Recently, we have received numerous inquiries from customers regarding our oilseed sunflower screening equipment. With the onset of the oilseed sunflower processing and harvesting season, we are pleased to present this article, which aims to offer practical advice and assistance to those involved in sunflower processing when selecting screening equipment.

1.      Processing and Characteristics of Oilseed Sunflower Seeds

For varieties with small grains that are not easily shed, combine harvesting and mechanical threshing are employed. ; For varieties with large seeds and a tendency to shed, manual harvesting and manual threshing are employed. After harvest, the sunflower heads are spread out on the threshing floor; following drying, the seeds become smaller and more loosely attached. At this point, mechanical threshing, wooden sticks, or other tools may be used to knock the seeds loose. However, mechanical threshing can lead to seed breakage or discoloration.

After threshing, the oilseed sunflower seeds are dried to a moisture content of 13% At this stage, when the seed coat is hard and can be easily cracked by finger pressure, and the kernel can be readily crushed by hand grinding, sorting to remove impurities may be carried out, followed by final packaging and storage.

Most oilseed sunflower seeds are used for oil extraction. For small-scale oil mills and buyers of oilseed sunflower, the requirements for seed cleanliness are not very stringent, and the presence of some stem fragments and other impurities is acceptable.

2.      Recommended Oilseed Sunflower Seed Sorting Equipment

The bulk density of oil sunflower seeds is relatively low, approximately equivalent to that of wheat. 20% Most manufacturers of screening equipment size their processing capacities based on wheat seeds; therefore, when inquiring about equipment, be sure to specify that you will be processing sunflower seeds. If purchasing online, pay close attention to the model designation, as the numbers listed often correspond to wheat‑processing capacity. Users should take this into account to avoid acquiring equipment that falls short of the desired throughput. Below are several commonly used cleaning and processing machines for sunflower seeds, for your reference.

2.1      Air-screen cleaner

Our company’s air-sieve cleaning machine is primarily designed to… 5XZC and 5XF Primarily a series, with model numbers including: 20 Other varieties. The processing capacity for oilseed sunflower is approximately 600-3000Kg/h , in order to 3 or 4 Primarily a screening process, it can be used to remove light impurities, large foreign matter, and small debris from sunflower seeds. If necessary, while removing impurities, the seeds can also be graded according to their thickness.

Most favored by friends engaged in the procurement and processing of oilseed sunflower seeds 5XZC Taking the series of air‑sieve cleaning machines as an example, their main components include an electrical control system, a bucket elevator, a vertical air‑separation unit, a dust collection system, and a vibrating screen.

Operating procedure: Oilseed sunflower seeds are fed into the elevator’s hopper, lifted by the elevator, and conveyed via a sloped discharge chute and a bulk grain bin to the air‑screen. Light impurities are separated by the air‑screen and routed through the air duct to the dust collector or settling chamber, from where they are discharged through the impurity outlet; the remaining material is sent to the screening machine, where coarse and fine impurities as well as the qualified product are discharged through their respective outlets in the grain discharge bins and bagged. During this process, if necessary, the air‑screen control handle and the damper control handle can be adjusted to regulate the airflow. For grading, the operating procedure is the same, except that the screen plates must first be replaced as required, and the feed rate may be increased accordingly.

The air‑sieve cleaner features a compact design, simple operation, flexible mobility, and easy cleaning. By simply installing sieves of different specifications, the screening unit can accommodate a variety of seed materials, making it especially well suited for small and medium‑sized sunflower seed processing operations.

2.2       BM Series of Portable Specific Gravity Modules

Friends often ask: “We have a cleaning machine at home, but we still can’t remove all the rod‑shaped impurities from our oilseed sunflower seeds. Is it possible to further improve the cleanliness using our existing equipment?” In such cases, we typically recommend that customers add a mobile gravity separator.

The air‑sieve cleaner primarily sorts seeds based on their physical dimensions, using the aperture size of the sieve to remove impurities that are either larger or smaller than the oilseed sunflower kernels. However, certain contaminants—such as rod‑shaped materials whose diameter approaches the thickness of small oilseed sunflower kernels—are difficult to eliminate with this type of cleaner. If the bottom‑layer sieve openings are enlarged, some small oilseed sunflower kernels may be mistakenly discharged as impurities; conversely, narrowing these openings can leave rod‑like debris inadequately removed, resulting in their co‑discharge with the finished product—a seemingly contradictory issue. In such cases, a specific gravity separator becomes indispensable. By combining airflow and vibratory forces, it effectively removes low‑density impurities from the crop, including insect‑damaged grains, moldy kernels, and underdeveloped seeds, while also capable of separating lightweight, rod‑shaped foreign matter.

BM The density‑grading module consists primarily of an electrical control system, a bucket elevator, a density table, and a reject‑removal device. It features easy mobility, a compact footprint, and straightforward operation.

It’s especially well suited for those who already have a preliminary screening device at home and wish to further improve the cleanliness of their oilseed sunflower seeds. BM The series of mobile specific‑gravity modules can be used in combination with their built-in elevators and primary screening units.

2.3 5XFZ Series Duplex Premium Machine

5XFZ The series of duplex precision machines is our company’s flagship product, with the following models: 30 With a wide variety of models available, we can recommend the most suitable machine to meet the specific needs of each user. The air‑classification section includes both horizontal and double‑vertical air screens; the gravity table’s air‑intake options comprise blower‑type and fan‑type systems, and these have been modularized, allowing users to choose either a single‑gravity or a dual‑gravity table configured in series. Vibratory screens are also offered in top‑feed and bottom‑feed configurations. This product line integrates air classification, gravity separation, and vibratory screening into a single unit, delivering robust performance. It is particularly well suited for medium‑ to large‑scale sunflower processing facilities, purchasing operations, and seed‑sorting enterprises. The processed sunflower seeds achieve high cleanliness levels, with some even meeting seed‑cleanliness standards.

Our company’s best-selling 5XFZ-25G Taking the type of compound sorting machine as an example, its main process involves feeding material via a bucket elevator. — Primary air separation — Top-mounted vibratory screening — Secondary air sorting — Gravity separation — Bottom-mounted vibratory screening. The processing flow is more scientifically designed and meets the requirements of seed‑sorting procedures.

2.4 Complete seed processing equipment set

The complete processing line is suitable for the fine sorting and processing of oilseed sunflower and other seeds. Typically, such a system comprises key units including an air‑sieve cleaner, a positive‑pressure density separator, a stone remover, a seed coating machine, a grading machine, and a metering packaging machine, along with auxiliary equipment such as electrical control systems, dust‑collection devices, and conveying equipment.

Our company boasts strong R&D capabilities and can custom-design complete equipment packages tailored to customer requirements, meeting the demands of industrial-scale production.

  2.5 Sunflower seed shelling and processing unit and melon seed kernel processing unit

Sunflower seed shelling and processing unit

Complete set of equipment for processing pumpkin seed kernels

In summary, our company offers a comprehensive range of oilseed sunflower processing equipment that is both reliable and high‑quality. Our dedicated Sanli team will continue to refine our existing machinery and develop new products to meet your needs.

Shijiazhuang Sanli Grain Machinery Co., Ltd. and its subsidiary, Qintong Import & Export Co., Ltd., sincerely welcome all friends to visit and offer their guidance, and invite you to come to Shijiazhuang for a visit.