Failure rate analysis of jaw crusher using Weibull model

Abstract

The primary crusher is essential equipment employed for comminuting the mineral in processing plants. Any kind of failure of its components will accordingly hinder the performance of the plant. Therefore, to minimize sudden failures, analysis should be undertaken to improve performance and operational reliability of the crushers and its components. This paper considers the methods for analyzing failure rates of a jaw crusher and its critical components application of a two-parameter Weibull distribution in a mineral processing plant fitted using statistical tests such as goodness of fit and maximum likelihood estimation. Monte Carlo simulation, analysis of variance, and artificial neural network are also applied. Two-parameter Weibull distribution is found to be the best fit distribution using Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. Maximum likelihood estimation method is used to find out the shape and scale parameter of two-parameter Weibull distribution. Monte Carlo simulation generates 40 numbers of shape parameters, scale parameters, and time. Further, 40 numbers of Weibull distribution parameters are evaluated to examine the failure rate, significant difference, and regression coefficient using ANOVA. Artificial neural network with back-propagation algorithm is used to determine R2 and is compared with analysis of variance.