term.
While operations may use the latest electronic sensors or gauges to measure the stroke (motion) of the machine, a manual “tracing” exercise has commonly been used over past decades.
Sauser recommended taking a pencil and holding it firmly against the sidewall of the screen to see what kind of a “stroke pattern” it creates when the machine is operating.
A pattern that is even from side to side indicates that the angle of the stroke is also even from side to side.
Check spring lengths
Even if a screen seems to be running correctly, it’s always best to measure the length of the springs on each side of the screen.
On bigger screens, an eighth-inch difference between the two isn’t a concern, but when it gets beyond a quarter-inch difference, it is time to level up the machine.
“Spring length does not need to be the same from the feed end to the discharge end, as one end of the machine is usually a little heavier – but when the spring lengths vary from side to side that’s an issue,” Sauser said.
“A quarter-inch difference side-to-side may not sound like much, but if the opposing corner on the other end of the screen measures the same quarter-inch difference, this indicates a half-inch twist in the support structure – which is a huge problem. Always check for diagonal differences.”
Listen to the machine and its operators
When it comes to understanding a fault in any equipment, especially screens, the best information can often come from the machine itself and its operators. Sauser said listening to the machine may sound simple, but it can provide valuable information.
“The presence of banging, clanging, or hammering noises are all obvious signs of machine distress.
“Smells are essential too, especially if hot oil or rubber is present,” he said.
For example, the smell of hot rubber may indicate that the belts are slipping and require attention.
Sauser also recommended listening to other crew members and operators.
“How do each of them think the machine is operating? Is it doing the job on each shift? Has anything in its operation changed recently? Having additional pairs of eyes and ears is always a good idea,” he said.
Ongoing observation
For the best results, ongoing observation of the equipment is critical to maximising up-time, which has flow-on effects on productivity and efficiency on the site.
“When you think you’ve seen enough, look again – perhaps, at the product stockpiles. If you’re seeing an abundance of oversized material, there might be a hole in the screen media. During shutdown, take a look at the wear patterns on the side walls of the machine,” Sauser said.
“Are they similar on each side? Does it look like there’s been an even material depth and flow running down both sides of the machine? Also, look for material buildup on the feed or discharge end that could be adding more weight to one part of the screen over another.
“No matter where you look, there’s always something more to see, learn, and improve. When combined with solid scheduled maintenance practices, ongoing observation leads to optimum processing efficiency.” •
For more information, visit superior-ind.com
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