WS85 vs Trellex LS: Which Polyurethane Screen Panel Is Right for Your Mineral Processing Plant?

Definition

WS85 and Trellex LS are polyurethane screen panel installation structures used in mineral processing screening. WS85-style panels are customizable across dimensions, aperture configurations, reinforcement designs, and fixing arrangements. Trellex LS is a modular screening-media system associated with Metso equipment, designed around specific module and fixing arrangements that allow individual modules to be replaced without renewing the entire screening surface.

Working Principle

Polyurethane screen panels separate material by size while resisting abrasion, impact, and vibration. The panel is retained on the deck by a fixing structure — pins, ears, rails, or locking geometry — that must match the screen frame exactly.

If the fixing structure does not match, the panel will not seat correctly, which changes the effective deck slope, drainage path, and screening dynamics. This is why installation compatibility must be confirmed before any comparison of wear life or screening efficiency.

Benefits

Wear resistance. Polyurethane withstands continuous abrasion from abrasive ore and slurry.

Flexibility. The elastomer flexes during vibration, reducing blinding and pegging.

Impact resistance. Panels absorb impact loading better than rigid media.

Modular replacement. Individual panels or modules can be replaced without renewing the full deck.

Customization (WS85). Dimensions, apertures, thickness, and fixing details can be matched to non-standard equipment.

Standardization (Trellex LS). Compatible modules simplify spare-parts management across multiple screens.

Applications

WS85 polyurethane screen panels are applied in dewatering screens, tailings processing, fine wet screening, concentrate screening, coal and slime processing, aggregate screening, and high-abrasion mineral processing. They are particularly suited to plants with non-standard deck requirements.

Trellex LS-type panels are relevant where existing equipment already uses the Trellex LS modular installation structure, and where standardised modules simplify maintenance across multiple screens.

Screening sits between <u>CRUSHING</u> and <u>GRINDING</u> in the comminution circuit. Correct panel selection protects both downstream stages.

Material Comparison

For a wider comparison of screening media types, see <u>POLYURETHANE SCREEN VS RUBBER SCREEN VS WIRE MESH</u>.

Application Comparison

Industry Application Matrix

Selection Guide

Four inputs determine the correct structure:

1. Existing deck structure — WS85-type or Trellex LS modular. This is the first and most important check.

2. Fixing and retention method — pin or ear configuration, retaining system, support rail design, locking geometry.

3. Aperture and open area requirements — aperture accuracy matters most in fine screening and dewatering.

4. Operating conditions — feed material, size, capacity, moisture, clay content, abrasiveness, target separation size, screen model, inclination, and vibration parameters.

A replacement panel should be mechanically compatible before wear and screening performance are evaluated.

Procurement Guide

Required information: screen model, panel drawing, dimensions, aperture size, fixing method, installation structure, feed material, capacity, moisture, clay content, abrasiveness, and target separation size.

Drawings needed: panel outline with fixing detail, deck layout, and OEM part number where available.

Material selection: request polyurethane formulation, Shore hardness, panel thickness, reinforcement structure, and wear test data.

MOQ: typically per panel or per deck set.

Lead time: commonly 2–4 weeks for standard panels; longer for custom moulds.

Packaging: palletised and separated to prevent deformation.

Shipping method: sea freight for volume; air freight for breakdown-critical replacement.

Inspection standards: dimensional check against drawing, hardness verification, aperture measurement, fixing geometry check, visual mould inspection.

Supplier Evaluation Checklist:

• Can the supplier manufacture according to drawings?

• Can the supplier provide material reports?

• Can the supplier support OEM replacement?

• Does the supplier have export experience?

• Can the supplier provide wear-life recommendations?

Failure Analysis

Maintenance Guide

Daily inspection: check for panel movement, visible damage, and material build-up.

Weekly inspection: examine high-wear zones and fixing elements.

Monthly inspection: measure remaining panel thickness and record wear trend.

Replacement timing: at minimum safe thickness or when aperture tolerance drifts.

Spare parts inventory: hold one deck set plus high-wear zone panels. For Trellex LS systems, standardised modules simplify inventory.

Downtime reduction: modular replacement reduces change-out time.

Preventive maintenance: verify fixing geometry and support rail condition at every panel change.

Case Study

Customer Type: Iron ore concentrator
Ore Type: Fine hematite slurry, abrasive
Operating Conditions: Wet screening, continuous operation, non-standard deck dimensions
Problem: Generic replacement panels fitted poorly due to fixing geometry mismatch, causing panel movement, premature wear, and inconsistent screening efficiency.
Solution: Supplied WS85-style polyurethane panels manufactured to the exact deck drawing, with verified fixing geometry and matched aperture specification.
Result: Panel movement eliminated, service life increased by approximately 2× versus the previous generic panels, and screening efficiency stabilised.

Results are indicative of typical performance and depend on ore characteristics, deck configuration, and operating discipline.

FAQ

Question: What is the difference between WS85 and Trellex LS?
Answer: They are two different installation structures, not two brands of the same panel. WS85-style panels are customizable across dimensions, apertures, and fixing arrangements for many dewatering and vibrating screen configurations. Trellex LS is a modular screening-media system associated with Metso equipment, designed around specific module and fixing arrangements.

Question: Which one should I choose?
Answer: Start with your existing deck structure. If the screen is designed for Trellex LS modules, mechanical compatibility should be confirmed first. If the equipment uses a WS85-type structure, or requires custom dimensions and fixing, WS85 provides a more flexible solution.

Question: Can a panel match dimensions but still not fit?
Answer: Yes. Panels can differ in pin or ear configuration, retaining system, support rail design, panel thickness, locking geometry, and underside reinforcement. All of these must match before the panel can seat correctly.

Question: How do I verify polyurethane material quality?
Answer: Request the material specification, Shore hardness, panel thickness, reinforcement structure, wear and abrasion test data, and previous applications with similar ore and operating conditions. “Polyurethane” alone does not define performance.

Question: How should I evaluate total cost?
Answer: Use total cost per screened tonne: media cost plus installation cost plus downtime cost plus production loss, divided by tonnes screened during service life. Purchase price alone is misleading.

Question: Can HUATAO supply both structures?
Answer: Yes. HUATAO can provide polyurethane dewatering screen panels for both WS85-type and Trellex LS-type installation structures, allowing customers to select according to existing equipment rather than changing the screen structure.

Question: What information is needed before production?
Answer: Screen model, panel drawing, existing panel dimensions, installation structure, fixing details, aperture specifications, deck arrangement, and application conditions.

Question: How do I evaluate a polyurethane screen panel supplier?
Answer: Check drawing capability, material report availability, OEM replacement support, export and mining experience, and willingness to provide wear-life recommendations. A supplier who quotes without asking about your deck structure is a procurement risk.

Question: Can I trial panels before committing to a full deck?
Answer: Yes, and it is recommended. Controlled trials measuring operating hours, tonnes processed, wear thickness, screening efficiency, blinding rate, and installation time provide the most reliable basis for full-deck selection.

Question: What if my screen is not a standard design?
Answer: Non-standard decks are exactly where WS85 customization provides value. Panel dimensions, aperture size and shape, thickness, fixing structure, and reinforcement can all be manufactured to match the equipment.

Conclusion

WS85 and Trellex LS are not competing products in the conventional sense. They are two installation structures for polyurethane screen media, and the correct choice depends primarily on the existing screen deck.

If your equipment uses a Trellex LS modular system, that structure should be evaluated first for mechanical compatibility. If your equipment uses a WS85-type structure, or requires custom dimensions and fixing arrangements, a WS85 polyurethane panel provides the more flexible solution.

In both cases, the panel must be mechanically compatible before wear life and screening performance can be meaningfully compared.

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Contact
Annie Lu
annie.lu@huataogroup.com
+86 18032422676 (WhatsApp / WeChat)

Tags:
WS85 Screen Panel, Trellex LS, Polyurethane Screen Panel, Screen Media Selection, Mineral Processing Screening, Screen Panel Installation, Polyurethane Dewatering Screen, Screen Panel Supplier, OEM Replacement Screen Panel, Cost Per Screened Tonne, Tufflex, Fixing Geometry, Deck Compatibility, Metso Screen, Wear Life