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Precautions for Using Cone Crushers

When using a cone crusher, strict control is required from four core dimensions: safe operation, equipment maintenance, production efficiency, and fault prevention to ensure stable equipment operation, extend service life, and avoid safety accidents. The following are specific precautions, categorized by operation process and key modules:

I. Before Startup: Preparation and Inspection (Core: Eliminate Hidden Dangers, Ensure "Risk-Free Startup")

Comprehensive inspection before startup is crucial to avoid faults during operation. The following items must be checked one by one:

1. Safety Environment Inspection

• Clear debris around the equipment (such as ore fragments, tools, cables) to ensure an operating space of ≥1.5 meters, preventing personnel from tripping or debris being involved.
• Check if safety protection devices (such as flywheel guards, motor guardrails, emergency stop buttons) are intact and secure, with no damage or looseness.
• Ensure operators wear compliant protective gear: safety helmets, anti-impact work shoes, and dust masks are mandatory. Long hair must be tucked into safety helmets, and loose clothing is prohibited (to prevent being caught in transmission components).

2. Equipment Status Inspection

Inspection Part	Inspection Content	Standard Requirement
Lubrication System	Lubricating oil level (check oil gauge), oil quality (whether turbid or contaminated), oil temperature (≤35℃ at room temperature)	Oil level between "upper and lower limits", oil clear and odorless
Transmission System	Tightness and wear of motor belts/couplings; whether flywheel fixing bolts are loose	Belts without cracks, bolts without looseness (confirmed with a wrench)
Crushing Chamber	Whether there is residual ore in the chamber (must be emptied before startup to avoid "startup with load"); whether the liner is worn or loose	No residue in the chamber, uniform liner gap, no obvious deformation
Electrical System	Whether power cables and terminal blocks are damaged or leaking; whether control buttons (start/stop/emergency stop) are sensitive	No exposed wires, normal button response
Hydraulic System (if equipped)	Hydraulic station oil level, oil pressure gauge reading; whether oil pipes are leaking, whether joints are tight	Oil level up to standard, no leakage, oil pressure within specified range

II. During Startup and Operation: Operation Specifications (Core: Stable Operation, Avoid "Overload/Misoperation")

1. Startup Sequence: Strictly Follow "Auxiliary Equipment First, Main Machine Later"

The correct sequence is: Lubrication System → Cooling System → Auxiliary Equipment (such as feeder, conveyor belt) → Cone Crusher Main Machine. Avoid "startup without lubrication" of the main machine (which may cause bearing burnout).

• After startup, run the machine with no load for 3-5 minutes. Observe if the equipment has abnormal noise (such as metal impact sound, bearing friction sound) or abnormal vibration (amplitude exceeding the specified value). Only after confirming that the lubrication system supplies oil normally (smooth oil return) should the feeder be started.

2. Feeding Control: Avoid "Overload" or "Unbalanced Loading"

• Feed strictly according to the equipment's rated processing capacity (refer to the manual, e.g., Φ1200 cone crusher has a rated processing capacity of 20-50 t/h). Do not put a large amount of ore at one time (which may cause blockage of the crushing chamber and overload tripping of the motor).
• Feed evenly to prevent ore from leaning to one side of the crushing chamber (i.e., "unbalanced loading"). Otherwise, it will cause uneven wear of the liner and unbalanced force on the main shaft, which may lead to severe vibration of the equipment in the long run.
• If a belt feeder is used, an "iron removal device" (such as an electromagnetic iron remover) must be installed on the belt. Metal foreign objects (such as wrenches, steel bars) are strictly prohibited from entering the crushing chamber — metal foreign objects will directly hit the liner and main shaft, possibly causing serious faults such as "shaft breakage" and "liner cracking".

3. Operation Monitoring: Pay Real-Time Attention to "Sound, Temperature, Vibration"

• Listen to the sound: During normal operation, the sound should be a "uniform crushing sound". If there is a "sharp metal sound" (excessive liner wear) or "dull blockage sound" (blockage in the chamber), stop the machine immediately for inspection.
• Measure the temperature: Focus on monitoring the bearing temperature (≤65℃, maximum not exceeding 70℃) and lubricating oil temperature (≤40℃). If the temperature rises sharply, it may be due to insufficient lubrication or bearing damage, and the machine must be stopped for troubleshooting.
• Check vibration: Touch the equipment body with hands or a vibration meter. If the vibration increases significantly (e.g., amplitude exceeds 0.15mm), check if the feeding is unbalanced, if the liner is loose, or if the foundation bolts are tight.

4. Safety Taboos: Absolutely Prohibited Operations

• Do not open the "observation door" to check the interior of the crushing chamber during operation, and do not reach into the chamber with hands or tools to clean ore (special tools should be used after stopping the machine).
• Do not disassemble protective covers, lubrication pipelines and other components while the equipment is running, and do not adjust the "discharge port gap" in violation of regulations (adjust according to procedures after stopping the machine).
• In case of emergency (such as blockage, abnormal noise, smoke), press the emergency stop button immediately instead of turning off the feeder first (to avoid continuous overload of the main machine).

III. After Shutdown: Maintenance and Cleaning (Core: Extend Service Life, Prepare for Next Startup)

1. Shutdown Sequence: "Stop Main Machine First, Then Auxiliary Equipment"

The correct sequence is: Stop the feeder → Wait for all ore in the crushing chamber to be discharged (about 1-2 minutes) → Stop the cone crusher main machine → Stop the cooling system → Stop the lubrication system. Avoid residual ore in the chamber (which may cause "startup with load" during the next startup).

2. Equipment Cleaning and Inspection

• Clean residual ore in the crushing chamber: Use special hooks or high-pressure water guns (power must be cut off) to clean large ore stuck in the chamber. Do not knock the liner with brute force.
• Check wearing parts: Check the wear degree of the liner (moving cone liner, fixed cone liner). If the wear amount exceeds the "safe thickness" (e.g., the original thickness of the liner is 50mm, and the wear is less than 15mm), replace it in time; check if the lock nut and liner bolts are loose, and tighten them if necessary.
• Clean the lubrication system: Clean the lubricating oil filter regularly (e.g., monthly) to remove impurities. If the oil is turbid or has been used for more than 6 months, completely replace the lubricating oil (select the model according to the manual, such as 46# anti-wear hydraulic oil).

3. Long-Term Shutdown Maintenance (More Than 1 Week)

• Empty all ore in the crushing chamber to prevent ore from caking due to moisture and jamming the moving cone.
• Inject new lubricating oil into the lubrication system, and manually rotate the flywheel 2-3 times to ensure sufficient lubrication on the bearing surface.
• Cover the main body of the equipment with a dust cover, turn off the main electrical switch, and cut off the power supply; the hydraulic system needs to be depressurized to avoid long-term pressure deformation of the oil pipes.

IV. Common Fault Prevention and Emergency Handling

Common Faults	Prevention Measures	Emergency Handling (After Shutdown)
Crushing Chamber Blockage	Control the feeding amount, prevent large ore (exceeding the size of the feed port) from entering; install an iron removal device	Clean residual ore in the chamber, check if the feeder is overloaded
Excessively High Bearing Temperature	Regularly check the lubricating oil level and quality; avoid unbalanced loading causing uneven force on the bearing	Replace the lubricating oil, check if the bearing is worn, and replace if necessary
Uneven Liner Wear	Feed evenly to avoid unbalanced loading; ensure uniform gap and tight bolts when installing the liner	Adjust the feeding method, replace the severely worn liner
Severe Equipment Vibration	Check if the foundation bolts are tight; troubleshoot unbalanced feeding, loose liner, or bent main shaft	Tighten the bolts, adjust the feeding, and overhaul the main shaft

Summary

The safe and efficient operation of a cone crusher lies in the core principle of "prevention first, standardized operation" — conduct comprehensive inspection before startup, perform real-time monitoring during operation, and carry out timely maintenance after shutdown. At the same time, strictly abide by safety regulations to avoid equipment faults or safety accidents caused by misoperation or neglect of details. In addition, conduct "comprehensive maintenance" regularly (e.g., quarterly) (such as checking the main shaft gap, adjusting the discharge port, and calibrating the transmission system) to further extend the equipment service life and reduce operation and maintenance costs.