Modern Mining October 2025

CRUSHING & SCREENING

Screening smarter: FLS’s low-stress trommel and nexgen panels raise the bar In today’s mining landscape, productivity and uptime are non-negotiable, and the pressure on plant equipment is unrelenting. Yet, achieving consistent throughput doesn’t have to come at the cost of high maintenance, safety risks or premature wear. Responding to these industry imperatives, FLS developed a range of advanced screening solutions that bring structural integrity, smart design and robust materials together into a cohesive system - the LOW-STRESS Trommel and its paired NexGen screen panels.

The LOW-STRESS trommel and screen media are specifically designed and robustly constructed to enhance milling productivity.

Precision is maintained at every production stage, from the manufacture of NexGen media to the assembly of trommel and screen panels.

B rad Shepherd, Director Service Line – Screen and Feeder Consumables at FLS, explains to Modern Mining that this approach is not about tweaking one component but rather rethinking the system from the ground up. “Mines are demanding more than just tough equipment,” says Shepherd. “They want engineered solutions that work harder, last longer and make life easier for operators and maintenance teams. That is exactly what our LOW-STRESS Trommel and NexGen media package delivers – it is a shift from reactive maintenance to proactive performance.” At the heart of the FLS LOW-STRESS Trommel design is an emphasis on structural optimisation. Every trommel frame is engineered to be both lighter and stronger, helping reduce fatigue stresses without compromising durability. Using finite element analysis (FEA), each design is validated to withstand the rigours of high-capacity mill operations. “We have put a lot of focus into reducing the weight of the structure which not only extends the life of the trommel itself but also has a positive knock-on

effect on the mill. It lowers stress on the bearings, reduces power draw and improves handling safety,” Shepherd notes. Fabricated using high performance materials, each frame is heat treated to relieve stress post welding and then precision machined. Liners - available in polyurethane or rubber - are installed in key wear zones to ensure a long service life, even under the abrasive conditions typically found in mill discharge environments. But performance isn’t only about the frame, Shepherd explains. A range of optional customisations allows operators to tailor the trommel to the specific needs of their circuit. These include integrated washing systems to dislodge and recover fines from oversize material, a crucial feature where downstream processes could be compromised by carry-over. Scrolls, impact pads, blanks and discharge lips further allow users to finetune pulp retention time, flow rates and material behaviour within the trommel. “We have created a platform that can be adapted

JD Singleton, Weir’s Comminution Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

30  MODERN MINING  www.modernminingmagazine.co.za | OCTOBER 2025