Solving Bottom Screen Blockage at Luohe Iron Mine with High-Rebound Rubber Panels

Application Scenario

In May 2023, the equipment department of Luohe Iron Mine in Anhui Province contacted our company (Strudex) to address a persistent bottom‑screen blockage issue. The site was using a double‑deck 2460 banana screen for iron ore processing. The original equipment was fitted with polyurethane screen panels, but the material being processed was damp, leading to frequent clogging.

Challenge

The customer faced severe operational difficulties:  

- Frequent clogging: Due to the damp nature of the iron ore, the polyurethane screen panels became blocked quickly. Part of the screen surface even hardened, further worsening the situation.  

- Excessive downtime: Equipment maintenance personnel reported that, on average, the screen surface required manual cleaning every two hours of operation. This drastically reduced production efficiency and increased labour costs.  

- Short replacement cycle: The polyurethane panels wore out and needed complete replacement every 4 months, adding significant material and maintenance expenses.

The customer urgently needed a screen solution that could resist clogging in damp conditions, reduce manual intervention, and offer longer service life.

Solutions

In June 2023, we proposed and trial‑installed 20 high‑rebound rubber screen panels(40 Shore A hardness) for the customer. These panels were installed in the middle area of the screen machine – the most clogging‑prone zone. Key features included:  

- High‑rebound rubber compound(40 Shore A) for excellent elasticity and self‑cleaning action.  

- Wet‑material resistance: The elastic deformation prevents damp particles from sticking or wedging into the apertures.  

- Durable design: The initial thickness of the aperture area was 20 mm, engineered for long‑term abrasion resistance.

Results & Benefits

1. Almost zero blockage– After one month of operation (July 2023), the customer took on‑site photos showing that the entire screen surface had almost no blockage. The performance was highly satisfactory.  

2. Extended service life– In July 2024, after 13 months of continuous trial use, we revisited the site to inspect the rubber panels. The photos confirmed:  

   - Still virtually no blockage on the trial panels.  

   - Only 5 mm of wear on the screen surface thickness (original 20 mm), meaning 15 mm remained intact.  

3. Comparison with previous polyurethane panels:  

   - Polyurethane needed replacement every 4 months. Our rubber panels lasted 13+ monthswith only minor wear.  

   - Manual cleaning dropped from every 2 hours to virtually none during the trial period.  

4. Reduced downtime and maintenance costs– The mine significantly improved equipment uptime and lowered both labour and replacement part expenses.

Conclusion

The 2023–2024 trial at Luohe Iron Mine demonstrated that Strudex’s 40 Shore A high‑rebound rubber screen panels effectively eliminate blockage in damp iron ore screening, while providing more than three times the service life of conventional polyurethane screens. This case proves the superior self‑cleaning performance and wear resistance of our rubber screening technology in demanding mining applications.