Overview

Custom brass sugar screen parts are manufactured by photochemical machining, a burr-free subtractive route that images a dense perforation pattern onto dry-film resist laminated to brass sheet and dissolves the exposed metal in a chemistry matched to copper-zinc alloys. Hole diameter, slot length, pitch and web width are governed by the artwork and etch dwell rather than punch pressure, so the thick, wear-prone screening plate leaves the line flat and free of rolled edges, burrs and work-hardened rims. Typical substrates are CuZn37 (C2680 / H62) brass in 0.2–0.8 mm gauges, with round, slotted or herringbone arrays cut from the same digital master.

For sugar-processing and food-equipment buyers, custom brass sugar screen production solves three recurring problems. Sugar centrifuge liners are thick relative to their hole size, so punching fine perforations dishes the plate, cracks the webs and wears dies quickly; separation duty demands open area, slot geometry and smooth hole walls that shed massecuite cleanly and resist blinding; and brass must stay free of burrs and embedded debris that could contaminate food contact surfaces. Chemical machining forms every hole on a panel at the same rate, holding open area and wall quality consistent from first article through volume, while the naturally smooth etched edge improves discharge. New patterns need only a new film.

Parameter Window

• Available Materials: CuZn37 / C2680 / H62 brass, CuZn10; also 304/316L stainless for food-grade alternate builds
• Material Thickness Range: 0.2–0.8 mm (common 0.3 / 0.4 / 0.6 mm)
• Tolerance: ±0.03 mm on hole/slot size, ±0.05 mm on pitch, ±0.08 mm on outline
• Minimum Feature: 0.15 mm hole, 0.15 mm web, 0.30 mm pitch
• Surface Options: electropolishing, anti-tarnish passivation, deburring, light sandblast, ultrasonic cleaning
• Compliance: ISO 9001 process control, RoHS/REACH material traceability

Manufacturing Process / Workflow (8 Steps)

1. Artwork & Nesting — Vectorize the perforation array, verify hole-to-thickness ratio, and plan panel layout with tie bars and registration marks.
2. Material Certification & Prep — Confirm brass grade, temper and thickness, inspect for scratches and flatness, then shear to exposure size.
3. Cleaning & Lamination — Degrease and laminate dry-film resist under matched heat and pressure so no bubbles sit under narrow webs.
4. UV Exposure — Expose through high-resolution film with the array registered to the sheet edge for panel-level consistency.
5. Development — Wash out unexposed resist to open the hole areas and inspect for residue that would block etching.
6. Controlled Etching — Spray brass-matched chemistry, tuning time, temperature and conveyor speed to hold sidewalls and avoid web thinning.
7. Stripping & Deburr — Remove resist, neutralize, then electropolish and deburr to clear hole walls and protect the food-contact surface.
8. Inspection & Packaging — Measure hole size, open area and flatness on a vision system, check for burrs, then pack in clean trays.

Core Advantages

1. Burr-free food-contact surface: Chemical removal leaves no rolled edge or burr, so massecuite discharges cleanly and no metal fragments shed into the product.
2. No die cost: Each new screen pattern is a new film, keeping prototypes and frequent revisions economical without a stamping tool.
3. Thick-plate capability: 0.8 mm brass can hold 0.15 mm perforations with consistent walls that punching would dish or crack.
4. Repeatable open area: Hole and slot arrays form together across a panel with tight size spread and uniform open area.
5. Stress-free flatness: With no shear or heat input, thick sheet stays flat, so screens seat correctly in centrifuge baskets.
6. Fast pattern tuning: With custom brass sugar screen parts, hole shape, pitch and open area can be tuned item by item to hit a target throughput and separation cut.

Typical Applications

• Sugar centrifuge liners: Perforated basket screens that separate crystals from molasses under high G-force.
• Food grading screens: Sizing and grading plates for grain, salt, starch and powdered ingredients.
• Juice and pulp filtration: Coarse and fine filter plates for beverage and fruit processing lines.
• Edible-oil and syrup strainers: Perforated strainers that resist blinding and clean down easily.
• Chemical and fertilizer screens: Corrosion-tolerant perforated plates for dry bulk classification.
• Decorative perforated panels: Architectural and equipment panels where brass appearance and hole pattern both matter.

Design Notes & Process Considerations

1. Hole-to-thickness ratio: Keep hole size at or above roughly material thickness; too small a hole distorts from undercut and traps residue.
2. Open-area callout: State hole diameter, slot length, pitch and open-area percentage, and define round, slot or herringbone arrays rather than only a mesh count.
3. Alloy and temper: Choose CuZn37 for machinability or harder temper for wear life, and note the material standard and certificate needs.
4. Nesting and tie bars: Leave enough tie bars and process borders, and specify the final cut method so thick webs survive stripping and cleaning.
5. Food-contact finish: Call out electropolish, deburr and residual-ion limits, and define cleaning and handling to avoid embedded debris.
6. Surface and blinding control: With custom brass sugar screen parts, define wall smoothness and anti-tarnish requirements, especially for sticky or high-purity duty.