How magnetic separators remove tramp metal from food, feed and bulk materials: plates, grates, drums, overband magnets and where to install them.
Metal contamination is one of the most common causes of product recalls in the food industry, and one of the most common causes of damage to mills, extruders and crushers in bulk processing. Bolts, nuts, wire, filings and tramp iron enter with raw materials or come from wear inside the plant. Magnetic separators remove ferrous and many weakly magnetic particles before they cause harm.
Food safety standards widely used by European retailers and manufacturers require a documented approach to foreign-body control. Magnets and metal detectors complement each other:
A well-designed plant uses magnets at several points and a metal detector before packing.
| Type | Where it is used |
|---|---|
| Plate magnets | In chutes and spouts, above or below the flow of free-flowing material |
| Bullet magnets | In gravity-flow pipes; the bullet shape diverts product over a magnetic face |
| Magnetic grates | In hoppers and intakes, with rows of magnetic tubes for fine particles |
| Easy-clean grates | Where frequent cleaning is needed without dismantling |
| Magnetic drums | Continuous self-cleaning separation for large flows |
| Overband magnets | Suspended over conveyor belts to lift tramp iron from the burden |
| Magnetic head pulleys | Replace the conveyor head pulley and separate at the discharge |
Magnet strength must suit the contamination. Large tramp iron is captured by standard ferrite magnets at short distances. Fine particles and weakly magnetic contaminants (such as work-hardened stainless steel fragments) need high-intensity rare-earth (neodymium) magnets placed close to the product. Ask for the magnetic field and pull-test values, not just the magnet type.
A magnet that is not cleaned becomes saturated, and captured metal can be washed back into the product. Define cleaning intervals based on the amount of contamination collected, keep records, and verify magnet strength periodically with a pull test. Easy-clean designs reduce downtime and make it more likely that cleaning is done properly.
For food and pharmaceutical applications, choose stainless steel construction, smooth surfaces, food-grade seals and designs that can be cleaned without tools. Ask for documentation of food-contact materials.
Browse our magnetic separators or send us the details: product, throughput, particle size, temperature, the installation point and the dimensions of the chute or pipe.
Yes, in most food plants. Magnets remove ferrous contamination continuously, while metal detectors also detect non-ferrous metals and reject contaminated product, usually before packing.
It depends on the amount of contamination. Start with frequent cleaning, record what is collected and adjust the interval, so the magnet never becomes saturated.
Austenitic stainless steel is only weakly magnetic, but work-hardened fragments become more magnetic. High-intensity rare-earth magnets placed close to the product flow capture many of these particles.
Primary SeparatorsRare-earth magnetic strips are versatile and can be used in many different processes. They are normally installed over conveyors and vibratory feeders to attract tramp-iron contaminants and any loose parts that have…
Secondary SeparatorsThe Eclipse high-intensity square grate is extremely versatile and can be used with most powders, granules and liquids to remove ferrous or paramagnetic contaminants down to sub-micron size. Units can be made…
Secondary SeparatorsThe easy-clean grate is extremely versatile and can be used with most powders, granules and liquids to remove ferrous or paramagnetic contaminants down to sub-micron size. These units can be made in…
Primary SeparatorsThe Eclipse high-intensity magnetic drum is ideal for the continuous removal of tramp-iron contaminants from any dry bulk material. It is often installed in the most demanding applications and is highly reliable…
Primary SeparatorsThe recycling, mining and heavy industries continue to benefit from permanent-magnet overband units for removing metal contaminants. These units can be suspended above flat or troughed belt conveyors. Large permanent magnet packs…
Primary SeparatorsInstalled at the head of a belt conveyor, magnetic pulleys remove tramp iron that a plate or overband magnet cannot reach because of the depth of the conveyed product. Used together with…
Need a different size, standard or quantity? Request a quote
Our team can help you specify, source and compare products for your project.
What H07RN-F means, where the rubber flexible cable can be used, how it differs from H05RN-F and H07RN8-F, and what to check before ordering for EU…
Read More — H07RN-F Rubber Cable: A Buyer’s Guide for European Projects
CPR for cables explained: EN 50575, Euroclasses Aca to Fca, smoke, droplet and acidity classes, and the Declaration of Performance.
Read More — CPR Cable Classes Explained: EN 50575, Euroclasses and What Your Project Needs
How to choose bucket elevator buckets: steel, polyethylene, nylon and polyurethane, DIN 15233 and DIN 15232 shapes, capacity and spacing.
Read More — How to Choose Elevator Buckets: Materials, Shapes and DIN StandardsShare your specifications and quantities. Our team will review your request and come back with sourcing options and a quotation.