A plansifter uses multiple flat woven-wire screen decks arranged in stacked compartments, driven by a gyratory eccentric drive providing high-efficiency multi-fraction classification at 100–50,000 kg/h for flour, starch, grain, and chemical powder at screen ratings of 50 µm–5 mm. The large flat screen area (up to 32 m² per unit) delivers the highest throughput per floor footprint of any sieving technology for continuous bulk powder classification in milling and processing plants.
Feed enters the top compartment and distributes across multiple flat screen decks. Gyratory drive rotates the entire sifter body, creating an orbital motion that transports material across each screen surface fines migrate through while oversize’s transport to the discharge outlet at the frame periphery. Multiple independently routed compartments within the same sifter body enable simultaneous processing of different products or different fractions of the same product. Centrifugal cleaners brushes or plastic balls continuously sweep the screen underside to prevent blinding. Screen frames pull out on drawer-type guides for rapid inspection and replacement.
Challenges
Complex Internal Routing for Multi-Product Operation
Multi-compartment internal ducting requires expert knowledge to adjust for product or fraction changes.
Screen Access for Inspection and Replacement
Multi-deck internal screens require significant disassembly time drawer extraction minimises but does not eliminate.
Flour Dust Explosion Risk in Enclosed Sifter Body
Fine combustible flour dust inside sifter body requires full ATEX Zone 20 dust-ex certified design.
Drive Bearing Fatigue from Full-Body Gyratory Load
Orbital drive eccentric bearing carries full sifter body weight 10,000-hour standard bearing life.
Limited Fine Separation Below 100 µm
Flat gyratory motion provides insufficient energy for consistent classification below 100 µm aperture.
Solutions
- Pre-Set Internal Routing Manifold (Factory-Configured per Product): Factory-set routing standardises product flow paths eliminates field adjustment errors at changeover.
- Quick-Release Drawer Screen Frame Extraction: Screen frames pull out on guided drawer tracks without sifter disassembly <10 min per deck.
- Full ATEX Zone 20 Dust-Ex Certified Design: Inert gas purge option; conductive anti-static screen frames; spark-proof drive certified to ATEX Directive.
- Spherical Roller Eccentric Bearing (Grade C3, 20,000-Hour Rated): Heavy-duty C3 spherical roller bearing rated 20,000 hours under full gyratory body load.
- Ultrasonic Screen Upgrade for Sub-100 µm Classification: 36 kHz ultrasonic generator bonded to screen frame enables sustained sub-75 µm classification.
Applications
- Food & Beverage: Flour milling classification, wheat semolina grading, starch quality sieving, sugar screening.
- Chemical: Bulk powder classification, fertiliser particle grading, polymer pellet quality control.
- Pharmaceutical: Bulk excipient classification, lactose powder grading, talc and starch sieving at high throughput.
- Nutraceuticals: Bulk protein powder grading, plant extract powder classification at high throughput.
- Feed & Agriculture: Animal feed ingredient grading, grain classification, dried herb powder screening.
Models & Capacities
| Type 1Â Plansifter (Flat Reciprocating Sifter): Models & Capacities | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Scale | Throughput [kg/h] | Screen Area [m²] | Compartments | Screen Rating [µm] | Fractions | Drive Motor [kW] | L × W × H [mm] | Weight [kg] |
| PLS-LAB | Lab | 50–200 | 0.15 | 1–2 | 50–5,000 | 2–3 | 0.18–0.37 | 600×500×1,400 | 180 |
| PLS-PIL | Pilot | 100–600 | 0.30 | 2–4 | 50–5,000 | 2–4 | 0.37–0.75 | 800×650×1,600 | 280 |
| PLS-01 | Pilot | 100–1,000 | 0.5 | 2–4 | 50–5,000 | 2–5 | 0.75–1.5 | 1,000×800×1,800 | 450 |
| PLS-02 | Production | 300–2,000 | 1.0 | 3–6 | 50–5,000 | 2–5 | 1.1–2.2 | 1,200×1,000×2,000 | 680 |
| PLS-04 | Production | 500–4,000 | 2.0 | 4–8 | 50–5,000 | 2–5 | 1.5–3.0 | 1,400×1,200×2,200 | 900 |
| PLS-06 | Production | 800–6,000 | 3.0 | 5–10 | 50–5,000 | 2–5 | 2.2–4.0 | 1,600×1,400×2,400 | 1,250 |
| PLS-10 | Production | 1,500–10,000 | 5.0 | 6–12 | 50–5,000 | 2–5 | 3.0–5.5 | 1,800×1,600×2,600 | 1,800 |
| PLS-16 | Production | 2,500–16,000 | 8.0 | 7–14 | 100–5,000 | 2–5 | 5.5–7.5 | 2,200×1,900×2,800 | 2,800 |
| PLS-25 | Large Prod | 4,000–25,000 | 12.5 | 8–16 | 100–5,000 | 2–5 | 5.5–11 | 2,600×2,200×3,000 | 4,500 |
| PLS-32 | Large Prod | 6,000–35,000 | 16.0 | 10–18 | 100–5,000 | 2–5 | 11–15 | 3,000×2,600×3,200 | 6,500 |
| PLS-50 | Large Prod | 8,000–50,000 | 25.0 | 12–20 | 100–5,000 | 2–5 | 11–22 | 3,600×3,000×3,500 | 9,000 |