CSC Scientific Blog

A blog about test equipment

What is The Function of a Sieve Shaker?

Posted by Hank Levi on Feb 7, 2024 9:24:36 PM

Visitors to our web pages often arrive with the question, “What is the Function of a Sieve Shaker?

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Topics: Sieve Shakers, "Ask Art", Sonic Sifter, Agglomeration, Particle Size Analysis, Sieve Testing, Sieves, Sieving Process, Sieve Analysis, Quiet sieve shakers, sieve shaker

Sieves – Old and New QC Issues

Posted by Art Gatenby on May 27, 2022 4:36:26 PM

 In 2011 "Powder-Bulk Solids" published an article comparing certification process veracity with a sieve calibration process using calibrated glass microspheres (or beads). The certification process merely indicates that a sieve mesh conforms to a standard that has a wide tolerance regarding mesh openings. It is performed on a small number of openings. On the other hand, calibration using the calibrated beads results in a number representing the mean opening -- a result generated by actually performing a test encompassing at least 80% of the mesh openings.

The problems outlined in the article  are still dogging todays QC Managers

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Topics: Sieve Shakers, Calibration, Particle Size Analysis, Sieve Calibration, Sieve Certification, Sieve Testing, Sieves, Sieving Process

Will Certification Lead To The  Holy Grail Of Sieving?

Posted by Art Gatenby on Aug 14, 2020 3:00:00 PM

Adventures of Pequeño

This is another Adventure of Pequeño: The 150 Micron Particle, I wonder why I get myself into these fantasies. However, once I start I feel constrained to press on.

In an earlier encounter, our little friend Pequeño, was on a determined quest to make it through sieves -- particularly those through which were said be too small for him to pass. In this scenario, Pequeño along with some of his family and friends -- all small particles about 150 microns in size -- are on their way to a sieve test.

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Topics: Sieve Shakers, Sieve Blinding, ASTM, Pequeño, Calibration, Particle Size Analysis, Sieve Calibration, Sieve Certification, Sieve Testing, Sieves, sieve shaker, sieve stack, certfication

Particle Size Analysis— Why?  [Garden Stones to Micron Dust]

Posted by Art Gatenby on Jun 27, 2019 8:40:00 AM

In past ramblings on particle size analysis we have touched on shakers, ASTM standards, sieve checking, separating small particles, inhibitors like static charges and how to get sieve tests done.  A couple of things that we rarely addressed.

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Topics: Sieve Shakers, Particle Size Analysis, Sieve Testing, Quiet sieve shakers, micron particles, nanometer particles, laser diffraction, segmentation

Do You Know If Your Test Sieves Are Doing the Job?

Posted by Art Gatenby on Jul 12, 2018 8:00:00 AM

Do You Re-Certify? Compare with a Master Stack? Check with Calibration Samples?

What Does Recertification Give?

The ASTM E-11 committee has done a great job of establishing three levels of testing. These levels show the probability of a sieve’s mesh to be within the permissible variations. These variations relate to the size of openings in wire-cloth used for test sieves.

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Topics: Sieve Shakers, Mid-Point Sieves, ASTM, Particle Size Analysis, Sieve Calibration, Sieve Certification, Sieve Testing, Sieving Process, Quiet sieve shakers, RoTap, sieving, test sieve equipment, sieve mesh

A Sieve Shaker's Passing From Noise To Quiet

Posted by Art Gatenby on Oct 26, 2016 2:26:45 PM

Quiet Sieve Shakers

Recently in a quiet, reflective moment, I recalled my first work with sieve shakers. Horizontal motion with tapping was the basic shaker design. The Ro-Tap® was King, and there were few alternatives. Different shakers for special applications, such as the Mary Jane and one that was hung from the ceiling, were the exception. 

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Topics: Sieve Shakers, Sonic Sifter, Particle Size Analysis, Quiet sieve shakers, RoTap, Noisy Sieving, sieving, Endecotts, vacuum sievers

What's So Special About Picking A Sieve Shaker?

Posted by Art Gatenby on Jan 6, 2015 9:15:00 PM

If you take Sieve Shakers for granted, you may be surprised to know that the selection of the right shaker can have a profound effect on your sieving results.

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Topics: Sieve Shakers, Particle Size Analysis, Sieve Analysis

How Do You Analyze Small, Micron-Sized Particles?

Posted by Art Gatenby on Jan 30, 2014 2:00:00 PM

Ask Art

Sieve testing, as I have stated many times, is the Cinderella of particle size analysis because it delivers more value than expected from something that’s so easy to use and relatively inexpensive. However, the problem with standard sieving techniques using wire mesh sieves is that they begin to exhibit accuracy problems in the lower micron sizes.

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Topics: Sieve Shakers, "Ask Art", Sonic Sifter, Micron-Sized Particles, Particle Size Analysis, Sieve Testing, Sieving Process

Who's Concerned About Sieve Shakers?

Posted by Art Gatenby on Mar 11, 2011 12:33:00 PM


The primary purpose of a sieve shaker is to provide motion to a sample in a test sieve.

An effective sieve shaker creates a motion that presents all the particles to all of the sieve openings and assists particles in passing through. This requires both rotary and vertical motion.

This process seems simple enough, but let's not be taken in.

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Topics: Sieve Shakers, Particle Size Analysis, Sieve Testing, Sieves

Certify Sieves or Calibrate Sieves --- Should You Do It?

Posted by Art Gatenby on Jun 30, 2010 4:57:00 PM

The relative value of a sieve certification process vs a sieve calibration has perplexed me for a long time.

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Topics: Sieve Shakers, Mid-Point Sieves, Particle Size Analysis, Sieve Calibration, Sieve Testing, Sieves

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