Hazemag’s New AP-K 51 impresses at Colemans Quarry

Since its introduction in early 2004, Hazemag’s AP-K 51 hard rock impact crusher has been heralded as a great success. Development work invested in its new design has quickly borne fruit, with a significant number of units now in operation.

The AP-K 51 series is a totally new design based on the operational experience of its highly successful predecessor, the AP-K 50 hard rock impactor. The new design, which includes a complete update of the crushing chamber configuration, has resulted in an increase in throughput capacity and an improvement in crushing efficiency, with considerably reduced wear rates.

The first UK quarry to install a Hazemag AP-K 51 is Aggregate Industries’ Colemans Quarry, near Frome, Somerset. The model installed here — an AP-KMH 51 with hydraulic impact apron and grinding path adjustment — has replaced an AP-K 50 which had been operating on secondary duty for over 20 years.

The new AP-K 51 range has been designed to occupy the same envelope as the AP-K 50, allowing installation to be carried out in a relatively short time. Aggregate Industries’ area engineer for Wessex, Peter Restorick, managed the installation project assisted by Matthew Wright of Hazemag UK Ltd and an engineer from Hazemag in Germany. Mr Restorick, who employed the services of Blackhill Engineering Services Ltd and a local electrician, described the process as ‘much more comfortable than we had anticipated’.

The new impactor was commissioned in early January and quickly put to work crushing –200mm Mendip limestone to a –40mm product in a single pass, at a throughput rate of up to 300 tonnes/h.

‘The quarry is very impressed with the performance of the new Hazemag,’ says Mr Restorick. ‘It has dramatically increased the throughput of MOT aggregate from around 240 tonnes/h to 300 tonnes/h and the crusher has efficiently achieved the results that Hazemag said it would.’

Hazemag have also streamlined routine maintenance work on the AP-K 51. For example, thanks to the new SQ-type rotor, the blow-bar changing operation has been made much easier and quicker. The bars are retained in position by securing wedges, which on release free the blow bars completely; this design precludes any tendency towards caking of process material.

The crusher range is also characterized by its modular principle, from the base model through to more advanced machines with hydraulics and grinding path, as supplied to Aggregate Industries. One step further would see the ‘HAZtronic’ system utilized, allowing the machine gap settings to be adjusted automatically and, if fitted with an inverter drive, providing rotor speed control, all at the touch of a button without having to stop production.

The AP-K 51 has also been designed with a view to future upgrading. Should a basic machine require upgrading this can be readily carried out without major modifications. Hazemag say they will also consider ‘taking back’ an existing crusher, subject to its condition. If required, the company will also undertake the dismantling of the old plant, erection and commissioning work, and the drawing-up of a comprehensive service package with extended guarantee periods.

Hazemag UK Ltd, European Business Centre, Riverside View, Thornes Lane, Wakefield, W. Yorks WF1 5QW; tel: (01924) 380014; fax: (01924) 831181.