Case Study: A Large Metal Powder Manufacturer’s Multi-Year Nightmare Sieving
A leading metal powder manufacturer approached Elcan Industries with an all too familiar yet costly problem that plagues most of the sieving and classifying industry. Their existing ultrasonic sieving machine, which they had been using for years, was causing significant inefficiencies that went unnoticed because it was “how things have always been done.” They never sought a better sieving solution to solve their sieving problems which consisted of:
- Severe screen mesh blinding – Frequent screen mesh clogging meant operators had to stop production multiple times per shift to clean the screens, reducing overall throughput and costing this metal powder company hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost production time.
- Inconsistent product yields—Only 75% of their material was properly classified, leading to excessive waste of good material and material loss.
- High maintenance costs—The machine’s ultrasonic components frequently required replacement, which significantly increased its operational expenses.
Despite continuous troubleshooting and engineers scratching their heads, the company couldn’t achieve the needed efficiency.
The Hi-Sifter Sieving Solution by Elcan Industries
A new process engineer assigned to the project discovered Elcan Industries through an online search. They sent in material to test at Elcan’s facility, The powder metals manufacturer saw an immediate improvement with the Hi-Sifter:
- No screen blinding – The Hi-Sifter high energy screening machine system prevented material buildup, eliminating downtime for screen cleaning.
- 98% product yields – A drastic improvement from their previous 75%, reducing waste and significantly increasing the companies’ profitability.
- Minimal spare part costs – Unlike ultrasonic machines that require frequent transducer replacements, the Hi-Sifter’s robust design resulted in near-zero spare part consumption.
- Higher throughput – The company processed more material per shift in one day than their previous machine did in a week with their previous ultrasonic increasing overall production without additional labor costs.
The Unspoken Cost of Sticking with the Wrong Sieving Machine
For this manufacturer, switching to the Hi-Sifter meant saving hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in reduced waste, lower maintenance expenses, and increased throughput.
If your sieving machine struggles with screen blinding, poor yields, or excessive maintenance and associated costs, it may be time for an upgrade.
Contact Elcan Industries today to see how the Hi-Sifter can transform your production efficiency!
