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A sieve separates soil or granular material by size using a stack of sieves of different sizes. Soil analysis provides data about soil compaction, sedimentation, and drainage. Sieving machines vary in design and stirring patterns, but all have electric motors and simple controls.
A sieve is a machine designed to hold and agitate a stack of sieves for the purpose of separating a sample of soil or other granular material into its component particles by size. The sieve stack consists of sieves of different sizes. The one with the largest openings is at the top while the sieve with the smallest openings is at the bottom with a solid tray underneath to collect the smallest particles. The sample is placed in the top sieve of the stack and as the sieve agitates the sample, the individual components sift through each of the sieves in turn with each retaining successively smaller sized particles.
Soil analysis is an important tool for geologists, agronomists and civil engineers. It provides a wealth of data about a soil and how a particular soil will perform under certain uses, stresses and conditions. Information about soil compaction, sedimentation, drainage, age and origin can be determined from soil analysis and a sieve makes this process easier and more accurate. By automating and standardizing sieve tests, meaningful comparisons between soil samples can be made.
Although there are different manufacturers of sieving machines and each has its own unique design, some features are common to almost all machines of this type. Most sieves can hold a varying number of standard size sieves, usually up to ten, though some can hold more. Sieves can be full-height or half-height, and most machines are capable of holding sieves of various diameters as well. A stack of sieves can contain a mix of standard and half-height sieves, but all sieves must be the same diameter.
Stirring patterns may vary from machine to machine. Some sieve shakers use a circular motion, moving the sieves in a circle but not rotating them. Vibration is another method, and a third method incorporates a vertical element with a sideways shaking motion like a chef tossing food into a pan. Some sieving machines are capable of running more than one of these designs.
All sifters have electric motors. Some models are portable and battery operated. Controls tend to be relatively simple and include timers and stirrer motion controls. Most sieve mills will accept any manufacturer’s sieve, although some may only use their own sieves.
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