How to Increase Manufactured Fines (MF) in Your Crushing Operation

When it comes to Manufactured Fines (MF), it often feels like a problem—you either have too much or too little, but rarely the perfect amount. We will dive into practical ways to increase MF in your crushing operation, ranging from low-cost adjustments to more substantial investments.

Ways to Increase Manufactured Fines

Producing more Manufactured Fines typically requires additional resources—either in terms of money or time. Let’s explore various methods, from the least to the most expensive.

1. Planning Ahead

Manufactured Fines is a valuable byproduct for flexibility as a rock supplier. If you’re producing road base or concrete stone, you can “steal” some Manufactured Fines during production and stockpile it for future use. By planning ahead and stockpiling Manufactured Fines, you can avoid specific production runs solely to create Manufactured Fines, saving time and resources.

2. Choosing the Correct Crushing Chamber

Selecting the right crushing chamber for your finishing cone crusher is one of the simplest ways to increase Manufactured Fines. Coarse chambers are more flexible in portable crushing setups where job requirements change frequently, and constant chamber changes aren’t feasible. However, for applications like asphalt production, a different chamber may be more efficient.

Quality manganese suppliers often have software to help you choose the optimal crushing chamber for Manufactured Fines production. Additionally, some cone crushers offer a wider range of chambers, allowing better precision in creating Manufactured Fines.

3. Adjusting the Crusher Throw

If your cone crusher has an adjustable throw, you can increase the intensity of the crushing action, leading to more Manufactured Fines. Increasing the throw generally boosts production, but be cautious—a high throw with a tight liner configuration can cause premature wear or failure of certain parts.

4. Cone Crusher Automation

Advanced automation packages on some cone crushers allow you to optimize Manufactured Fines production. These systems automatically adjust the closed side setting (CSS) and utilize specific CSS patterns to control particle shape and size while maintaining optimal performance as the manganese wears. Pairing automation with the right liner configuration can significantly boost Manufactured Fines.

5. Recirculation Load

Recirculating part of the cone crusher discharge back into the crusher is another effective way to increase Manufactured Fines. While this setup slows down overall production and reduces the percentage of larger rock in the final output, it’s a proven method for Manufactured Fines generation.

6. Impactors vs. Cones

Autogenous Vertical Shaft Impactors (VSIs) can generate more Manufactured Fines than cone crushers. However, VSI wear parts tend to be more costly, especially in high-abrasion environments. If using a VSI, consider one with bypass capabilities and a variable frequency drive to help you fine-tune Manufactured Fines output.

7. Adding a Crushing Stage

Adding an extra crushing stage can significantly increase Manufactured Fines, though the associated capital and operating costs are high. However, in markets like asphalt, this additional stage can be economically justified. Some operations only need a partial stage, redirecting a portion of jaw or cone discharge to a third crusher (such as a small VSI or a cone crusher with a fine chamber).

8. Using a Screen-Jaw Plant

A screen-jaw plant lets you separate natural sand and round material before reaching the jaw crusher. You can stockpile the natural rounds and reintroduce them to the circuit by crushing them in a small cone crusher or VSI before screening. If you have a three-deck jaw screen plant, you can also capture specific sizes (like ¼” to 1” rock) off the bottom deck.