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The vertical cement mill (VCM) is a key element in modern cement production. Designed to grind clinker, raw materials or additives with high efficiency, it combines grinding, drying and classification into a single compact unit. As cement plants continue to push for lower energy consumption and higher throughput, the vertical cement mill has become the industry standard for sustainable and consistent grinding performance.
Inside a vertical cement mill, material is processed through a continuous and controlled airflow system:
Raw materials or clinker are fed at the centre of a rotating grinding table.
Large vertical rollers apply high pressure on the material bed.
The combined action of rotation and pressure crushes, grinds and homogenizes the material.
A stream of hot gas rises through the mill, drying the material while transporting fine particles upward.
A dynamic separator at the top of the mill classifies material:
This closed-loop process ensures consistent fineness, stable operation and optimum efficiency.
VCMs reduce energy consumption compared to traditional ball mills.
Using a VRM can reduce the initial investment (CAPEX) of a plant compared to a setup with separate grinding, drying, and classification units.
The dynamic classifier ensures precise control of product fineness, improving cement quality and consistency.
VRMs offer high process stability, lower vibration levels, and easier automation.
Compared with ball mills, VRMs can offer longer intervals between maintenance thanks to their lower overall wear rates. When equipped with durable wear parts such as Magotteaux’s Expand solutions, these intervals may be extended even further.
Developed specifically for vertical cement mills, Expand (Expand One & Expand+) is Magotteaux’s premium solution for extending equipment lifetime and improving mill performance. This industry-leading durability is a defining advantage of Expand compared to standard VRM wear solutions.
Made from advanced MMC materials (Metal Matrix Composite), Expand parts last significantly longer than conventional alloys or hard-faced solutions, reducing the frequency of shutdowns and increasing mill availability.
Expand ensures slow, uniform wear, keeping grinding pressure and cement fineness stable throughout the lifecycle of the parts. This predictable wear curve simplifies maintenance planning, helping plants anticipate interventions and optimize uptime.
Fewer interventions, fewer replacements, and higher equipment uptime directly reduce OPEX.
Designed for segmented or one-piece rollers and tables, regardless of OEM. Simple retrofitting, immediate performance gain.
For more than a century, Magotteaux has been a trusted partner to the cement industry. With deep knowledge of cement production challenges and a long-standing presence in the field, the company brings far more than wear parts to its customers: it brings experience, understanding, and a commitment to improving plant performance.
Building on this foundation, Magotteaux continuously invests in innovation and R&D to design solutions that truly address the operational needs of cement producers. This forward-looking approach goes hand in hand with the company’s strong sustainability commitments: Magotteaux uses over 80% recycled raw materials and actively invests in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and circular practices.
These principles directly shape Magotteaux’s product development. The Expand range, for example, includes both Expand One — a significantly higher-performing standard MMC solution — and Expand+, a premium custom-engineered option designed to deliver even greater efficiency and durability for demanding VRM applications.
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