As one of the most critical pieces of equipment on any construction site, a rock screener can extract significant value from a site that contractors otherwise wouldn’t get. If you want to learn more, check out our explainer on what a rock screener does at a construction site.
Why Do Construction Sites Screen Materials?
Before we get into what a rock screener does and how it adds value to a site, why do construction sites screen materials in the first place? Many materials can get crushed or dug up during construction that can be recycled or modified to add value to the site or sold elsewhere. Contractors can screen for crushed rock, soil, wood pellets, concrete, sand, silicon, rubble, metals, and more, all of which can offer value to contractors.
The screening of materials at a construction site also helps remove contaminants, dust, and other waste from an area that could be in the way or even dangerous to workers. Plus, it cuts down on how many materials you have to remove from the site by first extracting valuable materials and then transporting waste away.
What Do Construction Sites Use To Screen Materials?
We know why contractors screen materials at sites, but what do they do it with? The simple answer is rock screeners, also sometimes referred to as scalpers. Companies like Rock Tough offer rock screening services where they provide the equipment and service of rock screening.
A rock screener is built with highly durable and rugged materials to crush and sift through tons of rock. Almost every construction site you see will use a rock screener at some point to break down or recycle materials they otherwise couldn’t without proper equipment.
How Does a Rock Screener Separate Materials?
We know the why and the what, but how does a rock screener separate construction materials? Simply put, a rock screener sifts and separates materials the same way you would use a sieve to sift through sand or flour in your kitchen.
Depending on what materials you’re separating and how fine you want the materials to be, a rock screener could use one screen or up to as many as three. The screener collects the materials and vibrates, letting the smaller materials fall through the sieve while the more prominent materials fall away. Some even use conveyor belts to quickly transport the separated materials to a different part of the site or onto a truck for transportation.
Now you know the details of what a rock screen does at a construction site, from why it’s used to what materials it separates, as well as how it does it. The next time you’re at a site, keep your eyes open, and you’ll probably find and recognize a rock screener doing its job!
