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Vibrating Screen Troubleshooting: Common Problems, Causes and Solutions

Release time:2026-02-27 Views:0
A vibrating screen is one of the most important pieces of equipment in mining, aggregate production, coal processing, chemical and other industries. It is widely used for material classification, dewatering, desliming and impurity removal. Stable operation of a vibrating screen directly affects production efficiency, product quality and overall operational costs.
When a vibrating screen breaks down or works abnormally, it can lead to reduced output, poor product quality and unplanned downtime. Understanding vibrating screen troubleshooting is essential for on-site operators, maintenance technicians and production managers.
This article covers the most common vibrating screen problems, their root causes and practical solutions. With this guide, you can quickly identify faults, reduce downtime and keep your screening system running smoothly.

vibrating screen troubleshooting

Common Vibrating Screen Problems and Troubleshooting Solutions

1. Bearing Overheating

Bearing overheating is one of the most frequent issues in vibrating screen operation. It can lead to bearing damage, equipment shutdown and even serious mechanical failure.
Symptoms
  • High temperature on bearing housing

  • Abnormal heat emission

  • Bearing noise or jamming

Causes
  • Insufficient or deteriorated lubricating grease

  • Excessive lubrication filling

  • Bearing wear or damage

  • Misalignment of vibration motor

  • Loose or damaged bearing seat

Solutions
  • Replenish or replace high-temperature resistant lubricating grease

  • Adjust lubrication amount to a reasonable level

  • Replace worn bearings in time

  • Check and correct motor installation alignment

  • Fasten or repair the bearing seat

2. Abnormal Noise and Vibration

Unusual noise or unstable vibration indicates a structural or component fault. Ignoring this problem will accelerate equipment wear.
Symptoms
  • Loud knocking or friction noise

  • Unstable or uneven vibration

  • Strong shaking of the whole machine

Causes
  • Loose bolts on the screen body or motor base

  • Cracked side plate or damaged beam

  • Worn or broken rubber shock absorber

  • Unbalanced vibration motor

  • Loose or damaged screen frame

Solutions
  • Tighten all connecting bolts

  • Repair or replace cracked components

  • Replace worn shock absorbers

  • Adjust motor balance or replace eccentric block

  • Reinforce or repair the screen frame

3. Low Screening Efficiency

Low screening efficiency is the most common issue that affects production output and material quality.
Symptoms
  • Too much fine material left in oversize product

  • Low output of qualified material

  • Incomplete material classification

Causes
  • Incorrect vibration amplitude or frequency

  • Uneven feeding or excessive feeding amount

  • Blocked screen mesh

  • Worn or damaged screen surface

  • Improper installation angle of the screen

Solutions
  • Adjust motor eccentric block to change amplitude

  • Control feeding speed and keep uniform feeding

  • Clean blocked screen mesh regularly

  • Replace worn screen mesh

  • Adjust the installation angle of the screen machine

4. Screen Mesh Blockage

Screen mesh blockage often occurs when processing wet, sticky or fine-grained materials.
Symptoms
  • Material accumulation on the screen surface

  • Reduced or no material passing through the mesh

  • Uneven material distribution

Causes
  • High moisture content in materials

  • Sticky or muddy materials

  • Inappropriate screen mesh size

  • Insufficient vibration force

Solutions
  • Dry materials before feeding if possible

  • Use anti-blocking screen mesh or bouncing ball devices

  • Adjust vibration amplitude to improve penetration

  • Clean the screen surface during operation

Detail drawing of vibrating screen

5. Abnormal Motor Operation

The vibration motor is the power source of the screen. Any motor fault will stop the whole machine.
Symptoms
  • Motor does not start

  • Motor overheats quickly

  • Weak or uneven vibration

Causes
  • Power supply failure

  • Damaged motor coil or bearing

  • Incorrect wiring connection

  • Overload operation

Solutions
  • Check power supply and voltage

  • Repair or replace the faulty motor

  • Reconnect wiring according to the instruction

  • Reduce feeding amount to avoid overload

6. Fast Screen Mesh Wear

Short service life of screen mesh increases production cost and maintenance frequency.
Symptoms
  • Screen mesh breaks or deforms quickly

  • Uneven wear on screen surface

Causes
  • Excessive impact from large materials

  • Sharp or highly abrasive materials

  • Incorrect installation of screen mesh

  • Insufficient tension of screen mesh

Solutions
  • Install a buffer feeder to reduce material impact

  • Choose high-wear-resistance screen mesh

  • Reinstall and tension the screen mesh properly

  • Avoid overloading the screen

7. Material Movement Abnormality

Improper material movement on the screen surface reduces classification effect.
Symptoms
  • Material runs to one side

  • Material stays on the screen too long

  • Material is thrown out too fast

Causes
  • Unbalanced vibration force

  • Inclination angle of screen is incorrect

  • Loose or damaged support springs

Solutions
  • Adjust vibration motor parameters

  • Correct the installation angle

  • Replace damaged support springs

Preventive Maintenance to Reduce Vibrating Screen Troubleshooting

Most vibrating screen faults can be avoided through regular maintenance. Proper maintenance reduces the need for emergency vibrating screen troubleshooting and extends equipment life.
  • Lubricate bearings regularly with recommended grease

  • Check and tighten all bolts before each shift

  • Clean screen mesh and remove accumulated materials daily

  • Inspect shock absorbers, springs and motors weekly

  • Replace worn parts before complete failure

  • Keep feeding uniform and within designed capacity

Conclusion

Vibrating screen troubleshooting is a necessary skill for maintaining stable industrial production. Most common faults, such as bearing overheating, abnormal noise, screen blockage and low efficiency, have clear causes and easy solutions.
By learning to identify symptoms, find root causes and apply correct solutions, you can greatly reduce downtime, lower maintenance costs and improve screening performance.
Regular preventive maintenance is even more important. It helps avoid serious faults and ensures the vibrating screen works safely and efficiently for a long service life.
For any continuous vibrating screen operation, mastering basic troubleshooting methods is the key to stable and high-yield production.