Crushing equipment and technology have undergone a number of developments over the last decade-plus.
From enhancing material quality control and improving energy efficiency and sustainability, to increasing safety for operators, the market is as technologically advanced as it’s ever been.
Several trends currently resonate in the space. Among these are the incorporation of telematics, user-friendly plant design, a return to more wheel-mounted crushing equipment and growth in larger crushers overall.
Telematics systems are becoming a necessity for operations throughout their flowsheet, as up-to-the-minute data and predictive monitoring are increasingly valuable. Screen Machine, an Ohio-based manufacturer of mobile crushers, screening plants and trommels, has included telematics on nearly all of its machines since 2023.
“Initially, the recaption was favorable but not overwhelming,” says Dave Stewart, director of marketing at Screen Machine. “Since then, however, the trend we have seen is that dealers and customers are now embracing the technology. They now see the power in the information that telematics can provide.”
The information provided by telematics is beneficial to dealers and manufacturers. They can see where units are located at any time, when they are working, how they are being run, and if required maintenance is being done. Additionally, they can troubleshoot issues remotely and see if a problem is a major issue or something more minor.
Operators benefit from the use of telematics, as well. The technology helps producers be more proactive with their maintenance, preventing unplanned downtime.
“On the end user side, telematics let the owner know exactly when and where the machine is being used and for how long,” Stewart says. “And, again, the maintenance alerts and recordkeeping are vital to the long-term health of the machine.”
Another company keeping its eye on the latest crushing technology is Haver & Boecker Niagara. The company is emphasizing efficiency, capacity, reliability, longevity, predictive maintenance and simplifying setup to help meet customers needs.
There are many avenues Haver & Boecker Niagara is focusing on to achieve this goal. It is emphasizing efficiency, capacity, reliability, longevity, predictive maintenance and simplifying setup.
“As the portable equipment industry evolves, manufacturers are seeing a clear shift toward smarter, more efficient and user-friendly solutions,” says Karen Thompson, president of Haver & Boecker Niagara’s North American and Australian operation. “Customers are demanding higher production capacities, simplified setup and intelligent systems that reduce downtime and maintenance costs. The push for automation and AI-assisted technologies is also growing, as producers look for ways to streamline their operations and make equipment more intuitive for their operators.
“In short, the industry is moving toward solutions that help operations work smarter, faster and more efficiently,” she adds.
Addressing the increased usage of wheel-mounted crushing equipment and larger crushers overall, Eagle Crusher’s Daniel Friedman says there are several reasons these trends are emerging.
“Operators have been rediscovering how wheel-mounted crushers are easier to repair, given their more open design, as well as the ability for these plants to be more robustly constructed compared to the limiting factors that track-mounted designs necessitate,” says Friedman, who serves the Galion, Ohio-based manufacturer as vice president of marketing. “As for an increase in crusher size, crushing plant operators are trying to reduce handling and material preparation. By investing in a larger crusher, they can reduce costs by not requiring as much equipment to prepare or pre-process material before utilizing crushing equipment.”
Another benefit to larger crushers Friedman shares is their ability to process more, therefore increasing overall production with fewer pieces of equipment.
“[This] can mean only having to buy one larger crushing plant compared to two smaller plants to achieve the same level of production,” he says.