Miller Magazine Issue 109 / January 2019

76 ARTICLE MILLER / JANUARY 2019 sifting performance. The shape and arrangement of the brist- les or studs also lead to the fact that the FILIP cleaner ideally reaches the corners of the sieve compartments. Thus, the net sieve area increases and as a result, the yield. The quality of the brushing material In the previous section it has been clarified why the sha- pe, weight and material of the cleaner body are so very im- portant. However, the right material selection does not only refer to the body of the cleaner, but at least as pronounced on the trim material. Here as well, the quality of the material and its workmanship determine how well a cleaner cleans the fabric (synthetic or metal mesh) and how durable a cleaner performs its work in the plansifter. With regard to the trim material, FILIP offers its cleaners in two versions: sieve cleaners with studs for primary sieves for wire and synthetic mesh with a mesh opening of more than 250 μm and sieve cleaners with bristles for flour sieves. Sieve cleaning brushes can be supplied with black nylon for wire mesh of 90 – 250 μm, natural hair or white nylon for synt- hetic mesh with 90 – 250 μm. By the way: it is still the una- nimous opinion of millers worldwide that sieve cleaners with bristles clean the sieves at the best - especially in the passages C1 - C10 or in general when sticky product is being sifted. When using natural hair FILIP uses very high-quality mate- rial – namely horse mane. Due to its nature, natural hair ma- nages to get into the small mesh openings of the fabric very effectively and “poke it free”. For hygiene reasons, nylon is used as a trim material in many mills today. Again, the sele- ction of the right material is crucial for a gentle yet effective sieve cleaning. The nylon should not be too hard due to its strength and attacks the mesh. The result would be otherwi- se torn sieves and thus unwanted maintenance on plansifter. On the other hand, the nylon trim material must be strong enough to effectively clean the mesh. As with the material properties of the cleaner body, it is also important for the ny- lon to process exactly the right material composition. Due to the many years of experience, FILIP has succeeded in finding exactly the right material thickness for the trim material. In addition, care must be taken to ensure that the brist- les have exactly the height that corresponds to the distance between the sieve pan and sieve cloth within the sieve box of the plansifter without backwire. Already a tenth of a mil- limeter can decide whether a sieve cleaner reaches the fabric or not or - if the bristles are too long - it gets stuck between sieve mesh and sieve pan, which means that the cleaner can- not clean the fabric anymore. With respect to the trim material is also of great importan- ce, how the bristles are anchored in the cleaner body. Should the bristles not be appropriately fixed in the brush housing individual bristles or bundles of bristles may come loose and fall into the sifted product, thus polluting it. FILIP has de- veloped a method that ensures that the bundles of bristles are firmly and securely anchored in the cleaner body - even under the extreme conditions in the plansifter. Food compatibility (FDA / EU) Although shape, size, weight and functional workmanship play a very important role in the quality of a sieve cleaner, one of the most important quality features of sieve cleaners is the food compatibility. The reason for this is obvious: in the mill, the sieve cleaners come into direct contact with the product to be sieved. For this reason, the foodsafe suitability of the materials FILIP uses is of the utmost importance. The plastics used in the Filip range are made from materials that contain only substances recognized as safe in connection with food. Filip products are certified to the strict regulations in pla- ce in the USA and Europe. Mills who want to offer the highest quality to their customers should use sieve cleaners, which are food safe - not least in the name of hygiene and safety. Conclusion Since there is a direct relationship between the plansifter efficiency and effective sieve cleaning, the choice of the right sieve cleaner is crucial for the high output of the sifter and thus for the net yield of the mill. As a review: sieve cleaners can differ dramatically in terms of quality and workmanship. Whether a sieve cleaner effectively cleans - including hard to reach corners - whether it lasts long and protects the operatio- nal environment, whether it is food-compatible and meets the requirements of the EU and the FDA, depends on a variety of parameters: shape, size, weight, material and workmanship. High quality in sieve cleaners is worthwhile, because both the flour quality and the yield can be positively influenced by a high-quality sieve cleaner. Admittedly: the decision for a high-quality sieve cleaner may mean higher initial costs for the purchase. However, the slightly higher additional costs are offset by a longer life span, better flour quality, a higher yield and less maintenance in the plansifter. Straight edges of the bristles and the exact height for the correspon- ding plansifter sieve: FILIP’s QM ensures always perfect products The brushing components on FILIP products are handled and cut with care