Mechanical sieve shakers have been around for decades and have been used to test material across dozens of industries. Over the years, the W.S. Tyler RO-TAP® RX-29 became the gold standard of sieve shakers and can even be found in dozens of industry standards.
But at the same time, devices such as the RO-TAP RX-812 became standout devices of their own within the RO-TAP product line. With over five RO-TAP devices to choose from, it can be difficult implementing the right one.
This is why you must compare and contrast devices such as the RX-29 and RX-812.
As W.S. Tyler is the creator of the RO-TAP sieve shaker, we know exactly what both devices can and cannot do. We feel responsible to be as transparent as possible when discussing both devices so you can identify which RO-TAP device is suitable for you.
With that, to paint a thorough picture of how these two devices stand up against one another, this article will cover:
The W.S. Tyler RO-TAP RX-29 is a mechanical test sieve shaker that works to oscillate and tap a test sieve stack to help separate the individual particles of a representative sample. This agitation and separation of particles allow lab operators to generate a particle size distribution curve, which provides insight into the material running along a given production line.
The W.S. Tyler RO-TAP RX-812 is a mechanical test sieve shaker that relies on oscillating movements to promote particle movement throughout a test sieve stack. To that end, this device does not feature the brute force tapping of the RX-29 to help separate the particles.
To get a complete understanding of which sieve shaker may or may not be right for you, it is critical to analyze the characteristics of each device side by side. This includes the compatible test sieves, their costs, noise levels, installation requirements, operation, and maintenance.
The RO-TAP RX-29 is designed to house 8-inch diameter test sieves. The number of sieves that can fit within a test sieve stack depends on whether full-height or half-height sieves are being used.
When using full-height sieves, the sieve stack can consist of six full-height sieves alongside a full-height collection pan. When half-height sieves are used, 13 half-height sieves alongside a half-height collection can be used to construct the sieve stack.
The RX-812 gets its name because it can hold either 8-inch or 12-inch test sieves. The way the base and cover are designed, specialized inserts can be used to accommodate the sieve diameter you desire.
The RO-TAP RX-29 costs approximately $3,299.03. Now, this price is determined by raw material and may fluctuate depending on the market.
The RO-TAP RX-812 costs approximately $1,731.99. Again, the price of the device is determined by raw material prices in the current market.
The RX-29 can actually be fairly loud when testing material. In fact, it can reach a decimal of 85 dB and reduced to around 78 dB when using a sound enclosure.
The root of this noise comes from two elements of the device: the timing belt and gears, as well as the mechanical brute force hammer taps. Additionally, the decimals will vary based on the material you are testing, as they will rattle throughout the test sieve stack when being separated.
Depending on the material you are sieving, the RO-TAP RX-812 is considered to be quieter. This is mainly due to the fact that this particular device does not incorporate the hammer tap action seen in the RX-29 and similar mechanical sieve shakers.
This means there is no lift rod inside of it bouncing off the cam gear. It's simply shaking the material.
The RO-TAP RX-29 is pretty easy to install. It's heavy, so you'll need at least two people to move it securely onto a steady table or a designated area on the ground.
Once in place, it should be bolted down. From here, it's as simple as plugging it into an adequate power source and pressing play when ready to start testing material.
The installation of the RO-TAP RX-812 isn't particularly far off from the RX-29. Again you want to place the device on either a sturdy table or on the ground and bolt it down.
NOTE: There are holes pre-drilled in all RO-TAP sieve shaker bases that allow for seamless bolting.
After secured, simply plug it in and turn it on.
Just like the installation process, the RO-TAP RX-29 is relatively easy to use. When you first get it, if you have never used one in the past, you'll want to conduct an end-of-sieving analysis to determine how long to run your material.
But in terms of ease of use, using the RX-29 is as simple as inserting your sieve stack, adjusting your sieve height, setting the testing duration, and hitting start.
Operating the RX-812 is very similar to the RO-TAP RX-29. The digital timer used on the RX-812 is the same timer used on all W.S. Tyler digital timers.
That said, the timmers will remember your last test. This means if you run the same material constantly, you should never have to adjust the testing time.
With the RO-TAP RX-29, there are wear and tear parts. Typically the rubber timing belt can wear overtime use or dry rot when sitting stagnant for an extended period.
There are also brass busing and bearings that will wear down over time.
That said, overall maintenance is pretty minimal, and all wear parts can be accessed easily for you to replace yourself. All wear parts you can anticipate to eventually change out can be found in the maintenance kits offered for the RX-29.
The RX-812 doesn't have as many moving parts as the RX-29, so maintenance is even easier. There is still the timing belt and timing belt pulley, but because it doesn't have the lift rod maintaining the device is painless.
When it comes to the RO-TAP RX-29 or RX-812, the sieve shaker that is right for you comes down to the material you are testing.
If you are working with coarser material that is larger than 100 mesh, the RX-812 may be a more practical option. This is particularly true if the noise associated with the agitating hammer taps of the RX-29 is a concern for your lab setting.
But once your material gets finer than 100 mesh, the RX-812 really isn't an option. Particles this fine need the additional hammer taps to make it through the sieve cloth pore openings, making the RX-29 the ideal solution.
The W.S. Tyler RO-TAP RX-29 and RX-812 are both mechanical sieve shakers designed to help particle size analysis labs generate a reliable particle size distribution curve. The RX-29 uses a dual oscillating, brute force hammer tap action to test particles 2 inches to 20 microns, while the RX-812 utilizes a single oscillating action to test particles larger than 100 mesh.
But as you compare and contrast the many RO-TAP sieve shaker devices, you may begin to wonder if a sieve shaker is a right direction for your process. The fact of the matter is, it may not be.
For this reason, it's important to explore other devices such as an Air Jet Sieve or Dynamic Image Analysis System.
W.S. Tyler has helped customers navigate the particle size analysis industry for over 140 years and experienced a wide range of particle size analysis instruments hands-on.
And to that end, we wrote the following articles to provide insight into how air jat sieves and dynamic image analysis systems stack up against the highly regarded RO-TAP RX-29 sieve shaker: