Maintenance and Modifications to Prevent Plugging in Aggregate Screen Decks

The screen deck is one of the most important components in any aggregate production line, and it is responsible for sizing and sorting aggregate materials before they are packaged and sold. A malfunctioning screen deck can reduce the quality of your products and cause significant downtime, undercutting the success of your business.

One common problem that can impact the performance of a screen deck is known as plugging. Plugging occurs when pieces of aggregate material become wedged in the openings of a screen, instead of falling through. When one or more of the screens in a screen deck suffers from plugging, the deck's screening capacity is reduced, often dramatically.

Fortunately, regular maintenance and some simple modifications can be very effective at preventing screen plugging. If your screen deck suffers from frequent plugging problems, the following maintenance and modification solutions can be very useful.

Repair or Replace Woven Wire Screens

The screens inside an aggregate screen deck can be made from a wide variety of materials, but most aggregate producers rely on screens made from woven metal wire. Woven wire screens are durable, but they can become damaged and torn over time. Poorly crushed aggregate containing large material pieces can also punch holes in woven wire screens.

In screen decks that use two or more screens, a damaged screen can lead to serious plugging problems. If the top screen contains large holes or tears, oversized materials will pass through it and become plugged in the screens below it. These types of plugging problems can occur rapidly and unexpectedly, and they can be difficult to spot without disassembling the deck.

If damaged woven wire screens are causing your plugging problems, call in a professional welding service that specializes in aggregate production equipment repair. These services can repair any damage in your screens, which is usually less expensive than complete screen replacement.

You can also replace your woven wire screens with polyurethane or synthetic rubber screens. These screens tend to be more durable, but they are also more expensive and difficult to repair.

Choose a New Screen Design

Aggregate screens can be made with differently shaped openings, which are optimized for different aggregate materials. And choosing the wrong shape for the wrong application can lead to plugging problems.

If you notice that the pieces that cause plugging are all roughly the same shape and size, improper screen design may be behind your plugging woes.

Switching to screens with different opening designs can be an effective way to eliminate plugging. Consider calling in an aggregate equipment maintenance service to get advice on which screen design is best for your type of aggregate.

Install a New Ball Deck

This is a very simple modification that looks like something out of a child's funhouse, but ball decks are extremely effective anti-plugging devices. A ball deck is a simple tray installed underneath the screens inside a screen deck, which holds a number of rubber or plastic balls.

The vibrations produced by a functioning screen deck cause these balls to bounce upwards, where they impact with the undersides of the deck's screens. These impacts rapidly dislodge any material caught in the screen openings - and will effectively prevent plugging. They can also help prevent other common screening issues, such as blinding.

Ball decks are inexpensive, and a professional can install them very quickly. If your plugged screen deck already contains a ball deck, you should have someone inspect the deck (as well as the balls themselves) to check for damage and malfunctions.