Understanding Hammer Mills: Operation, Advantages, Disadvantages, and Selection Criteria

The hammer mill is widely used in industries such as cement, chemical, power, and metallurgy, primarily for crushing materials of medium hardness, such as limestone, slag, coke, and coal, for intermediate and fine crushing operations. In addition to its applications in industrial sectors, the hammer mill is also commonly used in industries like spices, seasonings, grains and beans, chemical raw materials, and biotechnology pharmaceuticals. No matter which industry you're from, this article will guide you in selecting the right hammer mill for your needs!
Further Reading：Comprehensive Guide to Pulverizer Applications Principles and Selection Tips

What is a Hammer Mill?

A hammer mill is a type of equipment used to crush materials through impact. Its primary operation involves high-speed rotation of the crushing blades, generating impact and shear forces that create a crushing effect between the blades and the tooth liners, thereby breaking down the material. Among various types of hammer mills, the blade-type coarse crusher and the ring hammer crusher are the most common and widely applied. The main function of a hammer mill is to perform coarse crushing of larger particles to facilitate the next stage of grinding.

How a Hammer Mill Works: Impact to Screening Process

A hammer mill mainly utilizes "impact" to complete the material crushing process. During operation, the motor drives the rotor to rotate at high speed, allowing the material to enter the crushing chamber evenly. The material is then impacted, sheared, and torn apart by the high-speed rotating hammers, leading to its breakdown. Meanwhile, the material is also thrown toward the tooth liners and screen mesh inside the machine due to gravity. If the particle size of the material is larger than the mesh opening, it will be blocked by the screen plate and continue to be struck and ground by the hammers until it is reduced to the required particle size, allowing it to pass through the screen and exit.

Advantages and Considerations of a Hammer Mill

With its efficient crushing capabilities, simple structure, and wide range of applications, the hammer mill plays an important role in many industries. However, it is essential to note that when handling high-hardness or moist materials, the mill can suffer from wear and tear. To effectively extend the equipment's lifespan and improve production efficiency, it is crucial to select appropriate operating conditions and regularly perform maintenance and upkeep. Now, let's take a look at the advantages and precautions of using a hammer mill.

Advantages of Hammer Mill Applications

• High Crushing Ratio: Effectively reduces large particles into uniform sizes.
• High Production Capacity: Suitable for large-scale production, capable of processing large quantities of materials in a short time.
• Uniform Product: Ensures that the particle size of the crushed product remains consistent, reducing over-grinding.
• Low Energy Consumption: Compared to other crushing equipment, the energy consumption per unit of product is lower, helping save on operational costs.
• Simple Structure: The simple design makes maintenance and operation easy, reducing maintenance complexity.
• Light Equipment: Compared to other large crushers, the hammer mill is lighter in structure, making it easier to install and transport.
• Wide Applicability: Suitable for various medium-hard and brittle materials, such as limestone, coal, salt, gypsum, and bricks.
• Easy Operation and Maintenance: The equipment is easy to operate, and maintenance is also convenient, which lowers the operational maintenance costs.

Precautions for Hammer Mill

• Easy Wear and Tear: The hammers and screens of the hammer mill wear out quickly, especially when handling hard or highly abrasive materials. The wear rate increases, requiring frequent replacement of parts, which adds to maintenance costs.
• High Wear Consumption: When crushing hard materials, the hammers and tooth liners experience significant wear, resulting in high metal material consumption. Regular inspections and replacement of easily worn parts are necessary, leading to extended downtime.
• Screen Clogging: When crushing sticky or wet materials, the hammer mill’s screen can easily become clogged, resulting in reduced production capacity. Careful attention must be given to the moisture content of the material, which should generally not exceed 10%.
• Application Specifications: The hammer mill is primarily used for crushing materials of medium hardness and lower abrasiveness.

How to Choose the Right Hammer Mill for Your Application

As long as the raw material is non-oily, a hammer mill can be widely applied across various industries! With a grinding fineness ranging from 20 to 60 mesh, hammer mills are highly versatile. Below, we’ll guide you in selecting the most suitable hammer mill based on different application needs.

Industrial Grinding

In industrial crushing equipment, hammer mills are most commonly used as blade-type coarse crushers. They operate by utilizing the high-speed rotation of cutting blades to generate impact, cutting, and tearing forces, combined with the shearing force between the toothed liners to efficiently complete the grinding process. If the raw material is too large and the impact force exceeds centrifugal force, the blades will automatically retract to protect the blade shaft and allow the material to undergo cyclic crushing. This makes hammer mills particularly suitable for processing various brittle mineral materials.
Product Recommendations：Hammer Mill

Fiber Grinding

Hammer mills are not only effective for brittle materials but can also fully pulverize fibrous materials! For processing fiber-based substances, we highly recommend using a Turbo Mill, which offers superior performance. Unlike conventional hammer mills that rely on impact or shear forces, turbo mills employ a multi-faceted grinding approach using the impact force of high-speed rotating blades, the ultra-high-speed vortex behind the blades, and the vibrations from high-frequency pressure waves. This ensures thorough and efficient grinding of fibrous materials.
Product Recommendations：Turbo Mill

Food Grinding

Beyond industrial applications, specialized hammer mills have been developed for making bread crumbs. The Bread Crumb Grinder features serrated blades that crush bread while utilizing sieves with different mesh sizes to produce various crumb textures. This allows bread, toast, and biscuits to be evenly processed, reducing food waste and maximizing material efficiency.
Product Recommendations：Bread Crumb Grinder

Conclusion

Mill Powder Tech Co., Ltd. was the first brand in Taiwan to introduce the turbo mill, revolutionizing the food industry and the Southeast Asian market. To achieve comprehensive "milling" technology applications, we continuously advance our research and development in powder mixing technology, covering everything from standalone equipment to complete system solutions—including conveying, screening, mixing, grinding, and packaging.

With over 70 years of expertise and innovation in milling technology, along with ISO 9001:2008 and CE certifications, our hammer mills are known for their high efficiency, precision, and durability, making us the preferred partner of many renowned enterprises. If you need expert assistance in selecting the right milling equipment for your company, feel free to contact us anytime!