You want profit. You want good rocks. The shape of your aggregate is key. It decides the quality of concrete. It decides the stability of roads. Many buyers ignore this. They look only at price. That is a big mistake. Bad shape means rejected loads. It means lost money. Today we compare two machines. The Impact Crusher and the Cone Crusher. Which one gives better shape? How do you choose? SBM helps you decide.
Aggregate shape is not just for looks. It is about physics. Cubical rocks lock together. They are strong. Flaky rocks are weak. They break under pressure. Concrete needs cubes. Asphalt needs cubes.
If you use flat rocks concrete needs more cement. Cement is expensive. So bad shape costs you cash. We follow standards like ASTM D4791. It measures flat particles. You want less than 10% flat rocks. If you have more you lose clients. SBM knows this well.
We see this every day. A quarry produces tons of rock. But the pile sits there. No one buys it. Why. Because the shape is needle-like. Do not let this happen to you.
This machine hits the rock. It uses energy to break stone. The rotor spins fast. It throws rock against breaker plates. This is called impact force.
How it works:
The rock enters the chamber. The blow bar hits it. The rock breaks along natural cracks. It hits the curtain. It breaks again. This repeats. The result is a nice cube.
Key Specs:
Impact crushers have a high reduction ratio. It can be 20:1. The rotor speed matters. Faster speed makes finer output. But it wears parts faster. SBM adjusts this for you.
Pros:
Best product shape. High reduction. Cheaper to buy.
Cons:
Wear parts cost more. Not for very hard rock.
This machine squeezes rock. It uses compression. A mantle moves inside a concave. The gap gets smaller. The rock breaks. It is like a nutcracker.
The Tech Inside:
We talk about CSS (Closed Side Setting). This sets the output size. We also have OSS (Open Side Setting). The eccentric bush spins. It makes the mantle wobble.
Shape Issues:
Cone crushers can make flaky rock. This happens if the feed is low. You must “choke feed” it. Keep the head full. This creates “rock on rock” crushing. It improves shape.
Pros:
Low wear cost. Handles hard rock (Granite/Basalt). Automation is easy.
Cons:
Expensive to buy. Shape is not as good as impact.
| Feature | Impact Crusher (HSI) | Cone Crusher (HP Series) |
|---|---|---|
| Reduction Ratio | 10:1 to 20:1 | 3:1 to 5:1 |
| Output Shape | Excellent (Cubical) | Good (Depends on Feed) |
| Wear Cost | High (Metal loss) | Low (Long life) |
| Rock Hardness | Soft to Medium (Limestone) | Hard to Very Hard (Granite) |
| Energy use | Medium | Low per ton |
This table shows truth. Cone is for hard rock. Impact is for shape. You must balance this. Check your stone type first.
The Problem:
You sell aggregate to builders. They complain. The concrete cracks. It does not pass the PSI test. They blame your stone.
The Solution:
Check your flakiness index. Flat rocks create voids. Voids make weak concrete. You might be using a Cone Crusher wrongly. Is the chamber full. If not the rock slips. It gets sliced not crushed.
SBM suggests a fix. Add a VSI (Vertical Shaft Impactor) at the end. Or switch to an Impact crusher if rock is soft. This reshapes the stone. Strength goes up. Customers come back.
The Problem:
You use an Impact crusher. The product looks great. But you change blow bars every week. The cost is huge. You are losing money.
The Solution:
Your rock is too abrasive. Silica content is high. Impact crushers hate silica. It acts like sandpaper.
SBM advises a change. Use a Cone Crusher for the main work. Then use the Impact crusher only for shaping. Do not do all work with the Impactor. This creates a “Step Crushing” line. It saves 40% on wear parts.
Project Background:
A client in Lagos had a problem. He had a jaw crusher and old cone. The road authority rejected his stone. Too many flat pieces. The rock was medium limestone.
SBM Solution:
We analyzed the stone. Softness was average. Silica was low. We removed the old cone. We installed an SBM PFW Impact Crusher. We set the rotor speed to 650 RPM.
The Results:
The shape became perfect cubes. The flakiness dropped from 25% to 8%. His sales doubled in two months. The wear cost was acceptable because limestone is soft.
Customer Voice:
“SBM engineers came to the site. They did not just sell machines. They fixed my process. Now my stone is the best in the region. Maintenance is easy too.”
Project Background:
This site was hard. River stone and granite. Very tough. The client wanted 300 tons per hour. He wanted good shape but hated high wear costs.
SBM Solution:
We could not use just an Impact crusher. The wear would be too high. We designed a combo. Jaw crusher first. Then an SBM HST Single Cylinder Hydraulic Cone. Finally a small VSI for shaping.
The Logic:
The Cone did 80% of the work. It breaks the hard rock cheap. The VSI just knocks the edges off. This gives cube shape with low cost.
The Results:
Power use dropped by 15%. The cubical rate is 92%. The client supplies the local airport project. High standards met. Reliability is high.
Machines break. It is a fact. But SBM makes it easier. We design for humans not robots.
For Impact Crushers:
We use hydraulic opening. You push a button. The hood opens. You change bars in 2 hours. Not 10 hours. We use high chrome bars. They last longer.
For Cone Crushers:
We have PLC screens. It tells you the temp. It tells you the pressure. If a metal piece enters it opens automatically. This protects the shaft. No big repairs needed.
We are the factory. We are not a middleman. This matters. We have spare parts on the shelf. When you buy we send an engineer.
He stays with you. He teaches your workers. He shows how to grease. He shows how to check the gap. We do not leave until you produce money.
We offer turnkey solutions. From design to concrete foundation. We handle the electrics too. You just manage the business.
Q1: Can I crush river pebbles with an Impact Crusher?
A: You can but it is pricey. Pebbles are hard and round. Blow bars will wear fast. We suggest a Cone crusher for pebbles. Use Impactor only for finishing.
Q2: How often do I change the liner on a Cone?
A: It depends on the rock. Usually every 4 months for hard rock. SBM liners are manganese steel. They get harder as they work. This extends life.
Q3: My electricity is weak. Which machine is better?
A: Cone crushers start smoother. They don’t spike power as much. Impact crushers need a big kick to start the rotor. If power is bad choose Cone.
So what do you buy. It comes down to the rock. It comes down to the market.
If you have Limestone or soft rock: Buy SBM Impact Crusher. You get perfect shape. You save on buying cost.
If you have Granite or Basalt: Buy SBM Cone Crusher. You save on wear parts. If shape is strict add a VSI shaper.
Do not guess. Let us test your rock. We are SBM. We have 30 years of data. We know what works. We build success.
Whatsapp：+8617329420102
Email: [email protected]
Address: No. 1688, Gaoke East Road, Pudong new district, Shanghai, China.
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