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Potential pitfalls of standardizing material processing
Successful material processing requires innovative techniques, but is streamlining crushing, screening and other stages taking creativity from producers away. Keep Reading
Selecting feeders for optimized success
They may seem like minor components, but feeders can play an important role in the overall success of a plant. Keep Reading
Make ConExpo-Con/Agg work for you
How to maximize your time between the exhibits, educational sessions, networking opportunities and other events at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2017. Keep Reading
3 factors to consider when choosing a screen
Columnist Paul Smith offers the three variables producers must consider when choosing a screen. Keep Reading
The portable plant of the future
Dust collection systems, refined guarding and noise suppression are ahead for portable plants. Keep Reading
Keeping up with infrastructure requires special mindset
Passage of a long-term highway bill was long overdue. Investing in our infrastructure is like investing in our health. We should never stop. In fact, I don’t think it is even a matter of choice. We already made a commitment to maintain our infrastructure when we installed it decades ago. Shame on us for letting it get to the point where bridges are collapsing and so many of our roads are worn to the point where they are unsafe during a rainfall. Maintenance of our infrastructure isn’t just limited to repairs; it must also include reform. I find it interesting that the environmental supporters who embrace hybrid cars and scoff at being stuck in traffic never seem to support programs that would increase traffic flow and reduce the idle time that contributes to air pollution. As for corporate America, whenever a highway bill is passed it is always a shot in the arm for our industry. The biggest difference is that everyone is confident there will be plenty of work… Keep Reading
Which power configuration is best?
The world we live in is constantly changing. I’ve learned it’s crucial to stay “loose in the saddle” and keep doing the next right thing. Otherwise, I’ll create unnecessary misery for myself and those around me. Case in point: The current debate over power configurations available on portable processing equipment. On the surface, the arguments for both are fairly straightforward. The biggest benefit of diesel engines is that they provide a captive power source, provided that you keep filling the fuel tank. This enables the equipment to be deployed to remote locations where line power simply isn’t available. If the engines are used as a direct drive to large horsepower crushers, such as cone crushers, they also eliminate the need to toil with the large, cumbersome electric cables that must be connected to electric motors. Having each plant equipped with individual power units also facilitates the added flexibility to separate or split the system and only turn on the engines that are required for a specific job. This can help… Keep Reading
Tracked vs. wheeled portable plants
Tracked? Wheeled? We take a look at which type of portable plant is the more productive. About 15 years ago I had this fantastic idea to revolutionize our industry by developing a process to crush rocks with sonic waves. As fate would have it, I met a couple of ex-Los Alamos physicists who were only too happy to sketch the idea on a bar napkin for me. Soon after, I gained the courage to suggest the idea to one of my mentors. He politely listened to my pitch as if I were the next poor sap about to get ousted on “Shark Tank,” and he then advised me that while possible, the energy costs of crushing rocks with sound waves were far too prohibitive. The takeaway: Just because you can do something doesn’t necessarily mean you should. If you’re a producer who’s accustomed to running 100,000 or more tons per year of material at multiple sites with a “portable” wheeled system, my experience has been that many of you have… Keep Reading
6 steps to streamline mobile processing
Six simple solutions to enhance culture, improve safety and increase profits. Have you ever found yourself waiting impatiently at a traffic light when there were clearly no cars coming in the other direction? Do you ever find yourself looking for something that you use almost every day, such as your car keys or your cell phone? Have you ever spent a few minutes going through your closet looking for a favorite shirt, only to find yourself filling up a large bag full of clothes destined for Goodwill? We deal with wasteful activities like these on a daily basis. And if you are engaged in mobile processing, you are acutely aware of the many challenges with which you’re faced. Below are common challenges portable producers face: Equipment that must be highly efficient and reliable while producing maximum volumes and having the flexibility to produce an array of product specifications or adapt to any material condition. The loss of revenue associated with downtime between moves to prep, clean, tear down, load, set… Keep Reading
