What Are The Different Types of Vibratory Screens? Where Can They Be Used?

Vibratory screens are mechanical devices that utilise vibrating wire meshes or perforated plates to classify or separate a product into different fractions based on particle sizes and to remove contaminant particles (e.g. torn pieces of bag). They are an excellent solution for sorting and sifting fast-flowing, bulk granular/powder type products of all shapes and sizes.

Fractions can be classed as oversize, good and fine. The definition of each category depends on the product dimensional particle sizes - ideal for internal quality control and assurance.

Types of Vibratory Screen

Vibratory screens are available in two types: circular (always horizontal), and linear (horizontal or inclined). Circular and linear screens can use 1, 2 or 3 decks utilizing wire mesh or perforated plate to separate product into the required fractions.

1) Linear Screens

Linear vibrating screens for example are driven by twin out-of-balance vibrating motors, creating motion in a vertical and forward direction. Alternatively, the machine can create vibration by using single or multiple electromagnetic drives depending on tray length.

Capacity: The number of fractions each screen can produce depend on the number of decks it possesses for example:

• 1 deck: 2 fractions
• 3 decks: 4 fractions

Applications: primary and secondary classification, sizing, washing, dewatering, hot material screening.

Linear screening can provide a higher throughput than circular screens by utilising larger screen sizes.

Linear screens are excellent for multi-stage applications too. The ability to link stacked screens/decks to the same vibratory motors allows for two, three or four stage separation. They can have additional water washes for cleaning the meshes.

How it works

In linear vibrating screens, the particulate enters a flat top surface (via a front-loading shoot, bag or conveyor) and vibrated by two opposite-facing side motors. Separated product is then gravity-fed to hoppers, bags or conveyed to the next process.


Reliable linear vibratory screening is popular in many industries including food, chemicals, farming and aggregates to name but a few.

2) Circular Screens

Circular vibrating screens use a more complex spiral motion for screening and sorting purposes.

Capacity: Fractions available are:

• 1 deck: 2 fractions
• 2 decks: 3 fractions
• 3 decks: 4 fractions

Applications: Separation of agglomerate particles, scalping of oversize material, screening of unwanted foreign bodies and accurate particle size classification.

Circular-motion screeners are the most popular separator due to their ease of use in industrial applications. You can find circular-motor precision sorting machines in food ingredient factories, rubber recycling plants, petrochemical labs and plastic particulate workshops.

Circular motion units are ideal for sites that need a versatile, all-in-one vibratory sorter. By altering the motor balance settings and selecting the correct aperture mesh, circular machines can process a diverse spectrum of dry, wet, organic and artificial materials of varying sizes.

How it works:

A circular-motion machine such as the Gough Vibrecon utilising both vertical and horizontal movement relies on direct motor drives, alternatively the Gough Vibraflo has two side-mounted out-of-balance motors giving a more simple vertical vibration motion. Generally, a circular motion induces continual vibration on the meshes chosen. Motor weight settings can be refined for both horizontal and vertical motion.

Vibratory Screening Equipment and More From Gough Engineering

Gough Engineering provide a wide range of vibratory screening equipment for different production applications. We are happy to recommend a circular or linear solution depending on your product requirements and the other post process equipment used on your production line. We can also provide tailored machinery for specific applications, such as ultrasonic to avoid blinding in small aperture mesh screens, magnets to remove ferrous material and dust extraction equipment to reduce small, airborne particles.

Learn more about what our precision-designed linear separators and classifiers could do for your business.