Quarry production has come a long way since the days of “Fred Flintstone,” but it is still possible to have a “dinosaur” piece of equipment working on a site.
When Jim Manni was appointed to the position of facility manager of J.H. Lynch & Sons Inc.’s Cumberland, R.I., quarry, it was operating with a tertiary cone crusher that was no longer meeting production needs.
Manni’s new responsibilities were to keep the quarry operating at peak efficiency producing the highest quality aggregate product possible in an efficient and timely manner. However, the cone crusher that Lynch was using could not meet the company’s needs regarding the quality or uniformity of the product or its required production levels.
Lynch’s main concern, however, was with the sand that was being manufactured for use in Lynch’s asphalt plant. The size and shape of the sand was not always consistent with the high standards that the company required. The crusher also was not able to meet production levels and as a result Lynch went to outside suppliers to help meet its requirements of sand.
Manni took on the challenges of his new position. With the help and advice of two very experienced plant operators, Steve Bonner and Bob Arruda, he explored several options to find the best solution to the company’s production problem. One of the options, however, was the purchase of a million-dollar classification system that separates sand into specific sizes. However, the classification system was not the best solution for Lynch’s production problem.
A more economically sound solution was to replace the company’s cone crusher. Upon Manni’s recommendation, Lynch went to Whitney & Son located in Fitchburg, Mass., for its equipment. Manni worked closely with Jason Whitney, to determine the best units that would meet his company’s requirements.
One issue focused on the sand production. Lynch’s cone crusher was producing sand in the small- and large-size range. What was needed was an increase of production in the mid-size range. This was important because some of the material produced had no significant market, which was practically a total waste to Lynch.
Whitney identified that the production issues were cone related and he recommended that Lynch switch to the Nordberg HP Series cone crusher. The HP crusher would allow Lynch to significantly increase its production in the mid-size range. Not only did the HP crusher open up a new market for Lynch, it also reduced the amount of aggregate that the company was purchasing for its asphalt plant.
“Overall, aggregate production from the new cone crusher is up 25 percent with very little deviation in sand particle size. The new crusher also has reduced cold winter maintenance projects because its production has increased so much that we now have time to do maintenance projects during the summer and fall seasons,” said Manni.
Another reason that Lynch is experiencing such increases in production was the purchase of an Etheridge Crusher Maximizer from Whitney & Son.
“This system keeps the crusher constantly operating at maximum efficiency by monitoring the amount of material that is in the crusher and in turn controlling the flow of material into the crusher so that at all times the system is operating at peak efficiency,” Manni explained.
“An added benefit is that the Maximizer reduces crusher wear. When a crusher is operating near empty, it actually increases the wear and can damage the internal components. The Maximizer ensures that this will not happen,” he said.
In addition to the Nordberg HP crusher and the Etheridge Crusher Maximizer, Lynch also purchased a vibratory feeder from Whitney and Son, all of which are working together to meet the production needs of a modern quarry operation.
J.H. Lynch & Sons
J.H. Lynch & Sons, headquartered in Cumberland, R.I., is a major contractor/aggregate producer in the Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts area. It has been involved in aggregate and asphalt production, site and excavation work, heavy-highway paving, utility construction and bridge work for 50 years.
Whitney & Son Inc.
Whitney & Son Inc. is headquartered in Fitchburg, Mass. It has been in business since 1964 providing systems and supplies for the aggregate, asphalt and recycling industries. CEG
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