Introduction

Feeder Breaker has a wide range of applications, from mining to building materials processing, from the metallurgical industry to the power industry. In coal mining, the Feeder Breaker is responsible for the initial crushing of large pieces of coal mined from underground, enabling them to smoothly enter subsequent processes such as screening and washing, ensuring the continuity and efficiency of coal production.

To ensure the stable and efficient operation of the Feeder Breaker, reasonable maintenance is crucial, which can guarantee the performance of the equipment and avoid the waste of resources caused. Neglecting maintenance and management will not only significantly shorten the service life of equipment, but also may cause serious safety accidents, bringing huge economic losses and reputation damage to enterprises. Therefore, it is of great practical significance to deeply explore the maintenance frequency and cycle management of Feeder Breaker.

The key factors influencing maintenance frequency

Working environment

Continuous high-load operation

The continuous high-load operation of the Feeder Breaker is the norm, and it meets the production demands by working non-stop for a long time. Long-term and high-intensity operation subjects each component of the equipment to continuous heavy pressure and impact. Under the action of high torque, the tooth surface wear of transmission components such as gears and chains intensifies, and the chains are prone to elongation and chain detachment. Frequent material impacts subject the crushing teeth, hammers and liners to extreme pressure, with the wear rate far exceeding that under normal operating conditions. Therefore, for the Feeder Breaker that operates continuously at high load, the maintenance cycle needs to be significantly shortened. If the maintenance cycle is one month under normal working conditions, it may be shortened to half a month or even less under continuous high load, so as to replace worn parts in time, inspect the electrical system, ensure the stable operation of the equipment, and avoid huge economic losses caused by production interruption due to sudden faults.

Dust and Humidity

In industries such as mining and building materials processing, the work sites are filled with dust, and the humidity often varies due to changes in the environment and material properties. Dust can invade the seals of the Feeder Breaker, generating friction and accelerating the wear of the seals. Excessive humidity causes the lubricating oil to emulsify and deteriorate, reducing its lubrication effect, increasing friction between components, accelerating wear, and may also lead to rusting of metal parts and weaken structural strength. Therefore, in harsh environments with high dust and humidity, it is necessary to inspect and maintain the Feeder Breaker more frequently, such as increasing the frequency of seal checks, regularly cleaning electrical components, and promptly replacing lubricating oil affected by humidity.

Material characteristics

Hardness and abrasiveness

The hardness and abrasiveness of different materials vary greatly, and so does the degree of wear on the Feeder Breaker. When crushing materials with high hardness and strong abrasiveness, the crushing teeth, hammer heads and liners are subject to friction and wear out rapidly. The maintenance frequency needs to be adjusted in a timely manner according to the characteristics of the materials. For materials with high hardness and abrasiveness, the crushing teeth, hammers and liners should be inspected and replaced more frequently.

Viscous material

When the Feeder Breaker processes sticky materials such as clay and certain wet coals, these materials tend to adhere to the inner walls of the equipment, the crushing teeth and the liners, gradually accumulating, causing equipment blockage and affecting the crushing efficiency and normal operation. The accumulation of materials at the feed inlet will impede the entry of subsequent materials and reduce the processing capacity of the equipment. Adhering in the crushing cavity will change the movement trajectory of the crushing teeth, affect the crushing effect, and may also cause intensified equipment vibration and damage other components. The Feeder Breaker for handling sticky materials needs to shorten the cleaning cycle and increase the maintenance frequency. For instance, the equipment needs to be cleaned every other shift to prevent material accumulation. At the same time, the interior of the equipment should be inspected regularly to ensure that no material residue could cause damage to the equipment.

Running time

Taking the operating hours as the maintenance benchmark can accurately reflect the actual wear and fatigue degree of the feeder breaker. If maintenance is carried out based on calendar time, it may lead to excessive maintenance when the equipment has less operating time and less wear, resulting in a waste of resources. However, when the operation time is long and the wear is severe, insufficient maintenance increases the risk of failure. Maintenance can be arranged based on the operating hours and carried out precisely according to the actual operating conditions of the equipment.

Maintenance cycle decomposition

Daily inspection

Operating status

If the motor current experiences sharp fluctuations, it may indicate abnormal motor load, such as material blockage or jamming of transmission components, which can cause the motor to overheat or even burn out. Abnormal oil pressure fluctuations may be due to oil pump failure, oil circuit blockage or damage to hydraulic components, affecting the normal transmission of the feeder breaker. Excessively high working temperature indicates intensified internal friction of the equipment, which may be due to poor lubrication, bearing damage and other reasons. Timely detection and handling of these abnormal fluctuations can prevent the expansion of equipment failures and ensure their stable operation.

Abnormal noise and vibration

The normal operating sound is smooth and continuous. Sharp whistling is mostly due to bearing wear. Periodic impacts may be caused by gear wear/broken teeth or broken teeth hitting hard objects. Irregular noises are often due to loose components. Use a portable vibration detector to measure parameters such as amplitude and frequency and compare them with the standard. Excessive vibration amplitude may indicate rotor imbalance, bearing damage, etc. Abnormal frequency may cause resonance and damage the structure. Timely handling of abnormalities can lead to the early replacement of components and tightening of bolts to prevent sudden malfunctions.

Appearance and Cleaning

Operators need to use tools such as shovels and hooks to remove large debris and foreign objects like steel bars from the feeding hopper and the entrance area of the crushing chamber. If these debris enter the interior of the crusher, it will cause blockage and jamming of the equipment, and damage components such as the crushing teeth, hammers and liners. Keeping the appearance of equipment clean not only enhances the overall image of the equipment but also facilitates the timely detection of abnormal conditions such as cracks and deformations on the surface of the equipment, preventing the corrosion of the equipment shell due to the accumulation of debris and extending the service life of the equipment.

Fastener inspection

Use a wrench to check each key connecting bolt one by one. Determine if they are loose by feeling the tightness of the bolts. You can also use a torque wrench to measure the tightening torque of the bolts to ensure it meets the torque value specified by the equipment manufacturer. If the connecting bolts of the liner are loose, the liner will shift and fall off under the impact of the material, affecting the crushing effect and possibly damaging other components. Loose connection bolts of the base will reduce the overall stability of the equipment and intensify its vibration. Regular inspection and tightening of key connecting bolts can ensure the safe operation of the equipment.

A brief inspection of the lubrication system

Directly observe the scale of the oil level gauge to confirm whether the oil level of the lubricating oil is within the specified range. If the oil level is too low, it will lead to insufficient lubrication and increase component wear. Excessively high oil level may cause an increase in the operating resistance of the equipment and a rise in oil temperature. Inspect the pipes, joints, valves and other parts of the oil circuit system to see if there are any oil stains or oil droplets, and determine whether there is any oil circuit leakage. If leakage is detected, the leakage point should be located promptly and repair measures should be taken, such as replacing the sealing parts and tightening the joints.

Weekly maintenance

Transmission system

Insufficient tension of the chain can lead to slippage and chain disengagement. Improper tension of the belt will affect the transmission efficiency and accelerate the wear of the belt. For chain drive, check the wear of the chain and measure the elongation of the chain links. If the elongation exceeds the specified value, the chain needs to be replaced. Check the alignment of the coupling or pulley, adjust the position of the motor or reducer, and ensure that the coaxiality and perpendicularity of the two shafts meet the requirements. Poor alignment of the transmission system will generate additional radial and axial forces, accelerate bearing wear, cause equipment vibration, and reduce transmission efficiency. Regular inspection and adjustment of the transmission system can ensure its normal operation and guarantee the stable operation of the feeder breaker.

Wear of the crushing teeth/hammer heads

For broken teeth, measure the tooth height at multiple positions from the tooth top to the tooth root, take the average value and compare it with the initial tooth height to calculate the wear amount. Hammer head, measure the thickness of the hammer head and compare it with the initial thickness as well. When the crushing teeth wear to a certain extent, their crushing capacity will decline and they will be unable to crush the material to the specified particle size. Severe wear of the hammer head can lead to rotor imbalance and cause equipment vibration. By measuring the wear and tear in a timely manner and preparing to replace the components in advance, production can be avoided from being affected by excessive wear of the components.

Liner clearance

Check the wear condition of the liner, observe whether there are obvious wear grooves or pits on the surface of the liner, measure the thickness of the liner, and determine the degree of wear. If the gap between the liners is too large, the residence time of the material in the crushing chamber will be shortened, the crushing effect will deteriorate, and the particle size of the discharged material will be uneven. If the gap is too small, it will increase the friction between the material and the liner, leading to accelerated wear of the liner and increased energy consumption of the equipment. Regularly measuring the liner clearance and recording it, and adjusting the clearance or replacing the liner in a timely manner according to the wear condition can ensure the crushing effect and operational stability of the equipment.

Safety device

Press the emergency stop switch and check whether the equipment can stop running quickly and whether the electrical control system has cut off the power supply. Simulate abnormal conditions during the operation of the equipment, such as opening the protective cover and triggering the interlock device, and observe whether the equipment stops immediately to ensure that the interlock function is normal. Check the integrity of the protective cover, see if there is any damage or deformation, whether it is installed firmly, and whether it can effectively prevent personnel from coming into contact with the dangerous parts of the equipment. Safety devices are an important line of defense for ensuring the life safety of operators and the normal operation of equipment. Regular testing of safety devices to ensure they are in normal working condition can effectively prevent the occurrence of safety accidents.

Quarterly inspection

Bearing grease

When replacing the grease, first use a special tool to squeeze out all the old grease. Then, clean the bearings and bearing housings with a cleaning agent to remove any remaining old grease, impurities and oil stains. For cases where grease needs to be replenished, inject an appropriate amount of grease through the grease injector until the new grease is squeezed out from the bearing seal. Ensure that the performance of the grease matches that of the equipment, provide good lubrication effect and extend the service life of the bearings. If grease that does not meet the requirements is used, it may lead to poor lubrication, increase bearing wear, and even cause bearing failure.

Electrical system

Use an insulation resistance tester to check the insulation resistance of sensors, limit switches and terminal blocks to ensure they meet electrical safety standards. If the resistance is too low, there may be a risk of leakage, threatening the safety of personnel and the normal operation of equipment. Check the tightness of the terminal blocks. Use a screwdriver or wrench to tighten them one by one to prevent poor contact due to loosening, which may cause electrical faults such as incorrect equipment operation or shutdown. The electrical system is the control core of the Feeder Breaker. Regular inspection of the electrical system can ensure its safe and reliable operation and prevent production from being affected by electrical faults.

Drive unit

When using a laser alignment instrument, first install the laser transmitter and receiver on the shaft ends of the motor and the reducer respectively, and adjust the position of the instrument to accurately align the laser beam. Start the equipment and let the shaft rotate slowly. The laser alignment instrument will measure the coaxiality and perpendicularity deviations of the two shafts in real time and display them on the instrument screen. Based on the measurement results, adjust the position of the motor or reducer. By adding or removing gaskets, adjusting anchor bolts and other means, keep the deviation of the two shafts within the allowable range.

Conclusion

The maintenance frequency and cycle management of Feeder Breaker are influenced by multiple key factors. The severity of the working environment, such as continuous high-load operation, high dust and humidity, will accelerate the wear and aging of equipment components, increase the risk of failure, and require a shortened maintenance cycle. The characteristics of the crushed materials, such as hardness, abrasiveness and viscosity, directly affect the frequency of cleaning the crushed components and equipment. The operating time and age of equipment should be based on the operating hours for maintenance, which is more scientific. The performance of key components of old equipment declines, and the inspection frequency needs to be increased.