Wear note
Night shift liner photos
Photo logs beat memory when the day crew inherits a worn chamber.
By Ms Lerato Dlamini, Wear notes lead
Ms Lerato Dlamini leads wear notes at Crusher Consumables, giving plant leads practical advice on tackling tough, abrasive feeds that hammer crusher parts.
AuthorWhy this matters on the plant
Nobody trusts memory after a long night shift, especially when the day crew needs to diagnose cone liner wear. Snapping clear liner photos at handover saves time and confusion, helping us spot wear patterns and nip potential failures quickly.
Why photos beat memory at shift change
On the Highveld, after a night of Eskom power cuts and sketchy lighting, it's difficult to recall exactly what a worn cone mantle looked like by morning. Even a sharp operator will struggle to describe subtle scoring, feed pattern marks or hot spots from uneven feed distribution. That's why we encourage crews to use their phones for photo logs at every liner inspection. A quick series of photos, with the liner in situ and after removal, captures the actual condition, much better than a tired supervisor’s sketch or vague description.
Photos reveal more than the obvious. You can compare last month’s images to see how work hardening has progressed, or if you've accelerated wear by running the chamber too open or too tight. This visual record is essential when crews rotate between day and night shifts, which is common on mines and contract crushing jobs across Joburg and the Lowveld.
How to take effective liner photos underground or on surface
We have seen too many blurry or overexposed shots that miss key details, especially when the bakkie’s work light isn’t set up right. Always wipe grime from the lens before you start. Use a torch or headlamp to direct light into the chamber without creating shadows. Hold a scale, a tape or even a marked spanner, next to the liner for size reference. Take shots of the full crushing chamber, the closed side setting area, and close-ups of cracks, pitting or mushrooming at the mantle lip.
If possible, include a tag or hand-written sign in the shot showing the date, plant name and chamber profile. This makes it easy to match to the correct liner batch and campaign. Try to keep hands and tools out of the frame so the wear detail is clear for the next crew.
- Clean the camera lens and liner surface
- Use steady, direct light without harsh shadows
- Include a known object for scale
- Photograph key areas: chamber, lip, any cracks
- Mark the date and profile in at least one photo
What to record apart from photos
Images are powerful, but numbers matter too. Record the closed side setting (CSS) with a feeler gauge or calibrated tool for each photo session, as this affects wear rate and product shape. Note the feed type and size, especially if you’ve switched from a hard dolerite to a sandier Karoo blend, as this changes liner life and work hardening behaviour.
Make note of the last time the chamber was choke-fed, as well as any power spikes or tramp events overnight, the toggle or hydraulic relief history is as important as the liner state. Some plants jot these notes in a logbook, but a quick reference written onto a whiteboard in the photo works well, especially when Eskom outages make digital records unreliable.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
We have seen crews miss key details by snapping only the worn spots, and not capturing the whole chamber profile. This makes it hard to spot uneven wear or issues with feed distribution. Another mistake is leaving out torque checks on liner bolts, if a photo shows a loose bolt or missing backing compound, flag this for the day crew to fix before ramp-up.
Avoid using dirty gloves or greasy hands on the phone, as this blurs the lens or leaves fingerprints on the images. Never enter the crusher chamber until it has been locked out and isolated; safety always comes before inspection photos.
- Only photographing obvious damage, not overall wear
- No scale or date in the picture
- Blurry images from dirty lenses
- Ignoring loose bolts or missing backing in the shot
- Entering the chamber before proper lockout
Related parts: Cone Mantle Liner. You can also browse all parts and plant guides.
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