The driver behind developing a series of maintenance platforms for jaw crusher was the feedback received from the field. Many customers in the mining and aggregate industries have identified working in the jaw crusher cavity as a potential safety concern. Every now and then, the people doing service and maintenance on the jaw crusher must enter the jaw crusher cavity. How often that happens depends on many things, such as the abrasiveness of the rock or ore to be processed by the crusher. The reality is that the need to enter the crusher cavity cannot be avoided.
Before the launch of the maintenance platforms for the Metso Nordberg™ C Series jaw crushers, there was no industrial and commercial solution available. And the practices in the field varied a lot: some of them were difficult for the maintenance crew and some were not safe. So there was a clear demand for a professional solution.
Our approach in the development of the maintenance platforms was to combine safety and ease of use. And I can truly say that we succeeded well. The maintenance platforms, when adjusted correctly, fit into the crusher cavity perfectly and they support the jaw dies in place – even if the upper mounting hardware of the jaw dies is loose or even removed. This ensures that the jaw dies cannot drop.
Our maintenance platforms are easy to use, thanks to the light but sturdy design. They are light enough for one person to lift, and they are equipped with handrails, which not only add safety while standing on the platform and working in the cavity, but also act as lifting points. Thanks to the hand rails, the platform can be easily lifted into and out of the cavity.
The maintenance platform is a small investment that significantly improves safety and ergonomics. Additionally, by improving the safety and ergonomics of working in the crusher cavity, also efficiency – in this case, jaw die replacement time – can be improved, which reduces down time and improves total cost efficiency of the plant.