Common Questions about Screen Media Customization

Screen media selection can have a significant impact on an aggregate operation. Choosing the right screen media requires an understanding of wire diameter, open area percentage and more. As a result, facility managers often turn to screen media manufacturers for advice on how to choose the best options for their unique application.

Check out common questions the experts at MAJOR have gotten — and how they’ve answered — below.

What is the best screen media configuration for aggregate?
To get the best screen media option, an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) like MAJOR will send a technician out to analyze the screening needs of each individual facility. This includes calculating the tons per hour of aggregate hitting the deck, the gradation of the material and how the product is finishing on the screen deck.

For example, synthetic screen media tends to be very rigid and relies more on the vibrating screen to create the proper vibrations in the screen deck. This limits the screen vibration, which makes it more susceptible to blinding, pegging and creating carryover.

Heavy duty screen media, usually made of steel plates or rubber, can be more durable. However, the open area is low and is more susceptible to pegging and blinding.

The high-vibration movement of FLEX-MAT offers the same openings as woven wire screen media while providing less blinding and pegging. If 35% of the openings on a screen deck are plugged, that’s 35% less opportunity for the aggregate material to go through. Sometimes, a single material piece needs to hit the screen upward of 255 times before actually following through. If the holes are plugged, there’s less change of that happening, which means the screen can’t sort material effectively. FLEX-MAT helps eliminate this issue and allows for more material to go through the screen deck.

Choosing the right screen media configuration comes down the weight of the material hitting the screen, the speed at which it hits the screen, the open area on the screen deck and what the screening machine is capable of. A technician from an OEM does the math to figure out what screen media option benefits each operation.

Can you customize screen media for our screening requirements?
Yes, screen media should be customized for the application. There’s no one-size-fits-all for screen media and being even one centimeter off on measurements when ordering or reordering can have a significant, negative effect on both the screening operation as a whole and the final product quality.

To get the best throughput and wear life, work with a manufacturer to get specific open areas, wire diameter and screen deck options. Ensuring the right type of screen media for an operation extends the lifespan of the screen deck and helps save an operation time when it comes to changing out screen panels. It takes around two hours to change a whole screen deck. If the proper screen media saves an operation five changeouts per year, that means ten hours less downtime per screen deck per year.

To make customization easier, FLEX-MAT now features FLEX-MAT ID Enabled, an RFID technology that is embedded in the screening panel to track and store screen media data. By scanning this info on The MAJOR App, an operation can see panel dimensions and customer-defined details. An ID Enabled microchip stores customization information for easier restocking. This also means facility managers don’t need to worry about a mismeasurement negatively affecting their throughput in the future.

How does your screen media address blinding and pegging issues?
Whether an aggregate operation is dealing with sticky material or moisture, blinding and pegging can become an issue for quality production. Left unchecked, this can cost operations tens of thousands of dollars.

High-vibration screen media, like FLEX-MAT, offers an effective solution. The individual wires of FLEX-MAT screen media vibrate at a rate of 6,000 to 10,000 cycles per minute, which is up to 13 times greater than the vibration of a standard screen box. The vibration of the wires increases throughput by up to 40%, reducing pegging, blinding and clogging issues, improving product quality and reducing downtime. FLEX-MAT also uses OPTIMUMWIRE®, which helps eliminate sticking and clumping and increase material throughput.

Do you provide screen media training?
We work closely with our dealer network to offer complimentary on-site technical services for end users. Each program is designed to help producers and contractors in the aggregates, mining, construction and recycling industries to maximize uptime with their screen media and include local screening performance assessments, technical assistance, training workshops and more.

This involves a personalized plant visit where a local screening expert can address issues and make recommendations on optimal screening solutions. Each plant visit will include a vibration analysis test with MAJOR’s signature FLEX-MAT Sensor. The app-controlled vibration analysis sensor enables readings of screen box vibrations within seconds and generates a report, allowing MAJOR-certified technicians to review results and fine-tune an operation’s screen box without shutting down the equipment.

To learn more about how our experts can help ensure your aggregate operation gets the most out of screen media, contact us today.