What is screening media?

Dr Toyah Warnock∙Equipment Guides∙Last updated: May 20,

When choosing your screening media, there are many things to consider. From the mechanics behind the machines used in screening, to the make-up of the screen media themselves. It is also really important to think about what is being screened, and how fine you want your output. We’re here to help you learn what screening media you need for your screening operations!

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In this blog, we unpack screening media, exploring the types of media, processes, and things that affect your screening needs. We’ll also look at selecting the right screening media where you can get it.

What is screening media?

Screening involves using mesh (the screening media) to separate materials based on their size by passing them through a screening machine such as a trommel or scalping screen. Passing materials like soil or rocks over mesh screens helps separate them by only allowing material that can fit through the holes in the mesh to fall into a bed below. This screened output can then be colleced by a conveyor and stockpiled. The larger pieces cannot pass though the media as they are too big, and will end up in an ‘oversize’ pile.

Simple right? Well, there’s a little more to it than that.

When we talk about screening media, we mean the mesh attached to the screeners themselves. The screens are really important to the process and control how well the machine will separate your material.

Find trommel screeners for sale.

How does screening media work?

Screening works by adding motion to a mesh media. In a trommel, this is circular motion as the drum spins around. On a deck screener, the motion is caused by vibrating the screen. When motion is added to the surface (or screen) the material is moved about causing it to break up and fall through the mesh in a sieve like action.

Screening systems

Screening media can be added and swapped out on most screening machines, whether they are stationary or mobile. Here are two of the most common screening systems used today:

• Self-supporting systems - These screening systems deal with larger course materials like rocks. They must be strong enough to cope with the heavier pieces moving over the screening media. These are mostly deck screens like the one below.

• Modular systems - Modular screening systems are popular due to their versatility and lower costs. These systems are made up of smaller panels that can be changed out independently depending on your screening needs, or once they start to wear down. Modular systems also allow you to place panels with different screening sizes at various points on the machine, separating more than two material sizes at once! This is a really popular system as mesh in screeners is easily damaged but having the option to replace one panel at a time is a huge advantage. They are commonly used in trommel screens.

Things that affect your screening

Apart from your screening systems, you’ll need to consider a number of things before you begin to decide what screening media is best for your use case. These include the material you want to screen, and what you hope the end result will look like.

• Screening material - First you’ll need to get a good idea about the size and shape of the input you’ll be feeding into the screener. This will help you to understand the speed at which the material will move over the screen. The quicker you screen, the faster you can make your separated outputs. But be careful, fast screening doesn't always lead to a well-separated output. To find out why check out our trommel blog here.
• Wet or dry? - Next, you’ll need to know if the material to be screened is wet, dry, or sticky. While most screening media can handle dry feeds, some media may struggle with wet, muddy or damp inputs like compost and soil. Dry products such as concrete and rock are screened best with scalping screeners whilst trommels are great for compost.
• The product - Finally, think about the type of end product you need. What final size or grade are you looking for? Will you pass the material over the screen again after crushing it? How many tons per hour will you been screening?

How to choose the right screening media for you

Now that you have a good idea about all the different types of screeners, it’s time to look at the screening media itself. Depending on if your material is wet or dry, if you’re screening soft, hard, or sandy rock, and the output size you want - you’ll need to think about the type of mesh or media that best suits your business. Below we will discover how mesh size, the material it’s made from and the kind of holes it has can all be tailored for individual applications so that you can get the most out of your screener.

Mesh sizes, patterns, and hole size

Once you’ve picked your materials, you can move on to the make up of the mesh screen itself. This is where you’ll need to pay careful attention to your screening media goals. The arrangements used for the patterns and holes that make up your screen not only determine the size of the material that will be able to pass through but also its shape.

• Size of screen holes – also known as the ‘aperture size’. The mesh hole size controls the size of the material that can pass through.
• Shape – including squares, circles, or slits. The shape of the holes in the screen can be changed to handle round, irregular, or flaky materials.
• Pattern – affects how these openings are laid out on the screen. The patterns can run in the same direction as the flow of screening input allowing more to fall through the screen. The pattern can also run against the flow, improving accuracy by slowing down the speed at which the material runs through the screen.

Mesh Materials

Next, you’ll need to pick a mesh material to use. There are three primary options for you to choose from.

• Steel – is the most commonly used material for screens. Most mesh screens use steel due to its ability to be made into any thickness & shape. Steel is also very robust and can last for a long time without needing to be replaced.

• Polyurethane – is a very tough plastic that can be molded according to your needs. It is often the best option for wet screening & it can be easily replaced without the chance of it rusting. Polyurethane is great for modular screening systems as they make great panels.

• Rubber – is best for screens that are likely to experience impacts and strikes from coarse or larger inputs like hard rocks. Rubber hardness is an important element, with harder rubbers being stiffer but lasting longer, and softer rubbers allowing for better flexibility but don't last as long.

Where to buy your screening media

At Machinery Partner, we collaborate only with vetted and approved suppliers, sourcing our products directly from them based on your unique business needs. We only work with high-quality, reliable materials and equipment.

Haopeng supply professional and honest service.

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Feel free to give us a call or reach out to learn more about our screening media products, materials, and options.

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Why use Multotec screen panels?

• Our panel offerings include solid feed-end panels, slope change panels, slotted aperture panels for high velocity zones, and square aperture panels for low velocity zones
• The deck map allows us to specify, for instance a set of panels comprising of highly impact –resistant material at the feed end of the screen.
• Designed for improved wear life in tough operating conditions
• Available in standard (305 x 305 mm and 305 x 610 mm) and customised sizes to match your application
• Range of aperture sizes and panel thicknesses
• Quick and simple installation and removal
• Available with a wide range of screen fastening systems and accessories

6 Top features of Multotec screen panels

• Our range of screen openings offer the ability to customise your screen deck(s) to accommodate particular production specifications or operational needs.
• The goal in implementing a blended solution is to find the optimal combination of open area and durability.
• Superior wear resistance
• Maximize product quality and profits by increasing efficiency of classification while minimizing downtime and maintenance costs.
• Easy changeover to maximise wear life and provide a more economical solution
• So that meantime between failures (MBTF) can be extended and scheduled maintenance can be conducted as infrequently as possible

World's leading screen panels: high performance, durable & low cost

Performance

• Specifically designed for all mining and hard rock industries
• Custom designed apertures round, square and slotted in variety of sizes
• High screening efficiency – up to 30 % more throughput
• Long service life – up to 5 times more wear life
• High profitability high product quality, shorter downtimes, less maintenance cost

Durability

• Suitable for tough abrasive applications
• Durable in impact and wear applications, rubber scalping screens can out last metal screen
• Hardox® and Ceramics embedded in rubber capable of handling impact of 600mm top size
• High impact slotted skid bar panels known as Multotec Ratel panels, are used to reduce channelling and ensure accurate cut size and provide maximum wear life

Cost

• Easy to fit
• Reduces down time and cost / ton of materials handling

Increase process efficiency with customised screening solutions

The screen panel is the most critical part of your screening application as it determines the grade of material you will receive from the process. For this reason it is essential that the appropriate panels or panel combinations are fitted to ensure maximum efficiency for downstream processes. 

Committed to optimising your screening plant performance to help you process minerals more efficiently and at a lower overall cost, Multotec’s screening media specialists will ensure you are using the best panels for your process. 

The modular design of our panels, together with our innovative fastening systems and rails, means completely customised screen decks can be built using a variety of screen panels, where different areas of the deck are subjected to different wear and impact forces. The smart design of the panels also means they can be quickly and easily replaced at the end of their service life.

Multotec: Your end-to-end screening partner

The cornerstones of success for Multotec are unequivocal and uncompromising customer service, customised solutions, product excellence in design and engineering, and a team of highly skilled and experienced employees who are able to devise bespoke screen panel solutions that ultimately result in superior throughput of product.

Multotec is active in mining operations in 100 countries across the world, with a global branch network that offers leading screening knowledge and expertise backed by one of the world’s largest range of screen panels for minerals processing.
 

Revolutionising screen panels to reduce your downtime and costs

Multotec’s experience and knowledge of the requirements and challenges faced by miners across the world has led to us designing panels that are easier to install and change-out at the end of their service life. With our interlocking system whereby only worn panels need to be replaced, and not the entire screen panel, we help customer reduce any maintenance downtime, saving you time and money.  

Monitor screen panel wear with Hawkeye™

With the Hawkeye™ condition monitoring system monitoring the wear rates of your screen panel, you gain greater intelligence into the performance and condition of your screening media in real time. With increased plant knowledge, planned and preventative maintenance requirements are optimised. 

Read more about how we’re reducing client downtime with Hawkeye™ here.
 

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Polyurethane Screen Plate. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.