The jaw crusher—versatile, portable, popular— can be found at many aggregate operations across the US. As a primary crusher, keeping this piece of equipment fully functioning is critical to any crushing plant or operation success.
Any damage or impairment of this crusher can cause complete derailment of plant operations. Non-functioning machinery means lost employee hours and revenue.
Rock Crush Recycling found themselves in this exact position when their Lippmann 3048 Jaw Crusher began experiencing some issues. They contacted Mellott for our inspection services to determine the cause of their equipment problems.
As soon as possible, we sent one of our 35 factory-trained service technicians to address all the Lippmann crusher’s issues.
Our Mellott Service Technician was able to address each of their jaw crusher’s issues and give the machine a full inspection.
Customer Concerns
Before our technician even arrived on the scene, we communicated with Rock Crush Recycling about the issues their crusher had been experiencing.
After repairing and rebuilding over 2800 crushers through the years, we’ve learned that fully understanding customer concerns is key to a successful inspection.
According to Rock Crush Recycling, the Lippmann crusher needed attention in several areas.
• The Lippman crusher needed some Toggle plate problems addressed. The toggle plate seemed to be moving back and forth during run time. The plate also occasionally made an unusual noise.
• Water appeared to be leaking into the lube oil in the barrel of the pitman of the crusher, causing many issues.
• The customer also found oil leaking from the barrel of the pitman. There can be many reasons for oil leakage. Our technician would need to investigate further to find the cause.
Our repair technician headed to Rock Crush Recycling’s facility in Westbury, NY, with these issues in mind.
Our Inspection
After arriving at the Westbury facility, Mellott technician began the Lippmann 3048 Jaw Crusher inspection.
Mellott equipment inspection typically involves our technician examining the machine’s functions both while running (if possible) and static. Investigating each component experiencing an issue comes next.
At Rock Crush Recycling, our technician inspected the toggle plate problems first.
The reason for the toggle plate noise was discovered. Our Rock Crush Recycling customer informed the Mellott technician that dirt and other debris would get caught around the plate. The customer said they used a water hose to wash most of it away. The dirt build up can create pressure which was most likely the cause of the noise.
The client also noticed some movement in the structure where the crusher jaw was mounted. This movement created a domino effect. The jaw moved back and forth, which seemed to make the toggle plate move the same way. Some movement of both these elements is normal when a lubricant is introduced. The water from the hose acted as the lubricant in this situation.
Water seeping into the lube oil issue was the next part of our inspection. The customer related that they found the oil cloudy from water contamination even after building a cover for the pitman.
Our technician found several possible causes for the water seepage. To start, the water hose used for cleaning around the toggle plate could be the culprit.
Next, the pressure from the water sprayed into the structure could have pushed through the vent plug, letting water into the oil. The same spray could also have entered the oil through breather portholes. The last reason could be moisture seeping into oil from the machine because of high humidity during the assembly.
Water in oil is a difficult but common issue because it takes very little water to make oil cloudy. Our technician gave recommendations on preventing further contamination in the lube oil. Often refilling the machine with new oil is the easiest solution to this issue.
To close out the inspection process, Mellott’s technician examined the jaw crusher for oil leakage. While there were signs of a leak, our technician had the customer pull the level tube plug and found the oil level correct.
The leak could have come from the customer not allowing oil to settle during the refill process and overfilling the manual specified 30 quarts. It could also have leaked because of the labyrinth sealing used on the oil tube. Acceptable leakage is standard with this sealing. Our technician concluded that the leakage was minor and was acceptable by manufacturing standards.
Lessons Learned
Overall, the Lippmann 3048 Jaw Crusher inspection was a success.
This process is also a great example of how minor issues can snowball into big problems with equipment.
Whether it is needed for the primary, intermediate, or fine crushing unit, Mellott recommends our customers educate themselves about each piece of equipment they use. Reading our company blog filled with industry tips, user manuals, and manufacturer recommendations are effective ways to accomplish this.
We are also here for customers for any equipment inspections needs they may have. If you are looking for inspection services for your jaw crusher or another type of crusher, get in touch with team today by calling 855.554.1606 or visiting our contact page.
We are committed to your company’s, plant’s, our operation’s success.
