Screening Copper/Zinc Alloy

An ultrasonic technology helps to sieve and size copper/zinc alloy powders

In the powder and coating industry, fine metal powders must first be screened to remove oversize particles to avoid blockages to equipment such as spray nozzles during application. A manufacturer of metallic pigments was looking for a separation solution to sieve copper/zinc alloy, also known as brass, to remove oversize particles to ensure a defined particle size which can easily pass through the spray nozzle. Oversize particles cause blockages to the spray nozzle, which can affect productivity and cause frequent downtime. Due to the nature of the copper powder, mesh blinding can often be experienced and using a traditional round separator to sieve copper zinc alloy can cause inconsistent sieving and loss of good product. This demonstration video shows how the high-performance copper powder vibrating screener, the Finex Ultima™ with the Vibrasonic® Deblinding System , allows the brass powder to be sieved consistently and effectively.

The production process starts with grinding the copper zinc alloy before being transported into a cyclone. From the cyclone, the product is being passed to the vibratory screener through a rotary airlock to remove any oversize particles from the copper powder. The oversize particles go back into the mill to re-grind it and feed through the process again. It is important to have a consistent product size to prevent blockage of the paint nozzle and to achieve the desired result when applied to the surface of any material.

For over 80 years Russell Finex has been manufacturing and supplying separation solutions to the metal powder industry and ensures that the solutions provided are ideal for your processing needs.

Contact us to learn more about how the Finex Ultima™ and the Vibrasonic® Deblinding System can help to improve the quality of your application.