Abrasive Wear: The Constant Mechanical Erosion‌ of Woven Metal Screens Facing in Limestone Quarries‌

The primary challenge is ‌abrasive wear‌. Limestone contains silica and other hard minerals that act like sandpaper on woven wire screen wires. This constant friction gradually wears down the wire diameter, leading to aperture enlargement and wire fatigue. As apertures grow, the screen's cut point shifts, allowing oversized material to contaminate the product. More critically, thinning wires become stress points, increasing the risk of sudden fatigue failure and screen breakage. High feed rates and the sharp edges of freshly crushed stone accelerate this process.