Based in Cahir, Quarry Kit provides contract crushing, screening and heavy haulage services across the province of Munster and further afield. Among the machines on the company’s fleet is an Omega J1065T tracked jaw crusher.
Designed with both productivity and simplicity in mind, the J1065T has the distinction of using an electrically-driven crusher unit, feeder and discharge conveyor as opposed to the more common hydraulic design. In addition, the crusher unit’s single drawback rod tensioning system, combined with hydraulic wedge adjustment, make the jaw simple and reliable. While the machine comes equipped with a Stage V/Tier 4-compliant Deutz diesel powerpack, it can also be connected to the power grid and operate without producing any emissions on site.
The nature of the sites where Quarry Kit has been using the J1065T has meant that the diesel engineis required for power, rather than the plug-in mains capability. However, even while operating this way, impressive fuel economy has been achieved.
Quarry Kit managing director Niall Lenihan explains: “It’s burning between 10 and 12 litres of diesel an hour, compared to other machines I have which burn between 35 and 40 litres an hour. A customer who is using a screener with a four-cylinder engine has told me that the screener is using more fuel than the six-cylinder engine in the Omega," he says.
This fuel saving does not come at the cost of productivity, however. Lenihan praises the aggressiveness of the crusher and reports that, working in a limestone quarry, the machine is producing 100mm down at a rate of 240 tonnes per hour. This figure is impressive considering that, according to Niall, other crushers he has operated in the same size class have only achieved figures closer to 180 tonnes per hour. Omega’s principle of simplicity continues with the design of features such as the control panel, and Lenihan confirms that ease of use is a strength of the J1065T. “It’s a very easy machine to operate–it can be set up, moved, or folded up quickly, then you just press the buttons and away it goes," he says.
While crushers generally produce quite high levels of noise, Niall mentions that the Omega J1065T impresses in this area. “Compared to other machines, it is very quiet. The engine runs at lower revs, and you can actually talk to someone while standing beside it," he explains.
The J1065T’s 30,000kg weight is also a positive, as it makes transporting the machine easier, particularly when navigating narrow roads in rural areas such as West Cork, where Quarry Kit has several customers. Indeed, it is possible for the company to move the crusher using a three-axle trailer, whereas a five-axle unit is often required for their heavier machinery. The machine’s relative compactness and low weight also mean that road permits will not be required when moving from one location to another, in Ireland or elsewhere.
Lenihan also praises the after sales support provided by Omega Crushing and Screening, who have proven to be responsive and helpful when needed. For example, when Niall requested that the machine’s feed hopper be widened so it could be fed by a larger excavator, this was promptly taken care of by means of a larger set of hopper doors.
The Omega J1065T is part of a range of crushers produced by the manufacturer, which also includes the wheeled J1065Mand static J1065S models. The ability of the machines to run on either mains or diesel power makes them a versatile option, suited equally to quarry, mining or recycling applications, and allows them to operate indoors or in areas with strict emissions requirements. While hydraulic systems are prone to contamination, leakages& slowing down in high demand application during a day of operation, the electric components of the Omega range can run efficiently throughout a workday, ensuring fast and productive operation.
All of the models in the range use the J1065 single toggle jaw crusher unit. The J1065 has a large feed opening of 1,000 x 650mm. It is driven by a 90 kW (121hp) electric motor and uses a simple drawback tensioning system. Some other noteworthy points are the reverse crush, jaw unblock feature, the large jaw ejector cylinder, and the bolted mainframe, which provides strength and durability.
Weighing in at 30,000 kg, the J1065T features a 3.8m3 hydraulic folding, Hardox-lined hopper, a 900mm discharge conveyor and a 600mm fines conveyor. The main conveyor can be raised and lowered hydraulically for rebar clearance and can also be fitted with an overband magnet separator. The diesel engine is a six-cylinder Deutz TCD 7.8 L6, which reaches the latestStage V emissions standards using SCR and a DPF. Fuel burn while working can be as low as 8 litres an hour, ranging up to 12 litres when crushing harder rock types.
The official distributor for Omega in Ireland is Southwest Crushers, based in Limerick.