Why Am I Making Out-of-Spec Material?
November 10th, 2026
Making out-of-spec material?
Your product gradation is starting to drift. Fines are showing up where they shouldn’t.
Photo: comparing expected vs torn/worn screens
Before you think about changing crusher settings, there’s something else worth checking: Your screen media.
Screen media doesn’t have to completely fail to affect production.
Over time, openings can wear and become larger. Wire can stretch or break. Panels can loosen. Clamp rails, fastening systems and other components can wear or become damaged.
Those seemingly small changes can affect how material is separated — and eventually show up in your finished product.
Don’t wait for a torn screen
A screen that’s obviously torn is easy to identify. Gradual wear can be harder to catch.
That’s why routine inspection matters.
During your next inspection or screen changeout, look for:
Torn or broken wire
Openings showing excessive wear or stretching
Worn screen panels
Loose clamps or fastening systems
Damaged support rails or structures
Worn channel rubber
And pay attention to the wear pattern. A problem concentrated in one area of the deck may tell you something different than consistent wear across the entire screening surface.
The components that touch the screen matter, too.
Proper tensioning and well-maintained clamp rails, bolts and channel rubber all help screen media perform as intended.
If your gradations are changing, don’t automatically assume the crusher or the material coming out of the pit is the problem.
Sometimes your finished product is telling you it’s simply time to take a closer look at the screen.