Comal Aggregates driving sustainable construction with Sandvik in Texas

Whether it’s taking raw materials such as limestone, sandstone and granite and turning them into usable building materials, or stripping concrete and asphalt from existing roads and breaking it down for reuse, Comal Aggregates pride themselves on outputting top-grade materials through safe, efficient operations with the best equipment and highly-trained team

Comal Aggregates’ mobile processing system, based at its site in New Braunfels, Texas, is made up of crushers, screeners, stackers and pulverisers and is designed to deliver high yield rates. Operating across Texas and seven other states, Crushing Tigers’ proven expertise in high-performance equipment made them a natural dealer partner for the business.

“We have a lot of mutual values with Comal Aggregates,” says Colm McGarry, Sales Engineer for Crushing Tigers. “We work with top global brands to make sure customers can meet their ambitious production goals. We also care about keeping teams safe and supporting the local community, so it made complete sense that we’d partner with this business.”

Most recently, Colm and his team have helped Comal Aggregates upgrade their recycling train. Used to reprocess RAP asphalt for highways, they needed to break huge volumes of material down to ½ inch minus to be used in hot mix plants.

As Operations & Site Manager for Comal Aggregates, Rick Harold, explains, “We are now processing 4000 tonnes a day, or 500 tonnes an hour. We had 70,000 tonnes to process in the original pile and we ran through it in 28 days. The new Sandvik equipment has been vital in keeping us running at those types of numbers.”

High volumes, high performance

Through a combination of their years of experience and expert guidance from Crushing Tigers, the Comal Aggregates team have built a mobile train which can handle huge volumes of material. As Rick sets out, “the Sandvik QE442 takes out any ½ inch minus from the base material as a prescreen on the top deck. This keeps the amount that’s going into our crusher to a minimum. This means wearables are also at a minimum and space is freed up in the impactor to keep up with high levels of tonnage. The Sandvik QI442 impact crusher then reduces large base material down to a ½ inch before feeding into the Sandvik QA442 Doublescreen, which has a top deck screen set at ½ inch minus. With this circuit running, we’ve had no issues.”

All Sandvik equipment is designed with productivity and sustainability in mind, which makes it an ideal choice for Comal Aggregates. The QE442 heavy duty two-deck scalper screen has screen sizes of 5.5 x 1.75 m (18 x 6 ft) which can handle a capacity of 900 mtph (992 stph). This makes it the largest in the manufacturer’s tracked mobile scalper range.

It also has a heavy-duty design, meaning it can handle high speed and aggressive throw for optimum throughput. The class-leading open scalping area also means it can deliver enormous rates of production. Made with premium components, the screener can handle the tough conditions and high performance with minimal downtime.

The design is also versatile, which means the team can make quick adjustments when needed. The interchangeable side conveyors are compatible for two- or three-way split operations. It’s also quick to set up and easy to transport thanks to features like a large capacity wear-resistant one-piece hopper, helping to keep productivity high.

The QI442 HSI impact crusher is also designed to maximise throughput. A feed opening of 1360 x 800 mm (54 x 31 in.) and a max feed size of up to 800 mm (32 in.) means its capacity can reach up to 500 mtph (551 stph). With market leading Prisec™ technology, the team can benefit from a primary and secondary crushing solution in one unit, maximising their equipment investment.

Features such as wear-resistant liners in the rock box and steel pipe work for heat dissipation ensures long-term reliable performance. Product quality and fuel efficiency aren’t compromised either, with the fluid clutch drive offering smoother power transmission and adjustable apron curtains and tip speed allowing for tighter material refinement.

Finally, the QA442 Doublescreen incline two-deck screener uses world-class technology to get the best material accuracy at scale. Both screens are equally sized at 6 x 1.5 m (20 x 5 ft), each providing 9m3 /100 sq. ft of screening area. This helps operators achieve a capacity up to 600 mtph (661 stph ). Plus, the angles of each screen can be independently adjusted for greater accuracy.

Easy to operate with features such as a large volume hopper with a remote control hydraulic tipping grid, the hydraulic service intervals have also increased from 2000 to 4000 hours, maximising productivity. Durability is maintained with design elements such as an upgraded tipping grid structure and pivot points for increased durability. Businesses can also boost their environmental credentials by choosing the hybrid “e” drive option which can run in either diesel or electric mode.

Rick gives his verdict,

the Sandvik equipment has been great. Everything runs like a top, and I can’t wait to add more to our fleet.

Quality support and service

Although the Sandvik equipment is designed to run efficiently in the Texas environment, routine maintenance and timely repairs are essential to sustaining Comal Aggregates’ high productivity. With complete aftermarket support from Crushing Tigers, Rick has confidence that his train will continue to operate safely and efficiently.

He says, “Our experience with Crushing Tigers has been great. They’re top notch guys who come out to our sites, put boots on the ground and help us determine what we need on site. They help us work out what would be the most efficient set up to run. Without those guys, we wouldn’t be where we’re at right now.”

For further information, please contact:

Crushing Tigers
Tel. 512-276-2408
Email: info@crushingtigers.com, www.crushingtigers.com

Melissa Baker, Marketing Communications
Sandvik Rock Processing, Mobile Crushers and Screens
Email: melissa.baker@sandvik.com