Crusher Operations Course

Lesson 1 • Key Performance Metrics

Defines throughput, reduction ratio, product gradation, and availability. Provides the measurement vocabulary used throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Crushing Circuit Configurations

Introduces open-circuit and closed-circuit layouts and their trade-offs. Connects circuit choice to product gradation and throughput targets.

Lesson 3 • Material Properties and Crushability

Covers hardness, abrasiveness, moisture, and friability as feed variables. Links material characteristics to equipment selection and wear rates.

Lesson 4 • What Crushing Accomplishes

Defines size reduction objectives and downstream process requirements. Establishes why controlled particle size matters across mining, aggregates, and recycling.

Lesson 1 • Jaw Crusher Operation

Establishes startup, steady-state, and shutdown sequences for safe operation. Addresses feed control, bridging prevention, and choke feeding.

Lesson 2 • Jaw Crusher Troubleshooting

Diagnoses common faults including oversize product, excessive vibration, and bearing heat. Links symptoms to root causes and corrective actions.

Lesson 3 • Jaw Crusher Mechanics

Explains toggle mechanism, eccentric shaft, and swing jaw motion. Connects mechanical action to nip angle and compression breakage.

Lesson 4 • Setting and Adjustment Procedures

Covers closed-side setting (CSS) measurement and adjustment methods. Demonstrates how CSS controls product size and throughput.

Lesson 1 • Chamber and Liner Selection

Matches coarse, medium, and fine chamber profiles to feed gradation. Covers liner alloy selection based on abrasiveness and throughput goals.

Lesson 2 • CSS and Speed Optimisation

Demonstrates CSS adjustment and eccentric speed effects on product and power draw. Balances throughput, shape, and liner wear through setting optimisation.

Lesson 3 • Cone Crusher Lubrication Systems

Covers forced-lubrication circuits, oil temperature, pressure, and contamination control. Explains how lubrication failures cascade to bearing and bushing damage.

Lesson 4 • Cone Crusher Geometry and Action

Explains mantle, concave, eccentric bushing, and gyrating motion. Connects chamber geometry to interparticle breakage and product shape.

Lesson 1 • Vertical Shaft Impactor Setup

Explains rock-on-rock and rock-on-anvil modes and their product shape outcomes. Covers rotor table, feed tube, and anvil ring configuration.

Lesson 2 • Impact Breakage Principles

Contrasts impact breakage with compression breakage in terms of energy and fines. Explains why impact crushers excel at cubical product and soft-to-medium feeds.

Lesson 3 • Horizontal Shaft Impactor Setup

Covers rotor bar selection, apron gap setting, and feed curtain adjustment. Links each adjustment to product size distribution and wear rate.

Lesson 4 • Wear Part Management for Impactors

Addresses blow bar and anvil wear patterns, rotation schedules, and alloy selection. Minimises unplanned downtime through proactive wear tracking.

Lesson 1 • Closed-Circuit Design and Balance

Calculates recirculating load and balances crusher and screen capacities. Prevents overload by matching circuit components to feed variability.

Lesson 2 • Screen Media Selection

Covers wire cloth, polyurethane, and rubber media for different feed conditions. Balances open area, wear life, and blinding resistance in media choice.

Lesson 3 • Screen Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Addresses blinding, pegging, panel failure, and bearing faults on screens. Establishes inspection intervals and corrective maintenance procedures.

Lesson 4 • Screen Types and Selection

Compares vibrating, banana, and trommel screens by application and efficiency. Matches screen type to feed rate, moisture, and particle size range.

Lesson 1 • Lockout and Energy Isolation

Establishes lockout/tagout procedures for stored mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical energy. Verifies isolation before any maintenance or clearing task.

Lesson 2 • Safe Work Procedures for Crushing

Develops task-specific safe work procedures for clearing blockages and changing liners. Embeds hazard controls into step-by-step operational instructions.

Lesson 3 • Dust and Noise Control

Applies engineering controls, enclosures, and water suppression to reduce dust and noise. Selects personal protective equipment as a last-resort control layer.

Lesson 4 • Regulatory Compliance Management

Maps operational practices to dust, noise, and machinery safety regulatory requirements. Builds inspection and record-keeping systems to demonstrate ongoing compliance.

Lesson 1 • Lubrication Management

Establishes grease and oil specifications, intervals, and application methods for crushers. Covers contamination control and oil analysis as a diagnostic tool.

Lesson 2 • Wear Part Lifecycle Management

Tracks liner, jaw plate, and blow bar wear to optimise replacement timing. Reduces cost per ton by avoiding premature and overdue replacements.

Lesson 3 • Maintenance Planning and Scheduling

Builds shutdown plans, work orders, and spare parts lists for planned maintenance. Coordinates maintenance windows with production schedules to minimise lost output.

Lesson 4 • Condition Monitoring Techniques

Applies vibration analysis, thermography, and ultrasound to detect faults early. Integrates monitoring data into maintenance scheduling decisions.

Lesson 1 • Energy Efficiency Optimisation

Analyses specific energy consumption per ton and identifies reduction opportunities. Applies crusher setting, speed, and circuit changes to lower energy cost.

Lesson 2 • Feed Management and Blending

Controls feed rate, size distribution, and blending to stabilise crusher load. Reduces variability as the primary lever for consistent product quality.

Lesson 3 • Continuous Improvement Methodology

Applies structured problem-solving and root cause analysis to recurring circuit issues. Embeds improvement cycles into daily operational and maintenance routines.

Lesson 4 • Circuit Performance Benchmarking

Establishes baseline KPIs and compares performance against industry benchmarks. Identifies performance gaps as targets for structured improvement projects.