MxMining

Changing screens on a screen deck is probably one of the most frustrating maintenance issues that's ever done on a processing plant. It's time consuming and will likely shut down your whole process while the maintenance is being performed which in turn digs at your bottom line.

If you think you're not getting the longevity from your screens that you should be there's a lot you can check to try and improve the life of your screen.

Wire cloth care starts from the minute the screens are fabricated.

Don't Ever:

• Store Your Screens on Uneven or Sharp Surfaces.
• Stand Screens on Their Side for Storage.
• Walk on Your Screens.
• Throw Your Screens on the Ground.
• Bend Your Screen Cloth.

All of the points listed above can potentially damage your screens and reduce their longevity. Tiny cracks form easily in the screen cloth if they are bent at too sharp of an angle and later

these cracks will lead to breakage. Treat fine screen cloths like glass at least until it is under the tension and support of the screen deck it's being installed in.

Tension is what provides screen cloths most of it's structural strength to endure the endless bouncing of material against and across it.

Common Things to Check for on a Screen Deck

• Check and Replace Broken, Bent or Worn Crown Bars.
• Check for and Replace Worn Bolts or Nuts on Clamping Bars.
• Check and Replace Broken, Bent or Worn Clamping Bars.
• Check and Replace Worn Crown Bar Cushion Rubbers.
• Check for Cracks, Loose Bolts or Rivets and Broken Welds and Repair as Necessary.
• Check for Correct Screen Width - 1/2 to 3/4inch Space With Tightened Screens.
• Make Sure That Your Screen Length is Equal to Your Clamping Bar Length.
• Make Sure Material Feed Hits Feed Chute Before Hitting the Screen.
• Check That There is No Rubber Chuting Material or Deflectors Rubbing Against the Screen.

We've found that during maintenance it's easiest to take all the dimensions of the screen deck and make a 3 dimensional drawing of it in Google Sketchup. Sketchup is easy to learn and use and is made freely available by Google. Of course you'll still have to check your screen and all the points listed but you'll be able to see all the angles and correct anything if somehow your tensioning bars or screen measurements have become distorted over time.

Links:
Major Wire Industries - World Class Screen Cloth Manufacturer
Google Sketchup - Free and Easy 3D Drawings