The sieve shaker must provide sieve adequacy within a maximum of how many minutes?

• A. 5 minutes or less
• B. 10 minutes or less
• C. 15 minutes or less
• D. 30 minutes or less

Answer: (B)

Sieve analysis relies on letting the material move through a stack of screens for a controlled period so the particle-size distribution is captured reliably. The ten-minute-or-less limit keeps the separation quick and repeatable, which is essential for timely, consistent results in plant QA. If the time were longer, you could risk over-sieving, material loss, or changes from drying or handling, which would bias the results. If the time were shorter, some larger particles might not have passed through all the openings, also skewing the gradation. Keeping the shaker time within ten minutes ensures you get a representative result without delaying production.