Manufacturer expands its multi

On the opening day of bauma 2019, Metso unveiled the MX3, the latest addition to its innovative multi-action cone crusher “family”. The MX3 is designed to offer improved productivity and lower operating costs to mid-sized quarry operations. It was one of several innovations launched at the company’s stand in Germany.

In 2017, Metso launched the MX4, the first model of the MX series. According to Metso, the MX4 was designed to redefine the way extractive personnel think about cone crusher performance, with claims of enhanced efficiency, wear parts utilisation, safety and automation. Since that launch, about 50 MX4 crushers have been sold worldwide. Some are operating in Australian quarries.

Metso’s Australian vice-president of aggregates Shaun Fanning says quarry operators in Australia are already experiencing the benefits of the MX’s multi-action technology.

“Our customers are getting some remarkable results with the MX4,” he said. “Some of our industry’s major players have really embraced this unique technology. We currently have several MX4 crushers in operation and being commissioned.”

According to Fanning, customers are being supported by Metso’s Australian service team, which is fully trained in the technology.

“Members of our team are always on hand to help customers with machine commissioning, diagnostics, optimisation and repairs,” he said. “The knowledge and experience of our people, combined with the best technology on the market, is what makes the big difference to our customers.”

The newly released MX3 is a scaled-down version of the MX4, sharing the same design principles and technology. Like the MX4, it delivers high reduction ratios, with refined, in-spec end product shape and consistency. Members of the engineering team have said MX cone crushers are designed with one objective – to reduce the total cost of ownership while “supercharging” productivity.

Multi-action technology

Fanning says the patented “multi-action” technology is an innovative way to automatically optimise crusher operation.

MX crushers can simultaneously adjust their settings with a rotating bowl above their cavity and a hydraulic piston inside the machine’s fixed shaft. Dynamic setting adjustments can be made when the crusher is operating under full load conditions, without the need to stop production.

The MX’s multi-action design enables dynamic setting adjustment and wear compensation using a high pressure hydraulic piston, minimising interruptions to production. The piston also provides fully automated machine protection against damage from uncrushable objects and overloading. The combination of rotating bowl and piston adjustment enables optimised wear part utilisation.

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Metso representatives state the MX series offers operational cost savings of 10 per cent or more, compared with traditional cone crushers. Savings in wear components, coupled with effective and continuous crushing action, provide a valuable starting point to bring down the cost per tonne.

The MX crushers feature a robust design based on Metso’s experience over the years with its Nordberg MP, HP and GP series cone crushers. They are designed for challenging operating conditions, with very hard and abrasive feed material. An advantage of MX crushers is quick and easy wear component change-outs. All the wear parts are accessible from the top of the machine, allowing a complete change-out in two to three hours.

Wear part utilisation

Fanning says the MX series delivers highly effective wear parts utilisation rates – up to a 25 per cent longer liner life compared with conventional crushers.

Optimal cavity design, stroke direction and an effectively distributed crushing action combine to provide a highly optimised rock-on-rock crushing motion. Together with the machine’s multi-action technology, this results in extended intervals between maintenance and higher production rates. Quality characteristics of all sized end product fractions stay consistent throughout the lifetime of the wear parts.

The smart optimisation of the multi-action technology is the key to reaching the desired end product shape and particle size distribution while eliminating waste. End products can be measured as often as 10 times per second and shown directly on the crusher’s automation display.

The modern automation system keeps crushers operating optimally, with automatic wear compensation. Plant personnel can adjust and monitor machine parameters such as material cavity level, crusher speed, power setting and piston pressure via an intuitive user interface panel.

Crushing quality can be monitored via Metso’s VisioRock Compact, which measures real time production through a photo particle size analyser linked to the crusher’s automation system. Its Modbus interface enables quick access to particle size distribution from cameras mounted above the crusher’s output conveyor.

Combined with purpose-made lifting components and wear part tightening tools, the MX is said to be a “big win” for operator safety. Fewer human/machine interactions for adjustment and maintenance offer a safer working environment for machine operators and maintenance staff. The machines have also been designed with the environment in mind. There is no lead in the MX’s counterweight design and no backing is required to set the liners. Machines can be equipped with Metso’s offline oil filtering system, which keeps oil clean for extended periods.

Field trials

A French aggregate producer has been testing a pre-production prototype of the MX3 at its Peyrolles quarry since April 2018.

Mathieu Kasprzak, the operations director of Durance Granulats, was extremely satisfied with the performance of the new machine. In January 2018 the company also commissioned an MX4 in a secondary crushing application.

According to Kasprzak, the MX4 is achieving the company’s production targets while delivering about 12 per cent in energy savings.

Source: Metso Australia

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