SIFTOMAT Plansifter

The SIFTOMAT type plansifter was designed in the 1950s by the founder of the predecessor company of FUCHS Maschinen AG, Rudolf Fuchs (†). As a former manager of a mill in Holland he knew what matters when it comes to sifting. Even though the sifter can be universally used, no compromises whatsoever have been made in terms of development. Based on an impressively simple design, which has proven to perform very well, no changes were made to the basic concept. During the whole time, only adjustments optimizing details were made such as the sealing between the cover and the sieve case under the sieves, a simplification and improvement of the sieve case holder, the adjustment of the belt guard to cope with the new safety requirements, etc. Moreover, special versions for various application fields with stainless steel bases, glass pearl blasted or with ground finish, with stainless steel motors for applications in the pharmaceutical or food industry have been developed.

Application fields
The machine is practically used in all industrial sectors, where bulk material has to be processed. It is especially suitable for the three main sifting applications: sizing, de-dusting and control sifting.

Working principle
An eccentric drive makes the sieves swing in a plane eccentric movement as we know it from the gold diggers. Compared to the commonly used high frequency vibration techniques, the SIFTOMAT offers the advantage of very gently processing the product. Furthermore, the pure plan sifting movement shows a very positive effect on the sifting quality, compared to lots of mostly uncontrollable vibrating movements.

The product is inducted through an inlet nozzle into the back area of the sieve. The sifting movement combined with the inclined position of the sieve conveys the product forward. Sifting material with smaller grain sizes than the sieve mesh falls through the sieve. Any bigger component is forwarded over the full length of the sieve. The advantage is that grains with limit sizes have enough time to fall through the mesh as far as their size is acceptable. Compared to tumbler sifting machines, in which the product follows a spiral path from inside to outside, the adjustment to obtain an optimal sifting is much simpler. Simply the slope must be set – on small to medium size machines by means of two screws (on bigger sifters 8 screws). The optimal slope is pre-set at the factory and does not need to be changed. Most of the products need no new setting of the speed. In special cases and with more demanding products, where bulk products must be sorted according to their length, the use of a frequency converter is requested.
To learn more about the working principle of the SIFTOMAT click on http://www.fuchsag.com/…, 

Sorting bulk material according to their length

It is also possible to sort bulk material according to their length. Here some typical applications:
• Sorting longs and twins of plastic granules
• Sorting too long textile fibres of flocculants
• Sorting out ends or shorter bits of cut vegetable.

Ball sieve cleaning system preventing clogging up of the sieve meshes
Products with irregular shape or with near mesh-sized particles have the tendency to clog the sifter. In such cases each sieve deck where clogging occurs can be fitted with a ball sieve cleaning system consisting of a stainless steel frame placed under the sieve and having downwards a coarse wire mesh that is open at the top. The system contains cleaning balls of natural rubber/Polyurethane or Silicon. The sieve movement projects these balls from below against the sieve knocking out any grains that have stuck to the mesh. This simple and efficient sieve cleaning system is used from the finest to the coarsest sifters.

Ultrasonic sieve cleaning system
Fine-meshed sieve fabrics down to 200 μm can be additionally simulated using ultrasonic frequencies. The sound waves generated are forwarded by means of a converter to the sieve frame and to the sieve fabric. The process used by FUCHS is innovative and patented. The special thing about it is, that the generated frequency permanently varies between 30 and 38 kHz. This has proven to be especially effective with fine powders and mesh width < 200 μm. This process prevents the sieve from getting clogged and increases the throughput.
Handling, cleaning, hygiene
As a manager of the production plant, Mr. Fuchs paid particular attention to the handling. The simpler the handling is, the less time-consuming and the more accurate it is. All parts in contact with the product in the sieve case can be easily cleaned. The sieves as well as all sieve cleaning systems and spacer frames can be changed or replaced in record time to adapt the sifter to the various products. With most of the sieve sizes, a single person is able to do the job without tools.
It is also possible to dismount without any tools, the complete sieve case for cleaning in a special washing room or in an autoclave (as a standard with middle-sized sieves, ask the manufacturer for bigger machines).
Industries
Thanks to its versatile advantages, the SIFTOMAT can be used in most industrial application, especially in the food or plastics industry, but also in the pharma and chemical industry.

Two to four sieve fractions
The SIFTOMAT can be fitted with one to three sieve decks, for instance for de-dusting or control sifting with one deck or both simultaneously with two sieve decks. Bulk material may also be sized in up to four fractions (with different granulometry). Up to 3 superposed sieve decks can be uses in this case.

Small to medium sifting capacities
The SIFTOMAT plansifter can process between a few kilos and up to several tons per hour. A total of 8 different mesh sized are available from the “mini”-size (350 x 550 mm sifting surface) up to size 7 (960 x 1840 mm).

Low maintenance design and long operating live
The harmonious, quiet and gentle sieve movement has not only a positive effect on the product to be sifted, but it also has effect on de sifting material and on the operating life of the sifter. The machine can be operated in three shifts, 365 days a year. Maintenance is reduced to occasional greasing of the eccentric drive and checking of the drive belt. People working on the SIFTOMAT machine like its unproblematic handling and its amazingly quiet operation!