A key factor that impacts cone crusher performance and efficiency is stroke length. Metso cone crushers are designed with a focus on optimized stroke speed enabled by precise hydraulic controls and a high pivot point that sets them apart from average industry speeds. The high-speed stroke capability of Metso crushers delivers noteworthy advantages worth exploring in more depth.
What Is Stroke?
In cone crushers, stroke refers to the distance the crusher mantle travels during a single eccentric rotation. Effectively, it equates to how far the mantle moves between its closest and furthest point from the crusher head throughout each cycle.
Stroke length ties directly to key performance factors such as:
- Capacity: Longer stroke equals higher throughput capacity
- Reduction Ratio: Longer stroke equals greater size reduction
- Power Draw: Longer stroke equals increased horsepower requirements
Stroke acts as a central indicator of crusher productivity and efficiency. Shorter strokes prioritize particle shape and finer products, while longer strokes focus on higher volumes and maximum size reduction.
Metso’s High-Speed Stroke
The central factor allowing Metso cone crushers to reach such fast stroke speeds is the crusher design itself. Specifically, Metso utilizes a high pivot point above the crushing head paired with hydraulic cylinders for exact stroke adjustment.
The top-mounted pivot location sits nearly in line with the top of the mantle at its furthest movement point from the head. This design maximizes how far the mantle can horizontally travel with each rotation. Then, precise hydraulic control enables fast and accurate stroke length changes.
Altogether, this facilitates stroke speeds that are far faster than average, meaning substantially more crushing action occurs in Metso crushers.
Metso pairs this fast stroke technology with the largest possible main shaft travels to fully utilize crusher liners. With a longer stroke length than many other crushers, Metso’s stroke design also minimizes liner wear and replacement needs.
Benefits of High-Speed Stroke
Faster stroke cycles translate into marked benefits for Metso cone crusher owners.
Higher Throughput Capacity
The foremost advantage of high-speed stroke is greater crushing capacity and throughput. By significantly upping mantle cycles per minute without increasing RPMs, Metso stroke functionality enables processing higher tonnages per hour than many other machines. More strokes equals higher volumes.
Enhanced Size Reduction
Similar to capacity gains, faster stroke speeds intensify the crushing action occurring inside Metso cones. The mantle engages feed material more often per rotation. This means more chances to crush rock to smaller sizes, elevating reduction ratios.
Better Product Shape
An interesting benefit of Metso fast stroke technology is improved particle shape in addition to higher capacities. Rapid mantle acceleration and deceleration as it cycles create a sharper aggregate and sand product.
Maximized Uptime
By design, fewer mantle cycles per processed ton means lower internally generated heat and pressure on crusher components. Less cumulative loading equals enhanced longevity and reliability while minimizing wear costs. In essence, fast-stroking Metso crushers run cooler and experience less chronic fatigue stress.
Metso’s Automated Stroke Adjustment
Making the advantages of Metso high-speed stroke even more impactful is automation for precise adjustments. Metso cone crushers feature proprietary IC automation, enabling remote stroke setting changes and real-time optimization.
Operators can manually set exact stroke lengths between a minimum and maximum limit specific to the crusher model. However, the system can also continually self-adjust the stroke based on variables such as:
- Target closed side setting (CSS)
- Desired throughput rate
- Active power draw limits
- Changing feed gradation
This automated adaptability ensures optimal stroking regardless of operating conditions.
How to Optimize Stroke
Fine-tuning stroke settings both manually and utilizing automation is essential to maximize benefits. Consider factors such as:
- Target capacity needs
- Product specifications
- Choke feeding status
- Liner wear rates
- Reduction objectives
Ideally, use the longest stroke possible to match chamber selection and feed characteristics appropriately. This choreographs mantle movement with actual material dwell time inside the chamber for the highest efficiency.
In automated mode, let IC functionality handle stabilizing ideal stroke based on real-time sensor feedback. Manual intervention mainly serves for significant set point changes.
Proactively swapping liners before wear intensifies also avoids losing stroke length and subsequent capacity due to diminished chamber volumes. Plan to rotate or replace liners well before they over-shorten cycles.
Maintain the Crusher for Optimum Results
To sustain high-speed stroke functionality across years and decades of crushing requires diligent maintenance best practices, primarily:
Adequate lubrication: High-velocity hydraulic adjustment depends on clean oil and proper flow rates. Closely adhere to lube schedules, topoffs, and filter changes. Catch temperature spikes immediately.- Regular liner changes: Letting concaves and mantles wear excessively low decreases capacity and strains the system as cycles reach extremes.
- Daily inspections and preventative upkeep: Routinely checking little things such as leaks, cracks, temperatures, and belt tension preempts significant failures down the road.
Get the Most from Your Metso Crusher with Help from Mellott
The high-speed stroke design of Metso cone crushers delivers significant advantages in capacity, reduction, particle shape, and uptime compared to average industry speeds. This stroke capability stems from a combination of precise hydraulic controls and a higher pivot point location, enabling the mantle to travel further with each cycle. Faster and more complete crushing action occurs as a result.
You can optimize your Metso crusher to fully leverage its high-velocity stroke by fine-tuning settings to match your feed, targets, and changing conditions. The automated intelligence built into their IC system self-regulates parameters in real-time as well, freeing you up to focus on production. Proper lubing, inspection, liner swaps, and general upkeep preserve the crusher’s high-performance stroking across decades.
As an authorized Metso distributor, the team at Mellott stands ready to consult on getting the most from your Metso crushers. Contact us today at 888.621.8533 or online, and let’s discuss how to best tailor Metso’s trademark high-speed stroke technology to your crushing needs.
