A crusher is an industrial machine designed to reduce large, hard materials such as rock, stone, or mineral ore into smaller, usable fragments. It converts energy into mechanical force and uses jaw, cone, or hammer crushers to break down massive pieces. The screened material is then sorted by size and transported via conveyor belts to storage areas. Crushers play a vital role in producing aggregates for construction, foundational materials for roads and infrastructure, fillers for dams and ports, railway ballast production, ore pre-processing in mining operations, and recycling of concrete and asphalt waste.

A mobile crusher is an integrated crushing and screening system mounted on wheels or tracks, eliminating the need for additional cranes or forklifts. Powered by diesel engines or generators, feed material is loaded into a hopper, passed through the crusher, screened, and then conveyed to loading points. Mobile crushers are ideal for urban projects, temporary sites, infrastructure work, and emergency deployment. Their rapid deployment and adaptability to site conditions provide operational advantages. However, compared to traditional crushing facilities, mobile units tend to have lower throughput and higher per‑ton costs.

A fixed crusher plant is a permanently installed crushing and screening system optimized for large-scale projects. It includes multiple crushing units, layered screening machinery, high‑capacity conveyor networks, and PLC‑SCADA based automation. Once material enters the bunker, primary crushers reduce large chunks followed by secondary and tertiary crushers which refine the particle size. Screening processes separate materials into desired fractions. Final products are stored in segregated stockpiles. These plants are well-suited for quarry operations, cement and ready‑mix concrete plants, railway and airport construction, port landfills, and other high‑capacity operations. Their advantages include high production output, long‑term continuous performance, and favorable cost per unit, whereas installation time, capital investment, and lack of mobility are disadvantages.

Differences between fixed and mobile crushers centre around portability, setup time, capacity, power source, cost, and application environment. Mobile crushers can be set up fast, moved between sites, and suit short-term deployments, while fixed plants offer high throughput, efficiency and are designed for continuous operation. Mobile units rely on diesel or generators, and are low‑cost to install, but incur higher per‑unit production costs. Fixed systems draw power from the grid, handle greater capacity, and offer economical large‑scale production. In summary, mobile crushers offer flexibility, while fixed plants provide high-capacity performance.