Ensuring the accuracy and reliability of your sieve analysis results is of the utmost importance to any test sieve analysis process. From pharmaceuticals to food production to aggregate, any sort of inconsistency in your results can be detrimental.
It's important to understand that your analysis results are only as accurate as the test sieves you use. This is why you should utilize test sieve certification services.
But what exactly is test sieve certification, and what does the process consist of?
Here at W.S. Tyler, our mission is simple: to help make the world cleaner and safer. We strive to leverage our 150 years of particle size analysis experience to help labs achieve the quality, consistency, and efficiency needed to maintain peak operational success.
With that, this article will provide a step-by-step breakdown of the test sieve certification process so you can better understand what to expect when you send your sieves in. It will cover:
- The definition of test sieve certification
- How the test sieve certification process works
- Why a test sieve may fail certification
- What you should do if your test sieve fails certification
What Is Test Sieve Certification?
Test sieve certification is best defined as a process used to verify and record the accuracy of the mesh openings of your test sieve cloth. It ensures that your test sieves perform in accordance with the most stringent industry standards.
The certification process involves measuring a sample of openings and comparing them to ASTM and ISO tolerances. This will generate a report detailing that the parameters of the mesh, specifically the mesh opening size and wire diameter, are within the tolerances needed to produce accurate and repeatable lab results.
What Does the Test Sieve Certification Process Look Like?
To initiate the test sieve certification process, you will first need to notify us of your intent to have your test sieves certified by filling out the online request form. We will then review the submission to identify whether or not we have any SDS/cleaning sheets stored from previous certification requests.
If not, you will be required to submit all necessary documents.
Once the proper documentation has been submitted, a quote will be generated and sent to you for approval. At this point, you will need to submit an official purchase order.
You can then box up and ship the designated quantity of sieves. When shipping, you should scribe the quote number you received onto the box and insert the quote/P.O. document inside the box.
When your sieve(s) are received, they are processed and tested in our state-of-the-art lab. After being tested by our experienced technician, a report is generated illustrating why a particular sieve passed or failed.
It should be noted that every sieve undergoes an initial visual inspection to check to see if there are noticeable tears or faults in both the test sieve mesh as well as the binding agent used to attach the mesh. If faults are detected, that particular sieve won't be tested (unless used for pharmaceutical applications or specifically requested), and you will receive a separate document illustrating the issues.
Read the article below to learn more about how woven wire test sieve mesh gets attached to the frame of a test sieve:
Once your sieves are ready to be returned, they are carefully packed into a fitted box and shipped with any associated documentation.
Types of Certification
When it comes to test sieve certification, there are two levels available: Inspection Grade and Calibration Grade. The main difference between the two is the number of openings measured, ultimately creating different confidence levels.
That said, the right level of certification depends on your process's requirements and industry standards.
Inspection Certification
A certification process that utilizes a specialized visual system to measure a set number of mesh openings after the sieve cloth has been mounted to the sieve frame. The data is averaged to verify that the sieve cloth can perform to a certain specification at a 99% confidence level.
Inspection-grade test sieves are tested to ensure they meet either ASTM e11 or ISO 3310 standards. They are serialized, allowing them to be traced to an international standard.
Calibration Certification
A certification process that analyzes double the number of mesh openings after the sieve cloth is mounted to the sieve frame. The data is averaged and used to verify that the sieve can perform to the desired specification.
That said, doubling the amount of measured mesh openings increases the confidence level to 99.73%.
Calibration-grade test sieves are tested to ensure they meet either ASTM e11 or ISO 3310 standards. They are then serialized, allowing them to be traced to an international standard.
Looking for more information on how ASTM standards impact the performance of your test sieves? Read the article below:
Why Did My Test Sieve Fail Certification?
As stated above, all sieves undergo a visual inspection before being tested. If a sieve fails this inspection, the technician will not test it and will send it back with a document stating the faults.
Failure can stem from things like displaced wires, wrinkles in the mesh, faults in the mounting agent, etc. That said, you can still have the sieve tested to gain insight into its performance threshold.
If your test sieve passes visually but fails once inspected by our equipment, your report will reflect that the sieve failed measurement inspection. Failure can be caused by pore openings that are either too large, too small, or irregular in shape.
NOTE: If your sieve fails the measurement inspection, you will still be charged for the service and receive documentation informing you where and why it failed to pass certification.
What Do I Do if My Sieve Fails Certification?
In most cases, once a sieve falls out of spec, it cannot be repaired. You will need to replace the sieve to get your operation back up and running.
Fortunately, our team of experts is here to help. Simply reach out via our Contact Us page or by calling 1-800-321-6188, and our customer support team will gladly help you get the sieves you need to continue yielding accurate and repeatable results.
Prolong Performance With Proper Maintenance
By leveraging a trustworthy test sieve certification process, you are opening the door to accurate and repeatable results. It provides insight into the state of your test sieve mesh and its ability to sieve material properly.
But when it comes to test sieve dependability, certification is just one piece of the puzzle. You must also understand maintenance best practices, which will help maximize the lifespan and performance of your sieves.
For the past 150 years, W.S. Tyler has been committed to supporting countless industries with the knowledge and best practices needed to maintain high-performing test sieves that yield peak results.
Check out the article below to become more knowledgeable about the best practices that will help keep your test sieves in tip-top shape: