FAQs
These answers have been compiled by the engineering, sales and aftersales team at Farleygreene, drawing on over five decades of designing, manufacturing and supporting industrial sieving equipment from our facility in Hampshire, UK. Whether you are specifying equipment for the first time, managing an existing production line or looking for a replacement part, the questions reflect what our team hears most often. If your question isn’t covered here, speak to us directly: we respond quickly and are happy to advise without obligation.
Pricing and quotations
The best way to get an accurate quote is to complete our online enquiry form with some basic details about your application: the material you are sieving, your required throughput, and the mesh size or separation point you need.
Because every sieve is configured to the specific application, we do not publish fixed prices. We respond quickly and can usually provide a ballpark figure within 2 working days of receiving your enquiry. If you are unsure of some of the technical details, our team can help you work through the application and identify the right configuration before any costs are discussed.
The more detail you can provide, the faster we can give you an accurate quotation, but you do not need to have everything confirmed before getting in touch.
Useful information includes: the material type and approximate bulk density; your required throughput in kg/h or tonnes/h; the mesh size or particle size separation you need; any process constraints such as ATEX requirements or food contact compliance; and your preferred inlet and outlet connection type if known. If you are specifying equipment for a regulated sector such as food or pharmaceutical manufacturing, letting us know upfront allows us to configure the right hygiene and documentation options from the start.
Selecting the right sieving technology
The decision comes down to your material's physical properties and your throughput requirements. Vibratory sieves are the more versatile option and handle a wide range of dry powders and granules effectively. Centrifugal sifters are better suited to sticky, fatty, or high-throughput applications where the material needs to be actively disaggregated as well as screened.
The trade-off with centrifugal force is that it can break down some fragile oversize particles, which may not be acceptable in all applications. If you are unsure which motion type suits your material, a product trial at our facility will confirm performance before commitment.
Mesh size, measured in microns or millimetres, should be chosen based on the particle size you want to retain and the size of contaminants or oversize you want to remove. As a starting point, your mesh aperture should be slightly larger than the maximum acceptable particle size for your product.
For check sieving, a single mesh is typically sufficient. For grading, you will need multiple decks with progressively finer apertures. For very fine separations below 100 microns, ultrasonic deblinding is usually necessary to maintain consistent throughput. Our engineering team can advise on the right specification for your material, and a product trial often helps confirm the optimum aperture before ordering.
The right sieve depends on five factors: your material's properties, your target particle size, your throughput requirements, your hygiene or regulatory obligations, and the physical constraints of your production line.
Start with your material. Free-flowing dry powders suit vibratory sieves. Sticky, fatty or high-moisture materials often perform better in centrifugal sifters. Very fine, light or electrostatically charged powders (such as certain pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, or metal powders for additive manufacturing) need an ultrasonic sieving system to prevent mesh blinding.
Next, define the separation you need. Check sieving requires a single mesh; grading requires multiple decks. Finally, consider compliance: food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and chemical applications each have specific hygiene, certification and design requirements that will narrow your options. The most reliable way to confirm sieve selection is a product trial using your own material.
Ultrasonic sieving is the right specification when you are working with fine, light, electrostatic or moisture-sensitive powders that tend to blind or block a standard mesh. The ultrasonic system creates high-frequency vibrations in the mesh itself, preventing particles from lodging in the apertures and maintaining consistent throughput even with difficult materials.
Ultrasonic sieving is commonly used in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, fine chemicals and metal powder processing for additive manufacturing (including challenging materials such as fungi spores, ultrafine pigments, and titanium powders). If your current sieve is frequently blinding, producing variable throughput or requiring constant cleaning interruptions, ultrasonic sieving will typically resolve the problem and reduce total cost of operation.
Yes, provided your sieve is designed for easy cleaning and quick mesh changeover. Many manufacturers running multi-product lines keep a set of spare mesh frames, each configured for a different product or particle size, allowing fast changeover without full strip-down.
In regulated sectors such as food and pharmaceuticals, validated cleaning procedures and documented changeover processes are required to prevent cross-contamination. Quick-release clamp systems and easy to clean strip down construction with minimal crevices make this practical without compromising hygiene.
Farleygreene's range covers everything from small batch and quality-control sieving up to continuous high-volume industrial processing.
At the lower end, bench-top units are designed for R&D, quality control and pilot plant applications. At the higher end, many of the larger model sieves in our Slimline, Rotary, Easilift and Vacusiev ranges are designed for demanding, high-volume throughputs including high-volume beverage processing and bulk sugar and mineral handling. Throughput depends on the machine model, mesh size and material characteristics. Tell us your target throughput and material type and we will identify the right model.
Powder flowability is one of the most important factors in sieve selection because it directly affects how consistently your material moves across the mesh and separates.
Free-flowing powders with low cohesion and good particle shape tend to perform predictably on standard vibratory sieves. Cohesive, moisture-sensitive or electrostatically charged powders resist flowing freely and are prone to bridging, clumping and mesh blinding, requiring adjustments to sieve type, mesh aperture or motor settings, or the addition of ultrasonic deblinding and additional oversize outlet control options. If your powder behaves inconsistently on your current sieve, flowability is usually the starting point for diagnosing the problem.
A centrifugal sifter is the right choice when you need higher throughput per unit of floor space, or when your material is sticky, greasy or compacted and would not flow freely through a conventional vibrating screen.
It works by using a helical screw and rotating paddle to propel product against the inside of a cylindrical mesh screen at high speed. The centrifugal force pushes material through the mesh apertures while the rotating action breaks up lumps and agglomerates. It is a popular choice for continuous, high-volume food and chemical processing where compact footprint and high capacity are priorities.
Small batch sieving is the right specification for lower-volume or R&D applications where full-scale production equipment is not required or would be impractical, or where you need to screen test batches before scale-up.
Compact, bench-top or portable units are widely used in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical R&D, quality control laboratories, pilot plant operations, by small bakeries or in artisan production, and in precision engineering environments.
The difference is in motion and application. A circular vibratory sieve uses a vibratory motion generated by an eccentric weight motor. The rotating eccentric weights cause the machine to vibrate, propelling material across the mesh in a circular pattern. It is well suited to most dry powders and wet screening in a compact footprint.
A linear sieve moves product in a straight line across a rectangular screen, giving particles more contact time with the mesh. This makes it particularly effective for delicate or friable products, materials with a high proportion of oversize content, and applications that combine sieving with product transport or de-dusting. In pharmaceutical and nutraceutical production, linear sieves fitted with parallel bars can also align capsules or tablets by orientation.
The Sievgen range is designed specifically for metal powder processing in additive manufacturing, where conventional sieving equipment cannot meet the requirements for inert atmosphere operation, fine particle separation and sealed handling.
Unlike the Sievmaster range (which covers food, pharmaceutical, chemical and general industrial applications), the Sievgen is built for sealed operation under nitrogen or argon, with integrated ultrasonic technology and options for vacuum conveying and PLC integration. It handles metal powders in the 25 – 150 micron range used in processes such as laser powder bed fusion, directed energy deposition and binder jetting.
Yes. Farleygreene's Sievmaster Slimline range includes oversize outlet control options that allow operators to adjust the flow of oversize material leaving the sieve, improving rejection rates and reducing product dwell time on the mesh.
Two configurations are available. The DOSC (Disc Oversize Outlet Control) plate is designed for dry powder applications and helps prevent product breakdown and waste. The BOSC (Balloon Oversize Outlet Control) uses a silicone balloon to create a complete seal at the oversize outlet and is suitable for both dry and liquid applications. Both options improve throughput efficiency and reduce product loss.
Industry and compliance
The certifications you need depend on your sector and operating region. For UK and European manufacturers the most important are CE marking (conformity with EU machinery safety directives), UKCA marking (the UK equivalent post-Brexit), and ATEX certification for applications involving explosive dust or flammable atmospheres.
For food contact applications, confirm compliance with EC 1935/2004 and FDA compliance for US markets. For pharmaceutical and nutraceutical processes, confirm GMP-compliant design: the equipment should support validation, cleaning verification and traceability requirements. For export markets, EAC certification covers Russia and CIS countries; UL certification covers North America. All Farleygreene equipment carries CE and UKCA marking as standard.
ATEX certification means equipment has been assessed and rated for safe use in potentially explosive atmospheres – environments where combustible dust, fine powders, or solvent vapours could pose an ignition risk. For sieving equipment, this typically involves matching the machine to a specific "zone" classification, covering both inside the machine (where dust concentrations are often highest) and its surrounding area.
Farleygreene offers ATEX-rated sieving equipment as an option, suited to applications involving combustible powders or solvents. As the right classification depends on your specific process, materials, and site conditions, we recommend confirming your requirements with your own competent person or ATEX specialist. Get in touch with our team to discuss which Farleygreene options match your specification.
Yes. Certificates of Conformity are available for machines and mesh screens as standard. For regulated industries, we can also supply 3.1 material certificates for full traceability of contact parts. Request documentation at the time of order to ensure it is included with delivery. If you need certificates for an existing machine or a retrospective supply, contact our aftersales team with the serial number and we will advise on what documentation is available.
Food manufacturing requires sieving equipment that is hygienically designed to prevent contamination, easy to clean between batches, and compliant with food contact materials regulations.
Specify stainless steel construction with polished welds and minimal-crevice surfaces, quick-release clamps for tool-free disassembly, and compliance with EC 1935/2004 and, where applicable, FDA standards. ATEX certification may be required for dusty environments involving combustible powders such as flour or starch. Farleygreene can supply FDA and EC 1935/2004 compliance documentation as standard. A machinery demonstration using your own product is available before purchase.
Pharmaceutical sieving equipment must support GMP compatible design, contamination control and process validation. Key requirements are hygienic design with smooth, continuous welds and mirror-polish finishes for contact parts; CIP (clean-in-place) compatibility; full material traceability for components in contact with product; and the ability to handle APIs, excipients and coated ingredients without degradation or contamination.
Ultrasonic sieving is frequently specified for fine or electrostatic pharmaceutical powders. Linear sieving can be used to align and sort dosage forms such as tablets and capsules. Farleygreene has supplied sieving systems to GSK, TEVA and Pfizer, and can supply FDA and EC 1935/2004 compliance documentation as standard. We can also support documentation across all four stages of equipment qualification: standard supply includes IQ and OQ; DQ and PQ support is available on request.
Nutraceutical sieving shares many requirements with pharmaceutical manufacturing: GMP-aligned design, contamination control, hygienic construction. However, it typically involves a broader range of ingredients including protein powders, collagen, probiotics, vitamins, minerals and herbal extracts.
These materials present specific challenges: some are very fine, some are prone to static, and some (such as probiotics) are sensitive to heat or mechanical stress. Ultrasonic sieving is valuable for fine or static-prone nutraceutical powders. Centrifugal sifters work well for higher-throughput applications with sticky or aggregated ingredients. Farleygreene can advise on the right solution for your specific ingredient and production volume.
Sieving is essential in additive manufacturing for validating and recycling metal powders used in processes such as laser powder bed fusion, directed energy deposition, and binder jetting. After each build cycle, used powder must be screened to remove oversized particles, spatters and agglomerates before it can be safely reused.
Farleygreene's Sievgen range is designed for this application, with sealed inert atmosphere operation, integrated ultrasonic technology, and options for vacuum conveying and PLC integration. We supply into AM operations across a wide range of materials including titanium, aluminium, nickel alloys and stainless steels.
Yes. The Sievgen range is designed for sealed, inert atmosphere operation as standard. Systems can be configured for use with nitrogen or argon, with integration options for external vacuum cyclone and PLC systems depending on your facility requirements. Inert atmosphere operation is essential when sieving reactive metal powders such as titanium and aluminium, where oxidation during processing must be avoided. Specify your inert gas requirements when enquiring and we will configure the appropriate sealing and gas management system.
Sievgen is designed to handle fine metal powders typically in the 25 – 150 micron range used in additive manufacturing processes, with specific mesh sizes configured to your classification requirements.
Ultrasonic technology is integrated into Sievgen to ensure consistent throughput even with fine, spherical powders that are difficult to sieve on conventional equipment. If your application involves powders outside this range or unusual material characteristics, contact our engineering team with your specification and we will advise on the appropriate configuration.
Industrial sieves play an important role across recycling and waste processing. In plastics recycling, sieves classify regrind and granulate into consistent particle size ranges for reprocessing. In battery recycling, fine screening separates black mass and cathode materials during lithium-ion battery reclamation. In biomass and biochar processing, sieving ensures particle size consistency for downstream energy applications.
These applications often involve abrasive or contaminated materials, so equipment durability and ease of maintenance are important selection criteria alongside separation performance. Contact our team to discuss the right configuration for your specific recycling application.
GMP is not a single certification: it is a set of design and operational principles that equipment must support. A GMP-compliant sieve should have smooth, polished contact surfaces with minimal crevices where product can accumulate; fully traceable and documented materials of construction; design that supports validated cleaning procedures; and documentation to support equipment qualification.
Farleygreene can provide material traceability documentation, surface finish certificates, and 3.1 material certificates, and supports the full qualification chain including DQ, IQ, OQ and PQ for regulated customers. GMP compliance ultimately depends on how the equipment is operated and documented within your facility, not just how it is built.
Yes. All Farleygreene sieves intended for food contact applications are manufactured to comply with EU Regulation EC 1935/2004 on materials in contact with food, and are FDA-compliant as standard, making them suitable for food processing in both UK/EU and North American markets.
Compliance documentation is available on request.
CE marking demonstrates conformity with European Union directives and is required for equipment sold into EU markets. UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking is the equivalent standard for Great Britain, introduced after Brexit. Both indicate that the equipment meets the relevant safety and performance requirements.
For equipment sold into both markets, manufacturers typically carry both marks. All Farleygreene equipment carries CE and UKCA marking as standard. If you need specific compliance documentation for procurement, contact our team.
Both sectors require hygienic design, easy cleaning and compliance with relevant standards, but pharmaceutical applications demand greater rigour in documentation, validation and contamination control.
In food manufacturing, cleaning procedures need to be effective and auditable. In pharmaceutical manufacturing, they must be formally validated with cleaning verification data to support batch records. Equipment specifications in pharmaceutical environments also have greater long-term implications: a sieve specified incorrectly for a validated process can require costly revalidation to change.
Farleygreene can provide documentation support across all four stages of equipment qualification: standard supply includes IQ and OQ documentation; DQ and PQ support is available on request.
Yes, chemical powders that are hazardous, toxic or highly prone to dust generation require an enclosed sieving system to protect operators and the wider environment. Open sieving of dusty or harmful powders risks airborne exposure and potential ATEX non-compliance where explosive dust concentrations are possible. Enclosed centrifugal sifters such as Farleygreene's Vacusiev range are well-suited to these applications because their sealed design limits dust escape during processing. Integration with local exhaust ventilation or a contained sack-tip station may also be required depending on the hazard classification of your material: we are happy to advise on containment options for your specific application.
Maintenance and mesh
Mesh blinding, where particles lodge in the apertures and reduce throughput, is one of the most common sieving problems. It is most likely with fine, light, electrostatic or slightly moist powders that tend to cling rather than flow freely through the mesh.
The most effective solution is ultrasonic sieving, which adds high-frequency vibration directly to the mesh to dislodge particles before they can accumulate. Other options include fitting rubber bouncing balls below the mesh or adjusting the amplitude and frequency of your existing vibratory unit. If blinding is persistent and causing production interruption, a product trial with an ultrasonic unit is the most reliable way to assess improvement before investing.
Mesh life depends on the material being sieved, throughput volume, and whether the product is abrasive. There is no fixed replacement interval: mesh should be inspected regularly for signs of wear, distortion or aperture enlargement that could affect separation accuracy.
In food and pharmaceutical environments, documented mesh inspection is typically part of the quality management system and required at defined intervals. Farleygreene recommends keeping at least one spare mesh frame per sieve to allow immediate changeover if an inspection reveals damage.
Low throughput is usually caused by mesh blinding, an uneven or excessive feed rate, incorrect motor settings, or a mesh aperture that is too close to the particle size being screened.
Start by checking your feed rate: overloading the sieve is one of the most common causes of reduced efficiency. If blinding is the issue, consider ultrasonic mesh deblinding. Adjusting the angle and amplitude of vibration can also improve material flow across the screen. If the problem persists, contact Farleygreene's aftersales team for a process assessment.
Cleaning frequency and method depend on your product and regulatory requirements. In food and pharmaceutical environments, cleaning between every batch or shift is typically mandatory and must follow a validated, documented procedure.
Most Farleygreene sieves are designed for quick, tool-free disassembly, allowing mesh frames, gaskets and contact parts to be removed and cleaned efficiently. For regulated applications, CIP (clean-in-place) configurations are available. Always ensure gaskets and seals are inspected and replaced as part of the cleaning process: worn seals are a common source of contamination risk.
The most common causes are mesh blinding, inconsistent or excessive feed rate, worn or incorrectly specified mesh, and mechanical issues such as worn bearings or imbalanced motor weights.
Start by checking the feed system: uneven or excessive product input is one of the most frequent culprits. Then inspect the mesh for blinding, damage or distortion. If vibration levels have changed, check the motor and weight settings. For persistent issues, Farleygreene's aftersales team can carry out a process assessment.
Abrasive materials accelerate mesh and component wear, so equipment selection and maintenance schedules need to account for this from the outset. Hardened or specialist mesh materials, including stainless steel alloys, can extend mesh life in demanding applications.
Farleygreene can specify appropriate mesh materials and construction for abrasive applications and advise on realistic replacement intervals to help you plan maintenance budgets accurately.
Most industrial sieves can be retrofitted into existing production lines, but careful consideration of inlet and outlet positions, floor loading, height constraints and upstream/downstream equipment connections is required before specifying.
Farleygreene works with customers' engineering teams to design sieving solutions that fit within existing line layouts, including bespoke inlet and outlet configurations, custom frame heights, and connections to sack tip stations, conveyors or pneumatic transfer systems. A site visit or detailed line drawing review is the most efficient starting point. Your local Farleygreene distributor can also provide integration support in your region.
With proper maintenance, a well-specified industrial sieve can last 15 to 30 years or more. The main factors affecting lifespan are product abrasiveness, operating hours, cleaning regime, and quality of maintenance.
Mesh screens typically need replacing more frequently, anywhere from weeks or months to years depending on application, but the sieve body and drive components are built for long-term operation. Farleygreene supports customers throughout the life of their equipment, including spares supply for machines we did not originally manufacture.
The gasket creates an airtight seal between the mesh ring and the sieve body, and it is one of the most commonly overlooked components in sieve maintenance. A poorly fitted or damaged gasket allows product to leak from the sieve, permits dust to escape into the operating environment, and creates a contamination risk that can lead to regulatory non-compliance.
It also causes uneven pressure across the mesh, accelerating wear. When reassembling your sieve after cleaning, always check the gasket is correctly seated before closing the clamps. Replace gaskets at the first sign of damage or distortion.
No, and this is one of the most common specification mistakes. Particle size, density, moisture content, flowability and particle shape all affect how a powder behaves on a given mesh aperture.
A mesh that separates one powder cleanly may blind, allow oversized particles through, or produce inconsistent results with a different material, even if the target particle size appears similar. If you are running multiple products on the same sieve, mesh selection should be validated for each product individually.
Routine maintenance should be scheduled based on your production volume, the materials you process, and any regulatory requirements in your sector.
At a minimum, every maintenance check should include inspection of gaskets for damage or distortion, confirmation that toggle clamps are fully tightened and functioning correctly, and visual inspection of the mesh for wear, distortion or aperture enlargement. In food and pharmaceutical environments, documented maintenance records are typically required. Farleygreene recommends keeping critical spares, including spare mesh rings and gaskets, on site at all times to avoid unplanned production stoppages.
Spares, service and support
The most frequently replaced wear items are mesh screens, seals and gaskets, and anti-vibration mounts. These are subject to regular wear through normal operation and should be inspected at each maintenance interval. Clamps, motors and motor weights are also frequently replaced.
We recommend keeping at least one spare mesh screen and a set of seals on site at all times to minimise unplanned downtime. If you would like a recommended spares kit for your specific machine, contact our aftersales team with your serial number and we will put one together.
Yes. Farleygreene holds records for all machines we have manufactured and can supply spares for older units, including machines made over a decade ago.
If you have the machine serial number, we can identify the correct part specifications and confirm availability. Long-term parts support is a core obligation to our customers. If you have a legacy machine and are concerned about parts availability, contact our aftersales team with the serial number and we will advise.
Farleygreene supplies spare parts for our own sieving equipment and for many other manufacturers' machines, including mesh screens, gaskets, seals, motors and structural parts.
We provide a fully itemised spares list specific to your installed machine following commissioning, making part identification straightforward. If you need spares for a sieve we did not supply, contact our aftersales team with the machine make, model and the part you need: we will advise on availability and lead times.
Yes. Farleygreene supplies spare parts and replacement mesh for sieving machines manufactured by other companies, not just our own. This includes mesh screens in a wide range of materials, aperture sizes and frame dimensions, as well as gaskets, seals and mechanical components.
Contact our aftersales team with the manufacturer name and model number and we will confirm availability.
Lead times for replacement mesh depend on the specification and whether the size is held in stock. Our aftersales team can confirm availability and lead times at the time of enquiry.
We recommend keeping at least one spare mesh frame per sieve on site, particularly in regulated environments, to allow immediate changeover and avoid unplanned production downtime.
You can order spares directly through our website or by contacting us with your machine serial number. We stock the most common wear parts, including mesh screens, seals, and gaskets.
If you have your serial number to hand, we can identify the exact specification for your machine quickly and confirm stock. If you do not have the serial number, our team can often identify the right parts from the machine model and approximate age.
Yes. Farleygreene offers in-house product testing at our UK facility. Bring your own product, or send it to us for a filmed test, and we will conduct a test using the most appropriate sieving equipment to confirm performance before you commit to a purchase.
This is the most reliable way to validate sieve selection, particularly for difficult or unusual materials. Contact our team with details of your material, particle size requirements and approximate throughput requirement to arrange a test.
Yes. Most industrial sieving systems can be retrofitted without major structural changes, provided the integration is planned carefully. Key considerations are inlet and outlet height compatibility, available floor space, power supply requirements, and whether the sieve needs to be mobile or fixed.
Farleygreene designs sieving systems with modular frames and flexible inlet and outlet configurations specifically to support retrofit installations. Early consultation with our engineering team, ideally with a line drawing or site visit, avoids the most common integration problems such as incorrect discharge height or equipment misalignment.
Farleygreene works with a network of authorised distributors across Europe, North America, and beyond. Contact us with your country and application details and we will connect you with the right partner.
We also supply direct to international customers where no local distributor exists. A distributor map is available on our website to help identify local representation quickly.
Farleygreene provides ongoing aftersales support throughout the life of your sieving equipment, including spare parts supply, mesh replacement and meshing services, and technical support.
For customers requiring structured maintenance programmes, speak to our aftersales team about service options. Regular preventive maintenance can help extend equipment life, maintain compliance with hygiene standards, and reduce the risk of unplanned downtime.
Working with Farleygreene
Yes. Farleygreene supplies sieving equipment globally through a network of authorised distributors in Europe, North America and beyond, and direct to international customers where no local distributor exists. 45% of our website enquiries come from outside the UK.
Our website is available in English, French, German and Spanish to support international customers. We can also provide FDA, EAC and UL documentation for export markets. Use our distributor locator to find local representation, or contact us directly.
Yes, Farleygreene ships to customers worldwide. Our machines carry CE and UKCA marking as standard, and we can provide FDA compliance documentation for US and Canadian markets, EAC certification for Russia and CIS countries, and UL certification for North America where required.
Please let us know your destination country when enquiring so we can ensure the correct documentation is included with your shipment.
Farleygreene's sales process is built around understanding your specific application before recommending equipment. We begin with a conversation about your material, process requirements, throughput targets, hygiene needs and any regulatory constraints.
Where appropriate, we then invite you to bring your product to our UK testing facility (or send it to us for a filmed test) so we can demonstrate performance on the actual equipment before any commitment is made. Once requirements are confirmed, we provide a detailed specification and quotation. Our team includes experienced process engineers who work with you through installation and commissioning, and our aftersales department provides ongoing support throughout the life of your machine.
Farleygreene combines over five decades of UK manufacturing expertise with a genuinely consultative approach to equipment selection: in-house product testing before purchase, bespoke engineering where required, and aftersales support throughout the life of the equipment, including for machines we did not originally supply.
We design and build our own equipment in the UK, which means our engineers understand the full process rather than simply distributing third-party products. For regulated sectors including pharmaceutical, food and nutraceutical manufacturing, our documentation support, including material traceability, 3.1 certificates, and full qualification chain documentation, is an important practical differentiator.
Yes. Farleygreene works with customers' engineering and operations teams to design sieving solutions tailored to specific process requirements. This includes custom lifting equipment and oversize outlet control options, bespoke frame dimensions, specialist mesh materials for abrasive or high-temperature applications, and documentation packages for regulated environments.
If your application has requirements that standard catalogue equipment does not meet, contact our engineering team to discuss a bespoke solution.
Performance validation for a newly installed sieve typically involves mesh integrity checks, throughput testing with representative samples of your actual product at your target flow rate, and cleaning trials to confirm your cleaning procedure achieves the required standard.
For customers in pharmaceutical and other regulated environments, Farleygreene supports the full qualification chain. We carry out Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) at our Basingstoke facility before despatch, giving you documented performance evidence ahead of installation.
We can provide documentation support across all four stages of equipment qualification: DQ, IQ, OQ and PQ. Standard supply includes IQ and OQ documentation; DQ and PQ support is available on request.
Sieving fundamentals
Foundational questions for those new to industrial sieving.
An industrial sieve, also called a screening machine or separator, is a mechanical system that separates solid materials by particle size. It works by moving product across a mesh screen so that particles smaller than the aperture pass through, while oversized particles or contaminants are removed.
Industrial sieves are used across food processing, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, chemicals, additive manufacturing, recycling and many other sectors wherever product consistency, contamination control or particle classification is needed.
Check sieving, sometimes called safety sieving or police sieving, uses a single mesh to remove contaminants or oversized particles from a product stream. Its purpose is quality assurance: ensuring nothing unwanted reaches the final product.
Grading is a more precise operation that separates product into two or more defined particle size ranges simultaneously, using multiple mesh decks. Use check sieving to protect product integrity, and grading when you need to classify your material into different fractions for different uses or specifications.
A check sieve, also called a safety screener or police sieve, is a single-mesh screening machine installed in a production line to remove foreign bodies, oversized particles, or agglomerates from a product stream. The Sievmaster Slimline range is Farleygreene's most widely used check sieve model.
It is the most common type of industrial sieve and acts as a critical control point in regulated manufacturing environments. Its sole purpose is to ensure that nothing unacceptable reaches the final product or next processing stage.
Grading uses multiple mesh decks arranged in sequence to separate product into two or more distinct particle size ranges simultaneously. The Sievmaster Multiscreen is designed specifically for this application.
Unlike check sieving, grading classifies your product, for example separating fine, medium and coarse fractions that each have different uses or specifications. You need grading when your process requires defined particle size fractions or when you need to remove both oversized and undersized material in a single pass.
A circular vibratory sieve uses a vibratory motion generated by an eccentric weight motor. The rotating eccentric weights cause the machine to vibrate, propelling material across the mesh in a circular pattern. The system is well suited to most dry powders and liquid screening in a compact footprint.
A linear sieve moves product in a straight line across a rectangular screen, giving particles more contact time with the mesh. This makes it particularly effective for delicate or friable products, materials with high oversize content, and applications that combine sieving with product transport or de-dusting.
Farleygreene's ultrasonic system (built on Artech technology) transmits high-energy, low-amplitude, variable-frequency vibrations from a converter, through a waveguide and resonance ring, directly to the mesh. This tackles the root cause of blinding – fine particles bridging or lodging in the apertures – by fluidising and continuously cleaning the mesh surface. The system also self-tunes to whatever mesh ring or gasket is fitted, so no reprogramming is needed after a routine mesh change. Farleygreene offers ultrasonic technology both as an integrated system through our Sievgen range and as an add-on to existing Sievmaster machines.
A centrifugal sieve, also called a rotary sifter, uses a rotating paddle to propel product against the inside of a cylindrical mesh screen at high speed. The centrifugal force pushes material through the mesh apertures while the rotating paddle breaks up lumps and agglomerates.
This makes centrifugal sieving effective for sticky, greasy or compacted materials that would not flow freely through a conventional vibrating screen.
Farleygreene designs, manufactures and distributes sieving equipment to food and drink, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and life sciences, chemical processing, additive manufacturing and metal powders, recycling and renewables, precision engineering, and industrial processing.
We also supply sieving solutions to sectors not listed here. If you have an application you would like to discuss, contact our engineering team with details of your material and process requirements.
Still have a question?
If your question isn’t covered here, speak to our engineering, sales and aftersales team. We respond quickly and are happy to advise without obligation.








