Choosing a Vibrating Screen for a Crusher Plant

Published 23 October 2026 · SREW Projects, Hyderabad

What the screen does in a crusher plant

Crushers make stone smaller; the screen sorts it. After each crushing stage, a vibrating screen separates the material into saleable sizes (for example 40, 20, 10 and 6 mm and dust) and sends oversize back to a crusher. If the screen is too small or has the wrong decks, finished product goes back through the crushers, output drops and wear goes up, even if the crushers themselves are correctly sized.

Step 1: size the screen to the total load, not the plant rating

The screen after a secondary crusher sees the crusher output plus the oversize that keeps coming back from the screen (the recirculating load). In a closed circuit, that total can be noticeably higher than the plant's rated tonnage. Size the screen for this total. Capacity also depends on feed material, size and moisture, so wet or sticky feed needs more screen area.

Step 2: count the decks you need

Each deck makes one cut, so a screen with n decks gives n+1 products. A plant selling 40, 20 and 10 mm aggregate plus dust needs three cuts, so a 3-deck vibrating screen. Plants that sell more grades, like our 250 TPH Singareni plant with dual 4-deck screens, use four decks or two screens in parallel. SREW Projects screens are available with up to 4 decks.

Step 3: pick the screen model

We also build a triple shaft vibrating screen and a damping vibrating screen (both priced on request) for special duties, and a dewatering screen for washed sand.

Step 4: choose the mesh

Woven wire mesh is economical and gives a large open area, which helps capacity. Polyurethane panels last longer on abrasive stone and run quieter, but cost more up front. Many plants run wire mesh on the upper decks and polyurethane where wear is highest. If you see blinding or pegging, our vibrating screen troubleshooting guide covers the causes and fixes.

Step 5: place the screen correctly in the circuit

• Before the primary crusher: a vibrating grizzly feeder scalps out fines and soil so the jaw crusher only handles stone that needs crushing.
• After the secondary crusher: the main sizing screen, in closed circuit with the cone or impact crusher.
• After the VSI: a screen that separates M-sand from chips; see our M-sand plant page.

Leave room for mesh changes and make sure the feed is spread across the full width of the screen. Uneven feed wastes part of the deck and wears the rest faster.

A worked example

At our Keesara plant, a primary jaw crusher and an S100 hydraulic cone crusher feed a 3-deck high-frequency screen that grades 150 TPH of granite aggregate to IRC and NHAI specifications. Three decks give the separate fractions the road specification calls for, and the cone runs in closed circuit with the screen.

If you are planning a new plant, the stone crusher plant and capacity pages show which screen comes with each plant size.

Photos

Frequently asked questions

How many decks does my vibrating screen need?

One deck per cut. Three decks give four products, for example 40, 20 and 10 mm aggregate plus dust.

What is the price of a vibrating screen?

The high-frequency 3-deck screen (8 ft x 4 ft, 100–200 TPH) is ₹7,00,000 + GST, ex-works Hyderabad. Other models are priced on request.

What capacity screens do you make?

From 60–80 TPH (VS164) up to 100–250 TPH (VS-HD).

Wire mesh or polyurethane?

Wire mesh costs less and has more open area; polyurethane lasts longer on abrasive stone and runs quieter.