SPEX SamplePrep ShatterBox 8550 User manual
8550 ShatterBox®
Automatic Ring Mill
1
Thank you for having chosen the 8550 ShatterBox Ring Mill from SPEX SamplePrep.
To enjoy years of reliable, efficient and safe use of this instrument, please read this
manual thoroughly and keep it in a safe and handy place for future reference.
Should you have any question regarding the use, maintenance or repair of your
instrument, kindly contact SPEX SamplePrep directly for assistance (see page 51
for contact details).
© May 2021, SPEX SamplePrep. All rights reserved.
2
Index
Index ...............................................................................................2
Introduction....................................................................................4
Historical background ............................................................................... 4
The 8550 ShatterBox................................................................................ 5
Accessories .............................................................................................. 7
Main features ........................................................................................... 7
Precautions .....................................................................................9
Installation....................................................................................10
Location................................................................................................. 10
Unpacking.............................................................................................. 11
Connection - electrical ............................................................................ 12
Connection –exhaust ............................................................................. 13
Leveling casters...................................................................................... 13
Setting up.............................................................................................. 14
Questions ?............................................................................................ 15
Choice of the grinding container..................................................16
Material.................................................................................................. 16
Size ....................................................................................................... 17
How the unit works ......................................................................19
Grinding methods................................................................................... 19
Door operation ....................................................................................... 19
Clamping the dish .................................................................................. 19
Grinding motion ..................................................................................... 19
Using the 8550 ShatterBox ..........................................................20
Operation of the safety door ................................................................... 20
The main running screen ........................................................................ 22
Loading a program ................................................................................. 24
During a grinding ................................................................................... 25
A general grinding .................................................................................. 26
Programming the 8550 ShatterBox (advanced).........................28
Unlocking the advanced mode ................................................................ 28
Managing grinding methods.................................................................... 29
Preparing a grinding program ................................................................. 29
Grinding steps........................................................................................ 30
Global parameters ........................................................................31
Options.................................................................................................. 31
Special parameters.......................................................................33
Accessing the Special parameters ........................................................... 33
Parameters description ........................................................................... 34
Dish calibration procedure....................................................................... 35
3
Grinding troubleshooting .............................................................37
Unit does not turn on.............................................................................. 37
Unit does not run ................................................................................... 37
Door remains locked............................................................................... 37
Grinding container locked up, won’t grind ................................................ 37
Excessive vibration, unit “walks” ............................................................. 38
Periodic inspection .......................................................................39
Warning................................................................................................. 39
Inspection schedule table........................................................................ 39
Service operations ........................................................................40
Warning................................................................................................. 40
Top panel removal.................................................................................. 41
Front panel removal ............................................................................... 42
Door removal ......................................................................................... 43
Back panel removal ................................................................................ 46
Firmware and program transfers.................................................47
Preset programs..................................................................................... 47
Backup or restore by USB....................................................................... 47
Technical specifications................................................................49
Warranty .......................................................................................50
Product changes..................................................................................... 50
Return shipments ................................................................................... 50
Contacting SPEX ...........................................................................51
4
Introduction
Congratulations on your acquisition of the 8550 ShatterBox, from SPEX
SamplePrep.
This section intends to introduce the reader to basic grinding principles and to
familiarize him or her to the 8550 ShatterBox.
Historical
background
Since its introduction in the 1980’s, the SPEX SamplePrep ShatterBox has become
the most popular “swing mill” in America. Now as then, it remains the most efficient
way to pulverize up to 100ml in volume (or 100g in weight) of brittle material to
analytical fineness. The unit has many advanced features, including a touchscreen
with programmable timer, an automated clamp, a safety-interlocking automated
door, and horizontal grinding container insertion/removal.
5
The 8550
ShatterBox
General view
Working principle
The 8550 ShatterBox swings a dish-shaped grinding container, with a puck and
(often) a ring inside, in a tight high-speed circle; the sample is quickly crushed
between the wall and floor of the container and the moving puck/ring grinding
elements. Smaller grinding containers and those made with ceramics have a puck-
shaped grinding element; larger containers add a ring. Most grinding containers
are fitted with a gasket to prevent sample loss during grinding.
Since grinding containers are chosen for specific tasks, there is no “standard” 8550
ShatterBox grinding container. In general, grinding times range from two to five
minutes, with resultant particle size well below 100µm, and in some cases 5µm.
Typical samples include cements, soils, ceramics, slag, rocks, and ores, but the
8550 ShatterBox has also ground sulfur pellets, dried marsh-grass,
pharmaceuticals, and many other materials. To maximize grinding capability and
Emergency
stop button
Safety door
Door handle
LCD screen
interface
Front caster
wheel
Rear wheel
Door lock
override
Grinding dish
6
minimize contamination, grinding containers are available in hardened steel,
tungsten carbide, alumina ceramic, and zirconia ceramic. The full range of 8550
ShatterBox grinding containers is described in detail in the SPEX Handbook of
Sample Preparation and Handling, the SPEX ShatterBox Accessories Manual and on
our website: www.spexsampleprep.com
Automated dish holder
Unlike some other units, this mill provides a simple and efficient system to
automatically retain (or “clamp”) the dish. When the user has slid the dish in its
recess, closed the safety door and pressed Start, a motorized system applies a
downward pressure onto the dish lid, thus ensuring that the lid is secured in place,
as well as the base of the dish itself.
Dish lid
Dish
Clamping
motor
7
Accessories
The 8550 ShatterBox requires the use of a dish with a handle assembly. For existing
dishes without handle assembly, the corresponding handle assembly may be
purchased separately and secured to the dish.
Available Grinding Dishes:
Dish and
handle
assembly
(Required
for 8550)
Dish (grinding container)
description
Dish part
number
(For 8530
ShatterBox)
Handle part
number
(May be
purchased for
existing dish)
8501-H
Hardened Steel
8501
8511-01
8504-H
Tungsten Carbide
8504
8511-04
8505-H
Alumina Ceramic
8505
8511-05
8506-H
Zirconia
8506
N/A
Small Hardened Steel
8507
8507R (rack)
Small Tungsten Carbide
8508
8521-H
Large Hardened Steel
8521
8511-21
NOTE: In practice, the sample capacity of any particular grinding container
depends on the properties of the sample, particle-size requirements, and other
considerations.
Main features
Accuracy
•Entirely automated
•Electronically controlled, fully reproducible grinding methods
Safety
•Integrated dual-locking safety door with glass viewport
•Redundant dish position sensing
•Real-time monitoring of clamping force
•Dual monitoring of the grinding motor speed
•Sound-insulated steel cabinet
•Lockable caster wheels
Versatility
•Stores up to 10 different grinding programs
•Fully customizable grinding methods
•USB connectivity
•Ethernet (wired network) port
•Accepts various grinding dish types
8
Productivity
•Automated door opening after a grinding operation
•Automated dish clamping
Durability
•Sturdy industrial-grade modular electronics
•Robust IP65 rated industrial interface
•Dedicated PLC-based programming
•Low-maintenance
Simplicity
•Easy installation, easy use
•Single-phase power, no separate power supply
•Intuitive touch-screen color LCD graphics interface
•Easy icon navigation
•Multilingual interface
•Easy component access
•USB-upgradeable firmware
•1-year limited warranty
9
Precautions
Pinch point
This unit features a door that opens automatically. Do not touch the unit after
grinding, until the door has fully opened.
High voltage
Disconnect power cord before attempting any cleaning, maintenance or repair
operation.
Be careful that no liquid infiltrates into the unit’s casing.
Heavy instrument
It is advisable that at least two persons roll this instrument to avoid injuries. Do not
drop instrument. Crated unit should only be moved with mechanical assistance (lift
truck or pallet jack).
High noise levels
This device emits noise up to 80 dB.
Wear appropriate hearing protection.
General hazards
Never turn the unit on or run a grinding process with casing panels removed. Risks
of electrocution. Mechanical hazards due to high velocity and strong pinching
motions.
10
Installation
Please read the following section for proper commissioning of your instrument. Do
not hesitate to contact SPEX SamplePrep with any question you might have with
this crucial step.
IMPORTANT: It is advisable that several persons carry this instrument to avoid
injuries. Do not drop instrument.
Location
Keep the shipping crate upright; it is advisable that several persons roll the
instrument to avoid back injuries. Crated unit should only be moved with
mechanical assistance (lift truck or pallet jack).
When positioning the crate for opening, please note that one of its side panels will
deploy into a 1.5 m-long (5 ft) ramp, so proper placement and clearances must be
planned.
IMPORTANT: The instrument can be carried by its bottom plate, or by the two
large handles on each end of the unit top. The safety door handle shall NOT be
used to carry the instrument.
Floor requirements
This unit is a floor-standing unit; the floor must be rigid, reasonably level, and able
to safely withstand a weight of 250 kg (550 lbs).
A perfect leveling of the floor is not critical (and can be helped by adjusting the
caster heights), but a rigid floor with properly adjusted casters is important to the
good operation of the unit.
11
Safety and working clearances
When this unit operates, it shakes in place, and so appropriate clearances must be
kept all around the unit.
Our minimum recommendations are:
•5 cm (2 in) at the left side
•5 cm (2 in) at the right side
•10 cm (4 in) at the back
Obviously, a clear access at the front of the unit is needed, for the operator to work
the controls and load/unload the grinder.
Unpacking
The 8550 ShatterBox mechanism and its cabinet are shipped assembled, and
carefully packed to avoid damage during shipping. Any visible damage to the
shipping container should immediately be reported to the carrier. If there is no
visible damage, remove all packing documents from the exterior of the box, and
after completion of your inspection, file in your records.
Refer to separate unpacking instructions for step-by-step details.
Retain the shipping crate in case there is ever a need to return the 8550 ShatterBox
for service.
5 cm
(2 in)
5 cm
(2 in)
10 cm
(4 in)
12
Crate contents
The instrument comes with its essential accessories. In addition to optional items
you might have ordered, the box should contain:
•1 8550 ShatterBox (main grinder unit)
•1 instruction manual (this booklet)
•1 power cable
•1 USB memory stick
•1 wrench (10 mm)
•1 set of Torx keys
Additionally, if you have ordered an optional dish, you will find:
•Grinding dish with handle assembly
•Puck (and ring, if applicable)
Connection -
electrical
Plug the cabinet power cord into an approved electrical outlet using the included
power cable.
Note that the 8550 ShatterBox nominal voltage is either 115 VAC (60 Hz, 10 A) or
230 VAC (50-60 Hz, 5 A). These versions cannot be switched without
hardware replacements.
NOTE: If the included cable needs to be replaced to suit local electrical codes, the
user should refer to the rating plate located to the back of the unit and consult
with an electrician before attempting any electrical connection.
13
Connection –
exhaust
A standard 3-in (76 mm) outlet allows the unit to be connected to your dust
extraction/exhaust system.
To connect it, a safety screw must be removed to allow for the blade of the blast
gate to be pulled down in open position. We suggest using a standard flexible 3-in
duct hose with worm-drive clamps to link the unit with your air extraction system.
If the air extraction system needs to be disconnected, we recommend to re-close
the blast gate, and secure its blade with the safety screw.
NOTE: Although this connection is optional, we recommend using it, to remove
any dust expelled when unlocking the dish, since the contents may be under
pressure.
Leveling
casters
Once the unit is set in position, use the adjustment nuts on the front feet to level
the unit while completely lifting the front portion. It is important that the unit does
not rest on its front wheels when finished. (The wheels should turn freely after
correct leveling.)
Safety screw
Blast gate
14
To lift the front of the unit, use the provided 10-mm wrench and turn the caster nut
in the direction shown below. (A finger adjustment with the orange knob is not
sufficient.)
IMPORTANT: Always lift the unit with the casters leveling nut before operating
the 8550 ShatterBox. The grinder should be fully stabilized as described above,
so that it rests firmly on all four legs.
Setting up
After the initial unpacking and setup of the 8550 ShatterBox, you are ready to
prepare the unit for use.
As you prepare the 8550 ShatterBox to grind samples, become familiar with the
grinding dish/container you will use. The sample is placed in a container with a
puck (and sometimes a ring); then the container is swung in a tight circle while the
puck (and ring) crushes the sample against the bottom and wall of the container.
Most of the ShatterBox containers have an O-ring or gasket that prevents leakage
during grinding. Grinding containers are available in several sizes and in a range of
materials to minimize objectionable contamination: hardened steel (Cat. Nos.
8501, 8507, and 8521), tungsten carbide (Cat. Nos. 8504, 8508), alumina ceramic
(Cat. No. 8505), and zirconia ceramic (Cat. No. 8506).
Before actually operating your new 8550 ShatterBox, it is important that you
become familiar with its special features. This section explains in detail how each
part of the 8550 ShatterBox works.
While familiarizing yourself with the operation of the 8550 ShatterBox you may wish
to use a grinding container without its puck/ring, and without sample.
16
Choice of the
grinding container
There are at present ten different ShatterBox grinding containers in five different
materials and four sizes; while each of the ten has a puck-shaped grinding element
or a puck and ring, each has different requirements for sample size and/or grinding
time. Consequently, the following instructions are general in nature.
Material
Every grinding-container material has its benefits and drawbacks. Some will
contaminate a sample fairly heavily, others lightly; some will grind a sample more
rapidly than others, while some are more prone to breakage; and there are cost
considerations. Detailed advice on choosing the proper grinding container can be
found in the ShatterBox Accessory Manual.
Contamination
Often the prime consideration in choosing the container material is whether it will
contaminate the sample with elements of interest in the analysis. Thus, steel mills
looking for iron in slag will choose tungsten carbide over steel, while a geochemist
doing trace-element determinations in igneous rocks might avoid both zirconia
ceramic for its major elements Zr, minor elements Hf and Y, and tungsten carbide
for the small amounts of Ti, Ta, and Nb present.
Performance
The denser the grinding-container material, the more rapid the grinding. Tungsten
carbide is the densest, followed by steel, zirconia ceramic, and alumina ceramic. Of
these, steel is the most prone to wear if the samples are hard. The following
summary of properties may be helpful:
Steel is extraordinarily durable and relatively inexpensive, but
subject to wear when used to grind hard materials (quartz and
feldspar, glasses and slag). Grinds rapidly but tends to
contaminate. Major element: Fe. Minor elements: Cr, C, Mn,
and Si.
Tungsten Carbide grinds very rapidly and wears well, but is subject to occasional
breakage. It is harder than most samples other than the
hardest refractories, but contaminates moderately. Major
elements: W, C, Co. Minor elements: Ta, Ti, and Nb.
Zirconia Ceramic is harder than steel and most slag and mineral samples, but is
neither as heavy nor as hard as tungsten carbide. Grinds fairly
rapidly with low contamination levels, and almost never
breaks. Major elements: Zr. Minor elements: Hf, Y, Mg.
17
Alumina Ceramic is harder than tungsten carbide, but is comparatively
lightweight. It grinds fairly slowly with low contamination
levels and is subject to fracture. Major elements: Al. Minor
elements: Si, Mg, and Ca.
Size
There are four sizes of ShatterBox grinding container: small, medium, large, and
extra-large. To pick the correct size it is necessary to know the minimum amount
of sample you have to grind, its approximate density, and the fineness of grind
desired, as each may affect your final choice. The typical sample capacities of each
container type are given below in grams, assuming a sample of the density of quartz
sand, rock, etc. (approx. 2 to 3-1/2) and the requirement to pulverize the sample
to around 325 mesh (44 microns). The sample capacity volume RANGE, which is
much broader, is given in ml. If you are unsure which ShatterBox grinding container
to select, consult our product specialists. You can also send your samples in for
evaluation and test grinding.
Small: 8507 Small Hardened Steel and 8508 Small Tungsten Carbide
grinding containers. Each has a puck-shaped grinding element.
Typical sample capacity 8-15 grams, sample volume range 5-20 ml.
Requires 8507R Rack to operate one 8507/8508 or three
simultaneously.
Medium: 8505 Alumina Ceramic and 8506 Zirconia Ceramic grinding
containers. Each has a puck-shaped grinding element. Typical
sample capacity 20-40 grams, sample volume range 15-40 ml.
Large: 8501 Hardened Steel and 8504 Tungsten Carbide grinding
containers. Each has a puck and ring. Typical sample capacity 25-
75 grams, sample volume range 20-50 ml.
Extra Large: 8521 Large Hardened Steel grinding container, with puck and ring.
Typical sample capacity 50-150 grams, sample volume range 30 -
100 ml.
The sample volume ranges given above are estimates, not absolute limits. The
upward limit on the weight/volume of a given sample for a given grinding container
is really determined by the point where the mill stops grinding the sample
satisfactorily. This limit can vary with the type of the sample and its particle size.
The lower limit on the size of the sample is usually reached when the sample
becomes highly contaminated and is hard to recover. (If very little sample is ground
there is a lot of direct contact between the grinding element or elements and the
container, and under these conditions the tungsten carbide and ceramic grinding
containers are more likely to become chipped.) Avoid grinding large chunks of
sample, as these can either jam the grinding container or damage it; even if they
grind satisfactorily, they will probably not grind consistently. We recommend
reducing the feed size to at least 1/4" for the tungsten carbide and steel grinding
containers, and to 1/8" for the alumina and zirconia ceramic grinding containers.
When developing a procedure for your combination of 8550 ShatterBox and
grinding container, try a sample size near the middle of the given range(s). Grind
for two minutes in steel or tungsten carbide, or four minutes in alumina or zirconia.
If grinding is not satisfactory but the sample is not caking, try increasing the
18
grinding time or decreasing the sample size, or both. If caking occurs, consult the
ShatterBox Accessory Manual for information about grinding aids.
Table of contents
Other SPEX SamplePrep Laboratory Equipment manuals
