Fall 2021, MIT
Vibration Shaker for Standard Sieves
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Problem
For my research project, I needed to sort alumina grit into specific sizes using sieves. Since there were so many different sizes of sieve, performing this task manually proved to be extremely time intensive and physically fatiguing. While sieve shakers exist, their cost can be in the thousands.
CAD Model
Using Solidworks CAD, I designed this frame that used a vibration motor we had in the lab from a previous project to shake a stack of standard sieves.
Frame
The frame was built with 1” 80/20 Aluminum. I decided to use 80/20 because we had substantial stock in the lab as well as the hardware compatible with the 80/20 system.
Final Design
The final product held a stack of 4 sieves plus the bin that captures the remainder of the grit. Vibration feet screwed into the bottom isolated the vibrations from the table as well as allowed the height to be adjusted to level the sieve stack. The inside of the frame was lined with a soft mat to prevent the stack from rattling against the frame.
In the final design, the lid was substituted out for tabs to allow for more adjustability.
Sorted Grit
Using the shaker, I was able to recover more alumina grit in less time compared to shaking the sieves by hand. The switch to the shaker also drastically reduced my physical fatigue in sorting the grit.