Wastewater Filtration: Solving a Capacity Challenge Without Expanding the Footprint

Client: Tsukishima Kanyo Engineering (TSK), Japan
Application: Sewage sludge filtration
Industry: Water & Wastewater

In wastewater treatment, increasing capacity usually means larger plants, higher capital cost and more complex maintenance. For Tsukishima Kanyo Engineering (TSK), a leading Japanese provider of wastewater solutions, the challenge was to break that pattern entirely.

TSK set out to develop a new filtration system capable of doubling sludge filtration capacity without increasing the physical footprint of treatment facilities. Achieving this required a filtration screen with exceptional accuracy, durability and cleanability, capable of operating reliably over decades in demanding wastewater environments.

Traditional wastewater filtration systems are constrained by footprint, clogging behaviour and limited screen durability. Increasing throughput often requires additional tanks, expanded infrastructure or parallel filtration stages, all of which raise cost and complexity.

TSK’s proposed dual-concentric filtration design placed two screens within the same vertical space. For this to work, sludge needed to pass cleanly through both an inner and outer screen without blinding, blockage or rapid wear.

Conventional filtration media could not meet these requirements. Aperture accuracy, drilling angle, screen thickness and long-term geometry stability all needed to be engineered precisely, or the concept would fail.

ActionLaser partnered with Tsukishima Kanyo Engineering (TSK) in a three-year engineering and development program to design laser-drilled stainless steel screens for a dual-concentric wastewater filtration system. The concept required two screens to operate within the same vertical space, which placed strict demands on aperture accuracy, geometry control and structural strength.

Precision laser drilling allowed apertures to be formed smaller than the material thickness while maintaining clean edges and controlled drilling angles. This enabled sludge to pass reliably through both the inner and outer screens without blinding or flow restriction. By avoiding mechanical distortion during manufacture, the screens retained their geometry under continuous load, supporting stable filtration behaviour in challenging wastewater conditions.

Multiple design iterations were tested, refining aperture size, spacing and count until the system delivered consistent flow, resistance to clogging and long-term durability. The result was a filtration solution capable of increasing throughput without requiring additional plant footprint.

The final filtration system incorporated three different aperture sizes, allowing for the effective removal of particles across a wide range of sludge characteristics while maintaining a consistent flow.

Following commercial release in 2003, the system was installed across numerous wastewater treatment facilities throughout Japan. In operation, the screens delivered stable, clog-resistant filtration and enabled a significant increase in treatment capacity without expanding plant footprint.

Many installations have now operated continuously for more than twenty years, validating both the screen design and the underlying filtration concept.

The success of the dual-concentric system depended on aperture control and geometry stability. Laser drilling eliminated mechanical distortion, ensuring each hole was clean, accurate and consistent.

Stainless steel construction provided the strength and corrosion resistance required for long-term wastewater operation, while precisely angled apertures supported smooth flow and reduced blinding.

By engineering the screen as a permanent component rather than a consumable, the filtration stage became one of the most reliable elements of the treatment process.

For wastewater operators, the value extended well beyond increased capacity. The system reduced clogging, minimised maintenance intervention and delivered predictable performance year after year.

By doubling filtration capacity without expanding infrastructure, plants avoided significant capital expenditure while improving operational stability. The screens became part of the long-term asset base rather than a recurring maintenance concern.

If you’re facing wastewater capacity limits or planning system upgrades without expanding footprint, contact ActionLaser to discuss a precision filtration solution engineered for long-term performance.