A rise in construction and demolition material recycling is driving demand for crushing and screening plants. Recycling reduces landfill waste, eliminates landfill disposal costs, reduces the need to purchase and transport raw virgin materials, and also generates revenue through the sale of processed demolition waste.

Making an impact (crusher)

Eagle Crusher Company, Inc., of Galion, Ohio, supports the material recycling effort with a full line of portable wheel-mounted screening systems. Central to Eagle Crusher's product line is the UltraMax® impactor — a sculptured three-bar, solid-steel rotor with the weight and inertia to power through rock, asphalt, and demolition rubble. The impactor works in conjunction with screening plants that separate crushed material into different sizes and can be linked with conveyors and configured to meet the needs of each jobsite.

"We have six impactors and about 30 ways to configure them into mobile or stationary screening systems," says Dan Friedman, Eagle Crusher's director of marketing. "We will put anything together as long as it conforms to the laws of physics."

For the past 25 years, Eagle Crusher has powered its impactor plants with John Deere industrial engines. These include John Deere PowerTech™ PSS 13.5L Final Tier 4 engines rated at 392 kW (525 hp) and 336 kW (450 hp).

Doing double impact crushers

Eagle Crusher manufactures several impactor plants powered by a John Deere PowerTech PSS 13.5L industrial engine that drives both the UltraMax impactor and an onboard generator that powers the plant's other systems.

These impactor plants include the popular UltraMax 1200-25 CC, a closed-circuit system offering screening and steel-removal capabilities on a single chassis. The onboard generator powers a 15x4.9-meter (5x16-foot) incline screen and optional electromagnet, onboard plant conveyors, and up to three other conveyors for discharging and stockpiling.

For jobs requiring higher production volume, Eagle Crusher offers several multi-chassis impactor plants with the PSS 13.5L engine, as well. These include the UltraMax 1400-CVS crushing plant and UltraMax 1400-OC. Both models are engineered to be coupled with several screening system features, an impactor and a 1.8x6-meter (6x20-foot) screening plant that can be used separately or together. It is also available as a closed-circuit system. The UltraMax 1400-CCS features an integrated feed conveyor and return conveyor with three radial stacking conveyors.

Tom Cole, vice president of engineering for Eagle Crusher, says the PSS 13.5L diesel engine delivers consistent speed under full load to operate both the crusher and the generator. When the crusher comes under heavy load, the engine's flat torque curve at lower speeds keeps the engine from lugging and creating a voltage drop on the auxiliary generator, he explains.

Superior customization

Eagle Crusher purchases the engines from Superior Diesel of Rhinelander, Wisconsin. The John Deere engine distributor assembles a custom 13.5L engine package certified for Final Tier 4 emissions where required, as well as some Tier 3/Stage III A packages for export. For Eagle Crusher, receiving a complete power unit reduces both the time and cost to engineer and assemble the power unit.

"The power unit had to be shortened to fit the allowable space for an engine," explains Cole. "We gave Superior the specs and worked with them to come up with a total package that fits in that envelope. Superior Diesel also mounts our transmission devices or fluid couplings to run the pulley that powers the plant. We just slide the power unit on, bolt in the vibration isolation, hook up the fuel, and we’re ready to go."

Superior Diesel also designs a robust enclosure to withstand harsh environment conditions and vibration. "We had Superior Diesel add a vacuum sensor into the air cleaner to monitor the resistance in the air intake," says Cole. "That lets our customers know when there’s too much dust plugging the air filters."

Cole says receiving a drop-in ready power unit improves in-house efficiencies. "We’re not set up to be able to do that type of work, so this means we don’t have to develop that as part of our core business."

Cole has worked closely with Superior Diesel since 1997 and appreciates the exceptional support and service he’s received over the years. "It comes down to this: Do I want to work with an engine distributor that is willing to accommodate and work with us? Or somebody who takes a week or two to get an answer to every question?"