A move from fixed installations to mobile options is increasingly being sought by operations in an effort to reduce costs, meet skills shortages and improve safety and environmental impact, says global manufacturer Astec Industries.

Astec Industries product sales manager Philip Saunders highlights the advantages: “By allowing material to be processed directly at the extraction point, mobile units eliminate the need for extensive haulage, significantly reducing fuel consumption, labour and maintenance expenses. Mobile equipment typically has a lower upfront cost compared to building a fixed, stationary crushing plant. Productivity is increased and overall operational efficiency boosted by eliminating the downtime associated with waiting for haul trucks. Mobile equipment boasts resale value and can be easily relocated to new projects, holding higher residual value.”

The company’s GT205 mobile screen, GT125 mobile jaw crusher, and its newly introduced FT2650 mobile jaw crusher, FT200 OC track cone crusher and GT165 scalper are all said to offer the benefits of increased flexibility, lower operation costs and improved safety.

Saunders explains that mobile plants, crushers and screens are ideal for operators managing multiple, smaller or remote sites as they can be moved to the site of the material and offer rapid deployment.

“By reducing haul truck traffic on-site, mobile equipment directly lowers the risk of accidents. It also benefits the environment. Since the transport requirements are lower, carbon emissions, noise and dust are reduced. It is also simpler to add, remove, or upgrade mobile units to change the process or increase capacity compared to modifying a stationary plant,” adds Saunders.

Saunders underlines the benefits of Astec mobile incline screen plants, highlighting features that help maximise screening efficiency and production: “The mobile plants combine heavy-duty screens with industry-leading conveyor heights. A large range of media provides flexibility for a variety of applications.”

The GT205 track-mounted plant features a conventional screen on the top deck and high-frequency screen on the bottom deck. The combination of high frequency and conventional screens in one self-contained unit is designed to put more energy into the screening process, enabling the increasing of capacity by up to 50% on the bottom deck.

The GT125 mobile jaw crusher is suitable for both aggregate and recycling applications. The crusher’s large 32 mm stroke processes more material, increasing production and reducing operating costs. A manual folding head section on the discharge conveyor reduces the footprint of the machine, reducing shipping costs.

The company has recently introduced the larger FT2650 mobile jaw plant into the local South African market. The FT2650 incorporates a 1 270 mm by 660 mm Vanguard jaw crusher and is designed for contractors and producers requiring greater primary throughput.

The Astec FT200 OC track cone crusher incorporates a Kodiak K200+ cone with a high-efficiency roller bearing design, aimed at delivering improved mechanical efficiency and reduced operating costs.

The portable Astec GT165 scalping screen is said to offer ideal gradation control for recycled, crushed stone, demolition and topsoil applications. The track-mounted screen was designed as a tool for overburden, to scalp ahead or behind a primary crusher, as well as screen a variety of materials, from aggregates to recycled organic materials.

“While mobile equipment is generally ideal for short-to-medium-term projects or to augment large, long-term, fixed operations, its portability, lower labour requirements and ability to keep up with an advancing site make it a critical tool for modern, efficient and profitable operations,” Saunders concludes.