New benchmark for 1400-impact crusher

As announced in the end of last year, SBM Mineral Processing will present the new track-mobile impact crusher REMAX 600 in Munich. With a feed capacity of 600 t/h, a 1400-impact crusher for material feed sizes up to 900 mm and a maximum total weight of 75 tons depending on the equipment, the plant can provide up to five fractions in one cycle. Triple wind sifting and – a novel feature in highly mobile impact crushers – the very efficient overbelt magnetic separator with longitudinal discharge as an option ensure the high purity of the final products even in recycling applications.

The extensive equipment of the crusher in its striking stealth design is by no reasons a matter of chance: The new REMAX 600 serves as a technology platform for the globally first fully automatic production monitoring and control that SBM is currently developing in close co-operation with researchers of the Montanuniversität Leoben, Styria. Based upon an innovative sensor system and video technology, powerful communication and IT networks, as well as technological innovations such as the automatic gap adjustment, “artificial intelligence” finds its way into mobile processing technique for the very first time. This “autonomous crusher” shall help users and operators with all decisions, permanently support efficient operation, assure optimum product quality at all times, as well as make an important contribution to save energy and costs during crushing.

Human/machine freshly thought

The ambitious R&D project “Autonomous Crushing“ with interdisciplinary teams consisting of colleagues of the renowned Leoben Chair of Mineral Processing and SBM research departments has been running for more than 2 years. It is the task and the aim of this project to make the decisive step from today‘s already extensively monitored and in the interaction of all process steps optimised crushing to autonomous fully-automated production by means of “intelligent” self-learning mobile crushers.

In the already well-advanced project, the machine independently assesses feed material and final products via sensors and camera systems, registers even better than before the load conditions of crusher and conveyor equipment, and optimises all separation processes down to overbelt magnetic separators and wind sifters. The sophisticated SBM control system Crush Control validates all operating conditions and material properties in real-time and sends the values to the SBM headquarters via cloud. A “digital twin” compiled there matches the real machine data with thousands of stored reference data coming from 1:1 quality testing, laboratory tests and computer simulations (rock properties, grain-size distribution curves, particle shapes, etc.). The hence determined optimisation potentials are sent back to the machine control system, and this allows for immediate and permanent adaptation of all process steps on site without any stoppages.

According to SBM autonomous crushing shall considerably support and relieve users and operators: Based upon specific data the plant can be configurated to exactly meet the requirements by selecting the right screening equipment already before the plant is relocated or the feed materials are changed. By means of an interactive menu control even inexperienced operators can precisely adjust the production process – depending on whether maximum output, minimum fuel consumption (“eco mode“) or quantity-optimised production of certain valuable grain sizes are required. The newly integrated tool monitoring in the impact crusher is another benefit as it counteracts shortfalls in quality due to wear during production, and also provides key support for preventive maintenance.

In large-scale test runs with REMAX 600 all system components will be optimised under practical conditions in the coming year. According to estimates the runs will be completed and market maturity of the technology that can also be transferred to other power classes will be reached in about 2024.

New benchmark for 1400-impact crusher

Even without “AI inside“ the performance data of the new flagship of the SBM REMAX series are very impressive indeed: With the 600 t/h-capacity of its sophisticated impact crusher 13/14/4 with 1380 x 1000 mm inlet opening (W x H), the transport-friendly dimensions (max. 21.8 x 3.48 x 3.80 m (L x W x H)) and a total weight of 60 to 75 tons only, tis crusher offers a completely new power segment in mobile primary and secondary crushing. According to SBM, the first clients opted for the “0 series“ already before the official market launch in October – the mobile high-end solution will be fully available around mid-year 2023.

As with all mobile plants made by SBM, the consumption-optimised diesel-electric ‘hybrid’ drive with optional grid operation is also a decisive argument for REMAX 600: A compact unit comprising a 15-litre Cummins turbodiesel (EU stage V) and 553-kVa generator powers all electric drives – from the 250-kW strong electric motor of the crusher through the complete conveying and screening equipment to the two electrically driven hydraulic units of chassis and working hydraulics system. Thanks to this design all plant functions remain available even in all-electric grid operation considerably reducing on-site emissions (exhaust fumes, noise) compared to other hybrid concepts with short-term diesel interventions. The high-torque drive system convinces even in diesel-supported operation due to its permanently low speeds, which results in addition to low environmental impacts especially in a favourable fuel consumption even with high utilisation of all ancillary components.

REMAX 600 offers a complete package of standard equipment plus options that assure high added value thanks to providing a multitude of premium-quality final aggregate fractions. In addition to the serial pre-screening via a double-deck circular vibratory screen, there are three optional secondary circular vibratory screens (1-, 2-, 3-decks) all facilitating recirculation of oversize material, and highly cantilevering discharge conveyors for large product stockpiles.

All stockpile conveyors can be folded hydraulically and stay at the machine. This allows for transportation in one piece and short set-up times of the plant without supports and requires no further auxiliary means even in one-man operation. The operator is assisted by the start-up routines of the SBM plant control Crush Control with its central 10‘‘-display, the multifunctional radio remote control and the cloud-based remote access to all operating conditions via smartphone or tablet.

Mature technologies conquer new markets

With this new 600 t/h impact crusher SBM Mineral Processing is the sole cross-technological supplier of a total of 12 plug-in hybrids of track-mobile jaw and impact crushers from almost 25 tons up to some 150 tons operating weight. All JAWMAX^® and REMAX series were consistently optimised concerning transport dimensions and transport weight, as to production performance they rank also at the top of their respective machine classes due to their class-leading crusher dimensions, and all this without compromising mobility between sites or on site.

With the introduction of its new mobile classes some three years ago SBM also reorganised its production at the Austrian facility in Liezen, Styria. Particularly due to better standardisation and modular design the assembly capacities could be significantly increased; currently, they come to some 200 plants per year for track- and semi-mobile SBM series. Parallel to expanding series production SBM invested in building an international distribution network gearing particularly towards supporting mobile technology: In the last years SBM Mineral Processing managed to gain about 30 additional distribution and service partners in Europe alone which will also support the ca. 1000 plants of SBM’s international clients. Apart from their widespread service presence in their respective regions all new SBM partners provide a good market penetration in the target industries which are mineral raw materials and recycling as well as underground engineering and road construction.

Due to the globally rising energy costs, the efficient SBM technology becomes increasingly attractive also in other big markets. At BAUMA SBM will give information about its medium-term global sales strategy. Apart from the large North American market with already four dealer centres and an own SBM parts centre in Canada, the focus is also on other overseas regions such as Oceania and Southeast Asia.

Smart stationary concepts are gaining ground

SBM Mineral Processing has gained even more experience in manufacturing stationary plants and in developing the corresponding single machines than in mobile processing technology with its almost 40 years of experience as a real pioneer in hybrid technology. Here too, greater standardisation of technical components as well as new modular concepts are to guarantee the profitability of manufacturing and operating complex installations in the long run.

In Munich, the branch experts will inform about the latest references covering tailor-made small installations for a few hundred thousand € up to multistage concepts with dry or/and wet processing in the double-digit million range. As a full-package supplier SBM also offers to modernise existing plants, and therefore consequently pursues the further development of powerful single machines in the various processing stages. One example for this is the SMR series of compact reversible impact mills that are suitable as a highly efficient and sophisticated upgrading and retrofitting for secondary respectively tertiary stages. The new dynamic screening sizes of the series KL-B, which make dry separating cuts up to 500µm feasible and facilitate feed capacities of up to 100 t/h, as well as the SBM elliptical vibrating screens with digital drive synchronisation offering exactly adjustable screening characteristics and high efficiency despite of their low construction height of course also come from the SBM in-house development.

Thus, the elliptical screening technology is perfectly suited for the novel container-mobile processing concept GRAVEX with which SBM Mineral Processing offers a remarkably interesting temporary alternative to mobile or semi-stationary processing plants respectively conventional plants with a high location-bound capital expenditure. Already today the “gravel plant in a container“ proves its worth under extreme alpine conditions in year-round operation at 2,000 m above sea level. But the GRAVEX concept also pays off for less demanding operations due to its modular design and the fact that it can easily be expanded because of the “plug-and-play“ construction of the individual process stages. Just like with container-mobile equipment e.g., in the concrete field, here the users also profit from the high value preservation and the possibilities to individually upgrade the technology over a long service life span and even with various relocations.

SBM at Bauma:
Indoor: Hall B2.249
Outdoor: 23B.B23.15; 23B.B23.26 (between halls B2/B3)