Design and Fabrication of Mechanical Sieve Shaker for Particle Size Analysis of Ceramics

Abstract

A mechanical sieve shaker machine for particle size analysis of ceramics and related powders was successfully designed, fabricated and tested. This machine works on the principle of reciprocation where a to-and-fro motion is responsible for the agitation of the separating particles. All materials used for the fabrication were carefully sourced locally without compromising quality and selected to suit the working conditions of the sieve machine. A test run carried out showed that the sieve shaker effectively separated particles of various sizes hence, produced reliable and efficient results. The obtained particle sieving efficiency amounts to about 97%. However, the locally fabricated mechanical sieve shaker cannot effectively sieve large-size particles, but can optimally sieve particle size of the order of 0.1 to 1.0 mm. The cost of production per one is about sixty-five thousand naira, N65000 (156 USD), which is adjudged cost effective when compared to the market value, N95,000 (228 USD) of the imported one at the time of production.