The screen mesh is a vital component of the vibrating screen. The correct selection and use of the screen mesh directly determine the gradation and quality of the final product. A high-quality screen mesh must meet the following conditions:

(1) Material Quality: The material must be specialized, wear-resistant steel wire. The chemical composition should have sufficiently high contents of Carbon (C) and Manganese (Mn), while Silicon (Si), Phosphorus (P), and Sulfur (S) should be minimized. In terms of physical processing, the material should achieve the maximum possible fineness of structure. Heat treatment is required to attain the sorbite structure. It is best to heat the microstructure to a refined austenite structure and temper it until the grain is finer. The resulting troostite structure ensures high strength, good torsional value, and fatigue resistance after processing, though the manufacturing cost is high.

(2) Weaving: The weaving pattern must be suitable, and the process must ensure the steel wire is tightly woven and remains taut.

(3) Dimensions: The outer dimensions and the shape of the edging must correctly match the tensioning plates and screen frames on the machine.

(4) Flatness: The screen must be flat and parallel to the sides.

(5) Edging: The edging design must be reasonable to facilitate proper screen tensioning.

Screen plugging is a common operational fault in vibrating screens. Plugging is caused by various factors, including the shape of the stone particles, the proportion of critical-size particles, the thickness of the screen wire, and the mesh shape.

1. Stone Shape

   In the stone crushing line, the content of needle-like and flaky stone should be as low as possible to prevent plugging. Quarries generally employ secondary crushing. The primary stage uses a jaw crusher, which employs a crushing principle of compression, easily producing flaky stone. The secondary stage uses an impact crusher, which uses impact crushing. If the crushed size from the primary jaw crusher is too small, more needle-like material will be produced. To reduce the ratio of these undesirable shapes, the primary crushing size should not be excessively small.

2. Matching Mesh Opening and Wire Diameter

   Experience shows that for the same mesh opening, excessively thick steel wire will significantly increase the probability of plugging.

3. Mesh Hole Shape

   Screen mesh generally uses a square hole, while smaller mesh openings may use an anti-clogging net. If plugging is severe, a rectangular hole can be adopted without affecting the required particle size of the stone. However, considering the service life, the orientation of the mesh must be carefully observed.

4. Proper Adjustment of Screen Tension

   Reasonably adjusting the screen tension is an effective method to reduce screen plugging. Adequate tension causes the screen to generate a slight secondary vibration with the support beam, thereby effectively reducing the occurrence of plugging. The tensioning hook can be designed as a constant-force tensioning mechanism, i.e., a spring is attached to the tension bolt.

In addition to mesh plugging, there are other screen faults that can occur during vibrating screen operation.