The 7 Steps of Sieving

Endecotts provide all the equipment necessary to perform the seven steps of meaningful particle size analysis using sieves. It is important to consider not only the sieving process itself but also taking a representative sample, ensuring repeatability of your sieving test, evaluation of your result, the proper cleaning of the sieves, together with checks to ensure that your sieves are compliant.

• Collect your sample – Efficient sampling is a task which must be performed conscientiously. A sample should represent the bulk quantity of material as closely as possible.
• Sub-divide your sample – A Sample Divider splits your sample for multiple tests (if required) but keeps the characteristics of the original sample.
• Use high quality Sieves - At Endecotts every single test sieve is individually manufactured under the most stringent quality control procedures using only the finest materials. We use the most advanced computer scanning techniques to ensure precise test sieve apertures. They are made with only the highest quality materials and are available in an array of metric and imperial sizes to ASTM E11 and ISO 3310 standards.
• Shake your sample - Endecotts have a wide range of laboratory sieve shakers. The Octagon 200, Octagon 200CL, Minor 200 and the Air Sizer 200 have been especially designed to accommodate the exacting requirements of the modern laboratory. All our sieves shakers are designed to ensure repeatability in your sieving test. All of our models have a 3D sieving motion allows for high separation efficiency and non-blinding sieving action. Larger shakers and the Air Sizer are also available from Endecotts.
• Evaluation your results - Endecotts SieveWare is able to automatically control the necessary measurement and weighing procedures – from the registration of the weight of the sieve up to the evaluation of the data.
• Clean the sieves - For reliable results, cleaning is recommended after each analysis. The Endecotts Ultrasonic Cleaner quickly and gently removes sample residues from test sieves, without damaging the mesh material. It is especially recommended for small apertures.
• Calibrate your sieves – Calibration samples are available to ensure your sieves are still within the required specification or Endecotts off a re-calibration service at our factory.

Advantages of Sieving

Perhaps the biggest advantage of test sieving is that it so frequently happens to be the only suitable method of size analysis for a particular purpose. However, even when there is a choice of method, test sieving generally proves to be the most convenient one. It is a quick and reliable method of size analysis, equally suited to accurate scientific research work or routine analysis under industrial conditions. Tests can be performed at almost any location.

No complicated apparatus is demanded. A nest of sieves and a simple laboratory balance will suffice in most cases. In fact, rapid size checks can often be made on-site at a particular plant with the aid of a rough pair of scales.

The technique of test sieving is basically simple. No specialised knowledge or skill is needed; care and diligence are the main requirements. Process operators can easily be trained to carry out sieve tests.

When the size distribution of a sample has been determined by test sieving, the material becomes separated into several fractions. This is another important attribute. These fractions are not contaminated, nor have their chemical or physical properties been altered. They are, therefore, available for further inspection or independent analysis if required.

The above testing procedure of sieving by hand can be tedious and the accuracy of the method may also depend to a considerable extent on the operator who performs the test. In machine sieving most of the burden is removed from the operator, and once the optimum conditions have been determined, reproducible results are rapidly obtained.

For example, the nest of sieves may be shaken for a certain predetermined time e.g. 5 mins and amplitude e.g. 1.5 mm. This ensures that results from different labs can be compared with quite a degree of accuracy.

Whether you are looking for test sieves or sieve shakers, Endecotts offer the world’s finest equipment.