Current oilfield shaker screen technology

One of the more recent advances in oilfield shaker screen technology has brought us the "3D screen", this technology is an innovative method for increasing the screening area of a shale shaker without the need to build larger machines. When seen from the side these screens look like corrugated cardboard, having a flat bottom and wave like shapes on top. These waves are designed to increase the surface area of the screen panel by building up instead of out, thereby maximizing the surface area of the screen without the need to build larger shaker screens and in turn larger, heavier and more expensive shakers.
There are many claims in regards to the reason for the improved performance of these 3D screens such as:
1. Increasing the screening area of each panel transfers the load across more surface area and therefore the wear tends to be decreased in comparison to other screens.
2. The corrugated shape of the screens encourages solids to settle in the valleys of the screen, keeping the peaks of the screen available to process drilling fluid.
The tapered valleys, while moving under high G's, apply a compression force on the solids similar to wringing out a cloth to draw out liquid.
3. Increasing the surface area of the shaker allows the use of finer screens earlier in the drilling process while maintaining acceptable flow rates and penetration rate. Effectively removing harmful drilled solids before they can begin to wear out the solids control equipment.