Chapter 5

Crusher raw materials, their properties, and

why we use them.

5.1) Introduction to crusher’s raw materials.

Materials selection is important for engineering as it acts as the foundation for

every part of the design process, from which a final product’s capabilities are
determined. It influences how a product will function, its manufacture, lifecycle,
and whether it can be readily recycled. The choice of material also determines
factors such as thermal and electrical conductivity, strength, density and how a
product responds to environmental conditions. Different properties can be
gauged by measurements such as Young's modulus, which shows elasticity for
tension or axial compression.

Selecting an unsuitable material can have negative consequences for the

required application and health and safety. For example, an insufficient yield
strength could lead to a structure failing while inadequate chemical or corrosion
resistance could cause an object to fail sooner than intended.

Of course, materials selection may require two or more materials to be

considered together to determine how they will react when used alongside each
other. Carbon steel, for example, will suffer from galvanic corrosion at a much
faster rate if it is placed in contact with stainless steel in an electrolytic solution
than it would if used in isolation.

In this chapter, we will talk about the raw materials of the crusher machine and
their properties. We will also talk about the components of the crusher machine.
5.2) Classifications of material properties

A material property is an intensive property of a material. And there are

different types of these properties which are:
1- Mechanical properties: These properties include factors such as ductility,
strength, hardness, toughness, and stiffness. They determine how the
material will respond to issues such as loads and stresses.
2- Physical properties: These properties include electrical resistance, density,
and thermal conductivity. They show how the material will interact with
the physical world.
3- Chemical properties: These properties demonstrate how a material will be
affected by matters like corrosion or reactivity.

5.3) Components of the crusher machine

In this part, we will list the components of the crusher machine, and their
materials.
5.3.1) Shaft
In mechanical engineering, a shaft is a rotating machine element, usually
circular in cross section, which is used to transmit power from one part to
another, or from a machine which produces power to a machine which absorbs
power.

There are different types of shafts, but we used two of them which are:

1- Hex shaft: Hex shafts are typically used in industrial power transmission
applications, as well as robotics, and conveyor systems.
2- Round shaft: Round shaft linear guides are commonly used with ball
screw. They can handle inaccuracies in the machine assembly (self-
aligning). Round shaft linear guides also do not require machined
 surfaces for mounting and enjoy high rigidity with lower maintenance
requirements. It can be supported only on their ends.

Fig. 5.1) Hex and Round shaft

We used a Transmission steel Hex shaft whose diameter is 30mm. We used a

hex shaft in the crusher because using a hex shaft can transmit torque in the
system and removes the need for set screws, which can loosen over time and
can damage shafts so that they become unusable.

5.3.2) Crusher’s body

The crusher's body consist of 4 sheet walls with 8mm thickness, with dimension
198mm length, and 257 widths. The crusher body made from mild steel (st.37).
 Fig. 5.2) Crusher’s body

But before we went deep into the crusher body material, we will talk about the
most common types of steel which are:
1- Carbon steel: Carbon steel looks dull, matte-like, and is known to be
vulnerable to corrosion. Overall, there are three subtypes to this one: low,
medium, and high carbon steel, with low containing about .30% of
carbon, medium .60%, and high 1.5%. The name itself comes from the
reality that they contain a very small amount of other alloying elements.
2- Alloy steel: alloy steel, which is a mixture of several different metals, like
nickel, copper, and aluminium. These tend to be more on the cheaper
side, more resistant to corrosion and are favoured for some car parts,
pipelines, ship hulls, and mechanical projects. For this one, the strength
depends on the concentration of the elements that it contains.
3- Tool steel: Tool steel is famous for being hard and both heat and scrape
resistant. The name is derived from the fact that they are very commonly
used to make metal tools, like hammers. For these, they are made up of
things like cobalt, molybdenum, and tungsten, and that is the underlying
 reason why tool steel has such advanced durability and heat resistance
features.
4- Stainless steel: stainless steels are probably the most well-known type on
the market. This type is shiny and generally has around 10 to 20%
chromium, which is their main alloying element. With this combination,
it allows the steel to be resistant to corrosion and very easily moulded
into varying shapes.

What we used in the crusher’s body, and other parts is Mild steel (low carbon
steel): Mild steel is a type of carbon steel with a low amount of carbon – it is
also known as “low carbon steel.” Although ranges vary depending on the
source, the amount of carbon typically found in mild steel is 0.05% to 0.25% by
weight, whereas higher carbon steels are typically described as having a carbon
content from 0.30% to 2.0%. If any more carbon than that is added, the steel
would be classified as cast iron.

5.3.3) Crusher’s blades

The crusher machine has a series of blades that are designed to cut and shred
aluminum waste materials into small pieces. We used four blades arranged in
parallel with thickness of 20mm. The blades are made of mild steel, the same
material we used in the crusher’s body.

Fig. 5.3) Crusher’s blade

5.3.4) Blade support

We also used blade supports to fix the blades in the machine and prevent noises
and vibrations. They are also useful in increasing the blades’ lifetime.

Fig. 5.4) Blade support

5.3.5) Bearing

Bearings are "parts that assist objects' rotation". They support the shaft that
rotates inside the machinery. We use bearings in general for many purposes such
as:
1- Reduce friction and make rotation smoother.
2- Protect the part that supports the rotation and maintain the correct
position for the rotating shaft.
[Link]) four holes bearing.

In the crusher, we used a four-hole bearing. It works by supporting the rotating

shafts found inside machinery and ensuring that they rotate more smoothly. This
flange bearing unit can handle high vibrations and large axial loads when
mounted using the four pre-drilled mounting holes.

Fig. 5.5) Four-hole bearing

5.3.6) Gears

Gears are machine components that function to transmit rotation or movement

from one part to another. Gears will usually have a number of teeth that are in
contact with their other gears. Gears are useful for changing rotational speed
and power by transferring the power generated by the engine to the differential.
We used gears with 20 teeth, module 5, outer diameter: 12.1cm, inner diameter:
20mm.

Fig. 5.6) Gears

5.3.7) Washer connect.

Washer connect is a machined part that we use to keep a calculated space

between each blade to avoid colliding between the blades, and damage. We used
eight fixed washer connects with 57mm outer diameters, 34mm inner diameter,
and 25mm width.

Fig. 5.7) Washer connect

5.3.8) Crusher’s Table

In order to put our crusher on a flat movable surface to help us move the
crusher, we made a 65*65*60 cm table with thickness 2.5mm. The opening in
the table that we made to help us install the crusher properly is 270*200mm.
We also used four 3 inches wheels, black threaded iron nails, and spring
washers to lock the screws and the nuts.
We also made a 65*65cm sheet metal with thickness 1.5cm to make the surface
of the table thicker, this will help us to reduce the effect of the vibration of the
crusher on the table.
 Fig. 5.8) Crusher machine settling on the table

5.4) Most common used material

As we noticed, the most commonly used material was mild steel. We used mild
steel in the crusher’s body, blades, and the blade supports. So, in this part we
will list the characteristics of mild steel, advantages and limitations, and we will
see its stress-strain curve.

5.4.1) advantages and disadvantages of mild steel

We used mild steel in different parts of the crusher because it has suitable
characteristics, and its advantages are:

1- High tensile strength.

2- High impact strength.
3- Good ductility and weldability.
4- A magnetic metal due to its ferrite content.
5- Good malleability with cold-forming possibilities.
6- Suitable for various heat treatment options to improve properties.
And its disadvantages are:

1- Compared to other forms of steel, mild steel is less robust.

2- It is less resilient.
3- It has lower corrosion resistance.
4- Other varieties of steel are easier to weld than mild steel, which is more
difficult.
5- Mild steel is less heat resistant.

5.4.2) Stress-strain curve

When steel is curved, it is important to keep the stress-strain curve ratio for mild
steel in mind. Below is a stress-strain graph that reviews the properties of steel
in detail.
If tensile force is applied to a steel bar, it will have some elongation. If the force
is small enough, the ratio of the stress and strain will remain proportional. This
can be seen in the graph as a straight line between zero and point A – also called
the limit of proportionality. If the force is greater, the material will experience
elastic deformation, but the ratio of stress and strain will not be proportional.
This is between points A and B, known as the elastic limit.

Fig. 5.9) Stress-strain curve for mild steel