Test sieves are woven wire or perforated metal pans that are used for sifting and filtration.  Test sieves are accurately constructed by placing wire cloth between two suppressed die formed frames.  Stainless steel or brass is generally used in the construction of both the frame and woven wire mesh that performs the straining.  These devices are very accurate, and are widely used in all types of laboratory particle analysis.

Test sieves are available in a variety of standard diameters (3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 18 inches, and 200, 300, or 400 mm). Specialized or proprietary sizes, either larger or smaller, are also available, although far less common.  Test sieves are also available in a variety of heights, either full height (typically full height is 2 5/8"), half height (typically 1 5/8”), or a variety of intermediate sizes between.