Project Introduction

As a Fortune Global 500 company and a global leader in building materials, Saint-Gobain is committed to technological innovation and process optimization to deliver higher-quality, more sustainable products. In its core gypsum business, primary crushing of raw materials is the cornerstone of the entire production process. Its efficiency and product quality directly impact the stability of downstream processes (e.g., grinding, calcination) and the performance of final gypsum products.

Previously, Saint-Gobain relied on externally sourced crushed gypsum or outdated production lines, facing three major challenges:

1. Unstable Product Quality: Externally sourced materials or existing equipment produced uneven particle sizes, excessive fines, or oversized particles. This increased energy consumption in grinding, led to incomplete calcination, and compromised the strength, setting time, and workability of gypsum-based products

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2. High Production Costs: Sourcing raw materials externally was costly and subject to market fluctuations. Aging equipment caused frequent breakdowns, driving up maintenance costs and downtime losses
3. Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: Dependence on external suppliers posed risks of disruption and hindered control over raw material consistency and availability

To address these issues, Saint-Gobain invested in a dedicated, advanced crushing line with a capacity of 100 tons per hour.

Production Line Overview

The new line adopts a closed-loop “feeding-crushing-screening” process, with equipment selection prioritizing both quality and cost efficiency:
Process Flow:
Raw Material Silo → Bar Feeder → Four-Roller Crusher → Vibrating Screen → (Qualified Product Output / Oversized Material Return to Crusher)

1. Bar Feeder: Stable Feeding, Source Control

• Role: Acts as the “throat” of the line, ensuring uniform and continuous feeding of bulk gypsum ore into the crusher.
• Advantages:
  • Pre-screening Function: Gaps between bars sieve out fine powders and soil during feeding, reducing ineffective crushing and wear. This enhances raw material purity from the source

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  • Stable Feed Rate: Prevents material surges or interruptions, creating optimal conditions for the four-roller crusher—critical for consistent particle size and efficiency

2. Four-Roller Crusher: Core Innovation for Quality and Cost

• Role: The heart of the line, performing primary crushing.
• Advantages:
  • Laminated Crushing Principle: Two pairs of counter-rotating rollers crush materials through high-pressure grinding and extrusion, minimizing over-crushing. Compared to traditional hammer or jaw crushers, it produces fewer needle-like particles, yielding better-shaped and more uniform granules
  • Precise Particle Control: Adjustable roller gaps enable coarse and fine crushing in one unit, ensuring precise output sizing (e.g., 0–30 mm) to meet downstream requirements
  • Low Energy Consumption & Wear: Extrusion crushing consumes less energy than impact crushing. High-wear-resistant alloy roller skins extend service life, slashing maintenance costs and downtime

3. Circular Vibrating Screen: Precision Classification, Closed-Loop Optimization

• Role: Screens crushed materials into graded fractions.
• Advantages:
  • Efficient Screening: Multi-layer sieves separate materials into qualified products, oversized particles, and excess powder.
  • Closed-Loop Recycling: Oversized particles are automatically returned via a conveyor for re-crushing. This ensures 100% compliance with particle size standards, eliminating substandard inputs to downstream processes and guaranteeing final product stability

Customer Feedback & Value Delivered

1. Breakthrough in Product Quality

• Uniform Particle Size: Over 90% of crushed gypsum falls within the target range (e.g., 0–30 mm), minimizing fines and oversized grains
• Enhanced Downstream Performance: Consistent raw materials enable stable calcination, improving key metrics of gypsum boards and plasters (e.g., strength, whiteness, setting time)

2. Significant Cost Reduction

• Raw Material Costs: Self-sufficiency eliminates external dependencies, cutting unit production costs by ~20%
• Energy Costs: The four-roller crusher’s low energy consumption and closed-loop design reduce overall power usage by 15–20%
• Maintenance Costs: High equipment reliability and extended wear-part lifespan nearly eliminate unplanned downtime, slashing maintenance expenses

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3. Elevated Customer Satisfaction

For downstream clients (e.g., gypsum board buyers, contractors), the benefits are tangible:

• Product Consistency: Every batch of Saint-Gobain gypsum products meets high standards, reducing construction uncertainties and enhancing project efficiency
• Supply Chain Reliability: In-house raw material supply ensures stable production and on-time delivery, strengthening client trust
• Shared Value: Lower production costs enable competitive pricing, creating a win-win scenario