Jul. 07, 2025
Choosing the right crusher is key to running an efficient material processing operation. Whether you're crushing rock, concrete, asphalt, or recycled material, understanding the different types of crushers and the stages of crushing can help you select the right equipment for your job ... and save time and money in the process.
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Before we discover all the different types of crushers, we need to know what a crusher is and what it is used for. A crusher is a machine that reduces large rocks into smaller rocks, gravel, or rock dust.
Crushers are mainly used in the mining and construction industries, where they are used to break down very large rocks and boulders into smaller pieces. Crushers are also commonly used for jobs like breaking up asphalt for roadwork or demolition projects. Crusher machines come in a wide variety of sizes and capacities, from small jaw crushers that cost the same as a new truck to extra large cone crushers that cost millions of dollars. With all this choice, you'll want to make sure that the one you choose has the power and capabilities necessary for your specific project. In most cases, having a crusher at your disposal can save a significant amount of time and labor since you won't have to do as much manually crushing materials yourself. This makes them an invaluable asset for anyone who may need to crush materials quickly and efficiently.
The first United States patent for a rock crushing machine was in . Its key technology was the drop hammer concept, found in the well-known stamp mill, which would be repeatedly linked to the golden age of mining. Ten years later, another U.S. patent was issued to an impact crusher. The primitive impact crusher was made up of a wooden box and a cylindrical wooden drum, with iron hammers fastened to it. While both of these patents were granted, neither creator ever marketed their inventions.
Eli Whitney Blake invented, patented, and sold the first actual rock crusher in ; it was known as the Blake Jaw Crusher. Blake’s crusher was so influential that today’s models are still compared to his original designs. This is because the Blake Jaw Crusher integrated a key mechanical principle—the toggle linkage—a concept students of mechanics are familiar with.
In , Philetus W. Gates received a U.S. patent for his device featuring the basic ideas of today’s gyratory crushers. In , Mr. Blake challenged Mr. Gates to crush 9 cubic yards of stone in a contest to see which crusher would finish the job faster. The Gates crusher completed the task 40 minutes sooner!
The Gates’ gyratory crushers were preferred by the mining industry for almost two decades until the turn of the century, circa , when Blake’s jaw crushers saw a resurgence in popularity. The demand for large jaw crushers skyrocketed as the industry began to understand their potential as primary crushers in rock quarries. Through Thomas A. Edison’s research and development, giant machines were innovated and placed around the United States. Smaller-sized jaw crushers were also developed as secondary and tertiary crushers.
Edison’s studies within the field of mining and crushing left a legacy that forever improved how large rocks and materials are reduced.
Crushing is the process of reducing or breaking down larger-sized material into smaller-sized material. There are four basic ways to crush.
Impact: Instant collisions of large objects against one another with material placed between. Both objects can be in motion, or one can be still while the other strikes against it. There are two main types of impact reduction: gravity and dynamic.
Attrition: Rubbing the material between two solid surfaces. This is an appropriate method when reducing less abrasive materials because it consumes less power during the process. Robust materials would not be as efficient.
Shear: Typically combined with other reduction methods, shearing uses a trimming method and is used when a coarse outcome is wanted. This reduction method is often seen in primary crushing.
Compression: A key mechanical element of jaw crushers, compression reduces materials between two surfaces. Great for very hard, abrasive materials that do not fit attrition crushers. Compression is unsuitable for anything tacky or gummy.
Choosing the correct type of crushing method is unique to both the type of material you are breaking down and the desired product. Next, you must decide which type of crusher is best suited for the job. Keeping energy usage and efficiency in mind is always a top consideration. Using the wrong type of crusher can lead to costly delays and consume more power than expected during the process.
Crushing operations are typically divided into stages, each serving a specific purpose:
There are lots of different kinds of crushers, from jaw crushers to impactors and cone crushers. Crushing is a versatile process, and the kind of crusher you need depends on the 'stage' of crushing. The three main stages of crushing are primary, secondary, and tertiary, all of which have their own unique benefits. Let's find out why each of these crushing stages is important.
As the name suggests, this kind of crushing is the first in the process. Run of Mine (ROM) materials are brought directly from blasting projects and crushed in a primary crusher for the first round of crushing. At this point, the material receives its first reduction in size from its raw state. Primary crushing produces materials ranging from 50" to 20" on average. The two main types of primary crushers are:
Large amounts of material are fed into the “V-shaped” jaw of this crusher and are reduced using compressive force. One side of the V remains stationary while the other side of the V swings against it. The material is forced from the wide opening of the V to the narrowest point of the V, creating a crushing motion. Jaw crushers are large-scale, heavy-duty machinery typically constructed with cast iron and/or steel. Often considered a basic machine, jaw crushers have their place in the industry. They are often used to reduce rock into non-uniformed gravel. To find out more about primary jaw crusher check out our blog.
Run of mine material is transferred into a gyratory crusher’s upper-level hopper. The walls of the gyratory crusher’s hopper are lined with “V-shaped” pieces, the mantle and the concave, like a jaw crusher but shaped like a cone. The ore is discharged through the smaller bottom output hole of the cone. While the cone does not move, an interior crushing movement is created by a revolving shaft on a vertical rod. Continuous action is created, making it faster than the jaw crusher with less power usage. Often smaller and more expensive than a jaw crusher, gyratory crushers are suitable for larger amounts of materials when a more uniform shape is desired.
After materials go through their first round of crushing, they are fed into a secondary crusher to be broken down further. The average input size for a secondary crusher ranges from 13" to 4" during this stage. Secondary crushing is especially important for making graded material that is going on to be used on government projects. For example, crushed material for road base and fill. The main kinds of crushing machines for secondary processing are discussed below.
Cone crushers are one of the main choices for secondary crushing. A cone crusher is a powerful machine that is used in large-scale industries for crushing various types of materials into smaller sizes. It works by applying pressure to the material and squeezing it against a rotating mantle to create compression and force. The crushed material is first broken down at the top of the cone, where they then fall down into a lower part of the cone that is more narrow. At this point, the cone crusher crushes the material again into an even smaller size. This continues until the material is small enough to fall out of the bottom opening. Material from a cone crusher can be used for lots of different projects, including road base construction projects, asphalt pavement resurfacing, or gravel pits for road construction. Cone crushers are suitable for medium-hard and hard materials, like virgin rock from quarries.
A roller crusher reduces material by compressing it between two turning cylinders, parallel to each other. The cylinders are mounted horizontally, with one resting on strong springs and the other framed permanently. Material is then fed between the two. Changing the distance between the rollers allows you to control the desired material output size. Each cylinder is easily adjusted and lined with manganese for maximum long-term wear. Roller crushers typically deliver fine material output and are not suitable for hard or abrasive materials.
One of the most versatile crushers available, hammer mills and impactors can be primary, secondary, and tertiary crushers. Hammer mill crushers use continuous hammer blows to shatter and disintegrate material. They are typically horizontally rotating in an enclosed cylinder casing. The hammers are attached to a disk and swing with centrifugal force against the casing. Material is fed into the top and crushed as it falls through the hole at the bottom. You will find hammer mills being used in industries like agriculture, medicine, energy, and beyond. They provide some of the highest efficiency outputs available, are portable, and can handle almost any material.
Impact crushers have a very similar working principle except instead of the rotating parts hitting the material like a hammer, they instead throw the material against an impact plate, which breaks it down. They also come in horizontal or vertical shaft configurations depending on the desired output. For more information on impact crushers check out this blog. Check out impact crushers for sale at Machinery Partner.
Sometimes you might need to continue to reduce the size of your crushed material, and a tertiary reduction may be desired (sometimes even further). Particle sizes range from 5" to 1" during this final stage. Tertiary crushing is highly valuable in the mineral processing industry. The degree to which a material is reduced largely depends on how fine the material’s final size should be. More stages of crushing = smaller-sized products. For tertiary crushing, you will most likely need a smaller impactor or cone crusher.
Screening and multiple crushing sequences can also limit material waste. Some common tools used during the process are:
Screening Equipment: If a piece of material is too large for the crushing machine to effectively handle, it must be removed. Screening equipment removes any material that will slow the production process. It sorts and classifies materials by size using a series of screens with different-sized openings. These openings, or grids, allow small rocks to move along and large rocks to be excluded. If the material does not fit through the openings, it will be excluded from the next phase of the reduction process. Then, it is either sent back into the crushing process for further size reduction or removed completely from production. Screening equipment is crucial to an effective tertiary crushing operation, as large materials can take up needed space and consume valuable energy, creating delays and costing money.
Conveyors: Moving raw materials and reduced materials from one stage of production to the next can be incredibly time-consuming. Modern mining and material handling methods now include extensive conveyor systems that can sometimes cover many miles. There are two basic kinds of conveyors: powered and gravity. Powered conveyors utilize energy from an outside source, whereas gravity conveyors use the material’s weight to propel them.
Gyratory crushers and cone crushers are both types of compression crushers that crush materials by squeezing them between a stationary and a moving piece of manganese-hardened steel. There are however some key differences between cone and gyratory crushers.
Firstly, gyratory crushers are designed for crushing very large materials—normally in the primary crushing stage—while cone crushers are typically used for secondary or tertiary crushing to make smaller, finer products. Secondly, the shape of the crushing head is different. The gyratory crusher has a conical-shaped head that gyrates inside a bowl-shaped outer shell, while the cone crusher has a mantle and a stationary concave ring.
Additionally, gyratory crushers have a higher crushing ratio (meaning that they can crush large material into smaller pieces), a larger feed opening, and a more consistent product size and shape compared to cone crushers. However, cone crushers have a more efficient crushing action for smaller materials but can produce more fines. For more information on crusher reduction ratios, check out our blog.
Yes, different types of crushers produce different shaped products, and this matters depending on what you're using the material for.
Jaw crushers are designed for primary crushing and use a compressive force to break material. They produce more angular, flat, or elongated pieces, which are fine for road base, backfill, or sub-grade layers where shape doesn’t need to be precise.
Impact crushers, on the other hand, use high-speed impact force to break material and tend to produce more uniform, cubical-shaped products. This makes them a better choice when you're creating finished material for concrete mixes, asphalt, or resale, where clean edges and consistency matter.
Choosing between these two often comes down to the final product spec and whether you need shape or just size reduction.
Not sure which crusher fits your job? Talk to our team and get matched with the right machine for your material, volume, and budget.
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You can also check out our full range of crushing equipment, screening equipment and heavy equipment brands like ARK & more sourced directly from the manufacturer.
Most material processing involves three key stages:
Each type of crusher is designed for a specific job. Jaw crushers are tough and ideal for primary crushing. Impact crushers or cone crushers are better for secondary and tertiary stages where shaping and final sizing matter.
Jaw crushers use compression and produce rough, angular output. They’re best for breaking down large, hard material. Impact crushers use high-speed impact to produce a more uniform, cubical product, making them better for finished material or resale.
Yes, depending on your project. If you only need to break material down for backfill or on-site use, a jaw crusher alone might be enough. But if you need clean, spec material for resale or paving, secondary or tertiary crushing is often required.
If you're trying to sort material into different sizes or remove fines, a screener is essential. It ensures you get the right product for the right application — and helps you hit specs if you're reselling aggregate.
Start by considering your material type, required output size, and production goals. Most setups begin with a jaw crusher for primary reduction. From there, you can add an impact crusher or cone depending on the final product you need.
This article is a complete guide to everything you need to know about hydraulic breaker hammers.
It will cover everything from construction, components and working principles to tips on buying, maintaining and repairing hydraulic hammers.
We'll also include a FAQ and troubleshooting guide that covers every detail you need to know.
To help beginners and professionals better understand the hydraulic breaker hammer.
Among them, "hydraulic hammer ultimate Purchase guide" is divided into six chapters.
Hydraulic breaker hammer definition. Its history, type and application are briefly introduced.
Structure of hydraulic hammer. This section describes the main components and provides an overall schematic of the structure.
Working principle of hydraulic hammer.An informative section explaining the technical principles of operating hydraulic hammers with diagrams and videos.
How to choose hydraulic hammer. Here are six of the most practical tips for choosing the right hammer; This section is intended to provide general advice in the form of a buying guide.
Hydraulic hammer maintenance guide. Common maintenance suggestions and videos. A complete PDF maintenance guide is available for download.
A list of frequently asked Questions about daily use, repair, maintenance and troubleshooting - all the details you need to know!
Hydraulic crushing hammer is a heavy construction machinery, installed in excavators, backhoe, skid steering, small excavators and fixed equipment.
It is hydraulically driven to break rocks into smaller sizes or concrete structures into manageable fragments.
They are such versatile tools that can handle a wide variety of jobs and come in different sizes and models to meet specific needs.
A good hammer is built durable and is commonly used in a variety of applications such as demolition, construction, road-building, mining and quarrying, tunneling, and landscaping.
In order to understand how hydraulic hammers work, or what is the working principle of hydraulic hammers, it is necessary to first clarify the structure and main components of hydraulic hammers.
Hydraulic crusher hammer is mainly composed of three parts: back head(nitrogen chamber), cylinder assembly, and front head.
We'll talk about them separately.
1. Back (nitrogen chamber)
The rear head is a container for storing nitrogen.
Under high pressure, the nitrogen-filled chamber acts as a damper for the piston's return trip.
As the piston moves downward, it also acts as an impact enhancer.
2. Cylinder assembly
Hydraulic breaker hammer cylinder assembly is the core component of hydraulic crushing hammer.
It is mainly composed of cylinder, piston and control valve.
The piston and valve are the only two moving parts of the hydraulic hammer.
The piston moves up and down, hits the tool, and the valve rotates to control the flow of oil.
It is where motion takes place and where water power is produced.
The oil is controlled by the main valve, and the hydraulic flow drives the piston to produce impact energy.
The cylinder is equipped with a sealing kit to prevent oil leakage.
3. Front Head
This is where the piston is attached to the chisel (or working tool).
The chisel is secured with bushings and pins, and this is the part most in need of replacement.
The front side is in direct contact with the working surface, and the box case prevents wear and tear and provides longer service life.
A hammer has dozens of accessories in addition to these three main parts.
Now comes the crucial part.
This chapter contains a great deal of technical information.
If you have an engineering background, this section will help you understand the technical aspects of how hydraulic hammers work and operate.
If you think these flowcharts are boring and incomprehensible, you can jump right to the conclusion.
As described in the previous chapter, the main valve controls the flow of oil in and out, and the hydraulic flow drives the piston up and down, producing impact energy.
In this chapter, four flow charts are used to illustrate the process.
Remarks
1.High-pressure oil enters and fills chambers 1 and 8, acting on the end face of the piston and pushing the piston upwards.
2. When the piston moves up to the limit, chamber 1 is connected with chamber 2, and oil flows from chamber 2 to chamber 6.
Control valve due to pressure difference upward (6 chamber oil pressure is higher than 8 chamber oil pressure).
3. When the control valve reaches the upper limit, the input hole connects the oil flow of cavity 8 to make the oil flow into cavity 4.
Due to the high oil pressure in chamber 4, supported by nitrogen, the piston moves downward.
4. When the piston moves down and hits the chisel, chamber 3 is connected to chamber 2, and they are both connected to chamber 6.
Due to the high oil pressure in chamber 8, the control valve moves down and the input hole is connected to chamber 7 again.
Then a new cycle begins.
One sentence is enough to summarize the working principle of the hydraulic hammer: “The relative position change of piston and valve, which is driven by oil flow going “in” and “out,” transforms hydraulic power into impact energy.”
Watch the short video for a thorough explanation.
Now that you know what a hydraulic circuit breaker is, you're going to buy one.
A hydraulic crusher is not a small investment, nor is it built for the convenience of life.
Are you interested in learning more about hammer impact crusher? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
Choosing the right hammer can save a lot of money in the long run and improve your efficiency.
We've compiled six practical tips to explain how to choose the right hydraulic hammer.
Hydraulic hammer must be installed on suitable size carrier. The right mix can optimize efficiency and protect your valuable investment.
Since there is no general industry standard, crusher size can be measured by weight ratio, impact energy level, chisel/piston diameter, etc.
Each has its own advantages, the piston/chisel diameter is what I consider most.
In short, larger tools and chisels generally result in higher power and lower frequencies. The circuit breaker is fitted with a heavier carrier.
For example, a 140mm tool diameter hammer is a good match for the 20 ton class, such as the Cat 320C, Komatsu PC200 excavator.
And a 45 mm chisel diameter breaker is a good fit for your 2 ton Bobcat skidding or 1.8 ton Kubota mini excavator.
2. Projects and applications
Hydraulic hammers are versatile enough to work in a variety of applications, so matching your machine to the intended project is critical.
In mining or quarrying, impact power is most important, which may require a larger hammer and slower speed to break rock or limestone into smaller pieces.
In road demolition or tunnel construction, penetration and impact rate are key factors to improve efficiency. The 10-ton medium hammer is a good choice.
For rear hole excavation or landscaping, anti-skid steering or small excavators fitted with a 1 ton breaker work best.
Demolishing the road with a 30 ton hammer is your choice, but I think it's a waste.
3. Aropriate hydraulic flow
The hydraulic breaker is driven and powered by the hydraulic flow of the excavator. Some can handle a wide range of traffic, and some can't.
Overflow can damage the hammer due to the extra pressure. And without enough flow, the hammer will become slow, weak, and ineffective.
In principle, the wider the scope, the better the universality, the greater the capacity of the narrow flow breaker.
For example, the Cat 130H hydraulic breaker hammer (tool diameter 129.5mm, excavator class 18-36 tons) has a flow range of 120-220 L /min.
Its best match is about 20 tons; It is most suitable for road construction and construction.
There's no doubt that it can work at higher oil flows and heavier loads (which means wider applications like mining and quarrying),
This may not be a perfect choice.
In this case, a new hammer with a larger piston and tool diameter might work better.
For example, a heavier hydraulic hammer, a 155mm diameter chisel and piston are more powerful and productive in a quarry.
So do you choose one for better versatility or multiple for better flow matching? This is your number.
4. Type of housing
There are three types of shells or casings, each with its own characteristics.
Choose a box, or a silent one, and make the most of it, not just for noise reduction.
The fully enclosed shell made of thickened wear-resisting steel plate protects the main body and front head from wear and impact.
The rock breaker is not easy to use, and better protection will extend the service life, thus protecting your investment.
5. Maintenance costs
When choosing a hydraulic breaker, maintenance costs are a long-term cost to consider.
Hydraulic circuit breakers cost money to maintain and are worth every dollar you spend.
This happens when parts wear out and need to be replaced regularly.
Ask your dealer or service center for retail prices of pins, bushings, chisels and seals, and replacement intervals.
Then figure out how much you're willing to pay for it.
Regularly and properly maintain your hydraulic breaker to ensure working efficiency and service life.
6. Used and rebuilt hydraulic hammers
Hydraulic hammers are not toys and usually work in harsh environments.
Sometimes it needs to be rebuilt.
Hammers can indeed be rebuilt, which is a great way to extend the working time of hammers.
But this can be a problem when buying a used or rebuilt home.
You never know if the piston is broken or the cylinder is scratched.
There may be sealing kit damage after a week, or due to cylinder rust and oil leakage.
Buying a substandard rebuild fracking hammer may seem cheap at first, but after a few months of use it can cost thousands of dollars.
Make sure you buy used or rebuilt hydraulic hammers from a trusted rebuilding center. Or buy a new one.
Proper maintenance and regular replacement of parts can make your hydraulic hammer performance better.
Is the key factor that makes its service life long.
To get an overview of it, we've summarized the most common maintenance tips to clear up your daily confusion.
Greasing
Proper lubrication is very important for prolonging the service life of rock breaker.
We recommend oiling the hammer every two hours.
Irregular oiling will significantly increase wear rates and reduce the life of your tools, bushings and front components.
Storage
Hydraulic breaking hammers can be stored vertically or horizontally. For long-term storage, it's best to keep it upright.
This will allow the weight of the breaker to push the tool and piston inside the breaker.
If you hold them on their sides for a long time, all seals have to support heavy internal components such as pistons.
O-rings and support rings are not used for carrying.
Nitrogen check & Nitrogen charging
Click the link below for a step-by-step video guide.
1. What are the factors that affect the power of hydraulic hammer?
There are three main factors that affect the power of hydraulic hammer: nitrogen pressure (back pressure), hydraulic flow rate and impact rate.
The amount of nitrogen is very specific; Overcharging will stop hammering, while low nitrogen pressure will weaken hammering.
Hydraulic flow directly affects working pressure. Overflow can quickly damage the hammer, so be sure to work within the proper hydraulic range.
A frequency valve in the cylinder block is responsible for the impact rate. Adjust manually according to working conditions.
Basically, under certain working conditions, the slower the impact rate, the stronger the impact, the higher the frequency, the lighter the impact.
2. How often do sealing kits need to be replaced?
It depends on working conditions, gender and age. We recommend once every three months.
3. Can the broken piston be repaired?
No, a broken hydraulic hammer piston can never be fixed or chrome plated. Tight tolerances and impact energy make it impossible. It can damage your cylinders and cost thousands of dollars in the long run.
4. What are the common causes of piston damage?
Contaminated oil, excessive wear of liner and lack of grease may cause piston damage. Remember, pistons can't be repaired, so be sure to replace damaged pistons immediately.
5. Can the hydraulic fracturing oil cylinder be repaired?
Yes, normal scratches can be repaired and polished, but only once! This is because the thickness of the carburizing layer after heat treatment is about 1.5-1.7mm, so there is still about 1mm after polishing, and the surface hardness is still guaranteed. This repair is only possible for the first time.
6. Why does the hydraulic hammer suddenly stop hammering?
Rear top pressure is too high. Release nitrogen and replenish as required.
The barrel was filled with oil. Remove the rear cover and replace the seal.
The control valve is stuck. Remove and clean valve and replace worn valve.
Insufficient oil flow. Repair pump, adjust hammer valve.
7. Why is the impact so weak?
Back pressure is too low. Check the back pressure and charge as needed.
Oil pollution. Replace hydraulic fluid and filter.
Low operating pressure. Check pump and reducing valve.
The loopback voltage is too high. Procedure Check the connection between filter and hose.
The working tools are not fully engaged. Use the right downward pressure. Ensure steel and front cover are not worn and properly greased.
8. Why does the hydraulic hammer not work after installation?
Improper bushing replacement. Reinstall the liner sleeve. Always use the original manuscript.
The quick connector is incorrectly installed. Check the connectors and replace them as needed.
The supply hose is upside down. The pressure line from the pump must be connected to the port marked IN. The return line connects to the port marked OUT.
The nitrogen pressure is too high. Release nitrogen and replenish it as needed.
Stop valve closes. Open stop valve.
9. Why is hydraulic hammer air injection prohibited?
When the tool is not in contact with the work surface, the hammer stroke of the piston is called "blank firing".
This can cause serious damage to the hydraulic hammer. Because of the tremendous impact energy, the pins and bolts may crack and the front end may break.
Any questions about the hydraulic hammer?
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