Ultrasonic sieving of powders and bulk material
The Artech method can be used for powder coating applications in powder centers or cyclones. Ultrasound-supported sieving removes dirt from the coating process and increases the throughput and the fluidization of the powder. As opposed to the conventional ultrasonic excitation, the Artech method does not excite the sieving frame, but a waveguide, which is mounted directly to the cloth mesh. Damping effects caused by the frame clamping mechanism reducing the sieving throughput can thus be avoided.
Other possible applications are flat sieving machines and cylindrical or centrifugal sieving machines. The Artech method enables the positioning of the converter outside the sieving machine, thus protecting it from direct contact to the sieving material. The ultrasonic energy is being conducted through a waveguide from the converter (converter waveguide) to the mesh waveguide, which distributes the ultrasound across the mesh. The positioning of the cloth waveguide and the converter waveguide can be matched to the design of the sieving machine. In many cases an existing hole in the machine casing can be used. Generally, all types of sieving machines can be equipped with the Artech system.
Feeding and dosing
Feeding and dosing are now possible without tuning the mechanics, as opposed to the conventional exitation method. A converter is fixed at an appropriate position to the dosing cone or feeding tray. The wall thickness should not exceed 2 mm to generate a high oscillation amplitude for the process.
Ultrasonic cutting
Ultrasonic cutting is very much simplified by the Artech method. In contrary to the conventional ultrasonic excitation, the shape of the knife plays but a minor role. The steel of the knife, however, has to be chosen carefully, not to transfer ultrasonic energy into heat instead of vibration.