Segmented Wear Roller for Crushing Particulate Material

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing grinding rollers in the cement and minerals industries require frequent replacement due to excessive wear, leading to time-consuming and costly maintenance processes, inefficient grinding, and operational downtime, with previous segmented designs experiencing pressure build-up and non-uniform wear patterns that result in further losses.

Innovation Solution

A roller design featuring a roller body with individual wear segments arranged on longitudinal guiding means, allowing two or more segments to be fixed to the same lateral section, using grooves, knobs, keyways, and projections to secure and prevent movement, enabling easy replacement of worn segments and maintaining uniform wear across the roller.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If grinding rollers are replaced frequently to address excessive wear, then roller performance is maintained, but operational downtime and labor costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller performanceVSAvoidoperational downtime
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The roller is divided into multiple independent wear segments that can be replaced individually. Each segment is mounted on longitudinal guiding means and secured with clamps, allowing selective replacement of only the worn portions rather than the entire roller, thus reducing operational downtime and maintenance costs while maintaining roller performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Duration of action of stationary object

If segmented wear segments are used to reduce replacement frequency, then roller durability improves, but pressure build-up between segments causes segment movement and damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller service lifeVSAvoidsegment stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Longitudinal guiding means are provided on the roller body between the clamps to preliminarily constrain the wear segments before operation begins. These guiding means prevent segment movement by providing longitudinal guidance and restriction, eliminating the pressure build-up issue that would otherwise cause segment displacement and damage during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Duration of action of stationary object

If wear segments are arranged laterally on the roller body, then replacement frequency is reduced, but non-uniform wear pattern results in energy loss

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller service lifeVSAvoidgrinding efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The wear segments are designed with different properties along their length, with the outer half of each segment having different wear characteristics than the inner half. This local quality differentiation ensures uniform wear distribution across the roller surface, preventing energy loss from non-uniform wear while maintaining the benefits of segmented design for reduced replacement frequency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Reliability

If exotic high-end wear materials are used throughout the entire roller, then wear resistance improves, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Exotic high-end wear materials are applied only to the outer half of each wear segment where wear occurs, rather than throughout the entire roller. The inner half can be made from more economical materials, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining superior wear resistance in the critical areas where the roller contacts grinding media and particulate material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3171980B1A roller with a segmented wear surface for crushing particulate material
Publication Date: 2018.08.29 F L SMIDTH & CO AS
  • EP3171980B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3171980B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3171980B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Described is a roller (1) for crushing of particulate material, such as crude ore for use in the mineral industry, where the roller body (2) is provided with a plurality of individual wear segments (4, 5) which are arranged on longitudinal guiding means (6) and between clamps (7, 8) in a manner such that two or more of the wear segments (4, 5) are fixed to the same lateral section of one lateral portion of the roller body (2) and such that the frequency of, and cost associated with, the replacement of such wear segments is minimized. The invention also relates to the plurality of wear segments and to a method of manufacturing the roller.