Product Purity.

Greater Security.
Added Value.

Basics metal detection

BU FOOD
Terms and definitions

Installation
and
Metal separation
▪ Metal detector: detector provided
by the
customer
e.g. Intuity

▪ Metal separator: Metal

detector
Separation
unit

e.g. RAPID 5000

Optional:
Metal
Separation
▪ Metal detection detector
unit
system:

Conveyor belt
e.g. VARICON+
Terms and definitions

▪ Product inspection X-ray

Optional:
Separation
system: detector
unit

Conveyor belt

e.g. RAYCON D

▪ Product sorting
X-ray
system:
Vibration Separation
chute detector unit

Conveyor belt
RAYCON BULK
Metal detector| components

Interior lining
made of plastic Housing made
of stainless steel

Aperture Control Unit

Metal detector| windings

One transmitter coil

Two receiver coils

Functional principle | electromagnetic field

▪ The transmitter coil generates a

permanent electro-magnetic AC
field
▪ This is also active in a specific
region outside the coil
▪ Therefore, each metal detector
has zones which must be kept
free of metal
▪ The two receivers are switched
against each other, thus their
signals compensate each other
("Balanced Coil" principle)
Functional principle | electromagnetic field

▪ When a metal particle passes

the detector, there is an
asymmetry of the
electromagnetic field which is
recorded by the receiver coils

▪ The electronic of the

metal detector
processes the signal,
evaluates it and puts
out a metal signal

▪ Then, the metal contamination

can be separated
Functional principle | phase technology

transmitter coil

receiver coils
Functional principle | phase technology
Amplitude

Amplitude

▪ Change in the signal

depending on the
phase and amplitude
rash
Phase Phase
Functional principle | sensitivity

▪ The performance feature of a metal detector is its sensitivity

▪ This refers to his ability to detect as small as possible metal
impurities
▪ There are a number of factors that influence the sensitivity,
which may, however, influence each other in their mode of
action
▪ The data sheets of Sesotec always contains the sensitivity for
a metal detector, but in order to determine the actual
product sensitivity of the metal detector, it is wise to carry
out product tests
Functional principle | sensitivity

No external influences
Sensitivity of the metal
detector
Impact of conveyance and /
or separation

Sensitivity of the metal

Data sheet values separator
Influences due to the
examined product (product
effect)
Actual product
Test report sensitivity
External interferences during
operation at customers
place, e.g. product variety,
Operative sensitivity vibrations, electromagnetic
At customers interferences, etc.
place
Functional principle | factors of influence

Location/ Environment
∞
Size, type, shape and location
of the metal contamination

To be examined
product
(product effect,
product angle,
product compensation)

Conveying speed Aperture Operating

of the coil frequency
Factors of influence|
size & type of the metal contamination

▪ The size of the metal signal depends on the size and on the
conductivity of the metal contamination
▪ The larger the metal particle, the higher the probability that
it will be detected
▪ Also apply: ferrous metals generally produce relatively strong
signals, non-ferrous and precious metals rather weak signals

▪ A distinction is made in the following three types of metals:

Ferrous metals (Fe)

Non-ferrous metals (NonFe)

Stainless steel (VA or SS)

Factors of influence|
size & type of the metal contamination

Ferrous metals
(Fe)

▪ Magnetic & conductive

▪ From the perspective of metal detection is the magnetic
property dominant
▪ It is typically for ferrous metals that they rust when they are
exposed to water
▪ The Sesotec test bodies are made of normal steel DIN
1.3505
Factors of influence|
size & type of the metal contamination

Non-ferrous metals
(NonFe)

▪ Not magnetic but conductive

▪ Conductivity varies depending on the specific metal type
▪ Although some non-ferrous metals corrode, they do not rust
in the conventional sense
▪ Examples: aluminum, copper, brass, lead
▪ The Sesotec test bodies are made of brass
Factors of influence|
size & type of the metal contamination

Stainless steel
(VA or SS)

▪ Is not a naturally occurring material

▪ Has characteristics of Non-Ferrous metals and are corrosion
resistant
▪ Use is common in the food processing, however, sometimes
difficult to detect due to the poor conductivity
▪ There are different grades of stainless steels with different
properties
▪ e.g. DIN 1.4301 or AISI 304 or V2A (= Sesotec test bodies)
DIN 1.4571 or AISI 316 or V4A
Factors of influence|
shape & location of the metal contamination

▪ As magnetic field lines are directed, the shape and location of

metal contamination affects their detectability
▪ Balls have the smallest surface compared to their volume
and thus form the unfavorable but reproducible form for
detection in all positions
▪ Therefore, they are preferably used as test bodies
Factors of influence|
shape & location of the metal contamination

Stretched metal pieces, particulary wires represent a challenge in

terms of their detectability.

▪ Depending on the type of metal and its shape

▪ And its location in the search coil …

… the electric field is changed more or less. Depending on how

often the metal piece "crosses" magnetic field lines.
Factors of influence|
shape & location of the metal contamination
Factors of influence|
shape & location of the metal contamination

▪ Detection of metal wires in relation to their location in the search coil

Position of the wire in Detection of Detection of Detection of non-
conveying direction ferrous metals stainless steel ferrous metals
(Fe) (SS) (NonFe)
lengthwise good bad bad
upright bad good good
crosswise bad good good

▪ Detection of iron balls compared to various pieces of wire

Iron ball Iron wire Iron wire Copper wire Stainless steel
Ø mm Ø 0,5 mm Ø 1,0 mm Ø 1,0 mm wire Ø 1,0 mm
1,0 3 mm 1 mm 1,5 mm 3,0 mm

1,5 20 mm 3 mm 7 mm 40 mm
2,0 30 mm 6 mm 20 mm 200 mm
Factors of influence | product effect

▪ Each product has its own individual electrical conductivity

composition, influenced e.g. through
 moisture
 recipe
 temperature
 Size

▪ This individual electrical conductivity is called product effect

▪ Problems with metal detection result when the conductivity of
the product is similar to the conductivity of the sought-after
metal contamination
Factors of influence | product effect
Functional principle | signal evaluation
Amplitude

▪ Ideally product and

metal angle are
offset by 90°
▪ The metal
contamination can be
detected very well!

Phase

Product Sum vector

Angle
Metal contamination Threshold
Functional principle | signal evaluation
Amplitude

▪ The metal
contamination can be
detected just barely!

Phase

Product Sum vector

Angle
Metal contamination Threshold
Functional principle | signal evaluation
Amplitude

▪ In the worst case,

the product and the
metal contamination
have the same angle
▪ The metal
contamination can
not be detected!

Phase

Product Sum vector

Angle
Metal contamination Threshold
Factors of influence | product effect

▪ Non-ferrous metals in ▪ Ferrous metals in products

products which contain which contain iron
salt or frozen water ▪ Example: raw meat
▪ Examples: cheese, meat,
fish, convenience food,
etc.
Factors of influence | product effect - packaging

▪ Also the properties of the packaging include the product

effect and influence this often extremely negative
▪ For instance: metallized films, aluminum bags, Tetra Paks, ...
Factors of influence | product compensation

▪ Technically this problem is solved by the product

compensation
▪ Here the Sesotec metal detector "learns" the product and can
thereupon electronically blind out the product effect
▪ Product variance means that the products have slightly
different properties and thus create different product effects
Amplitude

Amplitude

Phase Phase
Factors of influence | operating frequency

▪ The stability of the frequency and the electromagnetic field

have fundamental influence on the quality of the metal
detection
▪ In the food industry operating frequencies from 80 to 600
kHz are usual
▪ There are coils with multi-frequency technology, which are
working with several frequencies

▪ It is the rule of thumb:

 The lower the operating frequency, the better iron
contaminations are detectable
 The higher the frequency, the better stainless steel and
non-ferrous contaminations are detectable
 For materials with high individual electrical conductivity
(high product effect) e.g. aluminized foils, a low signal
frequency is used
Factors of influence | operating frequency
Diameter test bodies

SS
NonFe
Fe

80 300 600 Frequency

[kHz]
Factors of influence | operating frequency

Moist product
Product effect

Dry product

80 300 600 Frequency

[kHz]

▪ The product effect of dry products is very small and almost

independent of the search frequency
▪ The product effect of moist products increases
disproportionately high with rising frequency
-> Use low frequencies for the inspection of moist products
Factors of influence | operating frequency
Factors of influence | conveying speed

▪ For physical reasons there are both, minimum and maximum

flow rates
▪ Below or above these limits, the sensitivity decreases
▪ Vmin and vmax are specified in the projection data sheets
▪ E.g. GLS Genius+ search coil: conveyor speeds of
vmin= 0,1 m/s to vmax= 2,1 m/s
sensitivity

vmin vmax
Factors of influence | aperture of the coil

▪ The size of the search coil is

adapted to the product
▪ The sensitivity decreases
with increasing size of the
aperture
▪ The specified sensitivity
values in the data sheets
always refer to the most
unfavorable position, that is
the point at which the
probability is least to detect a
metal contamination easily
▪ The worst point is always
the center of the detection
coil!
Factors of influence | location/ environment

▪ Vibrations:
Basically, the assembly should be as vibration free and
stable as possible
▪ Environment:
There must be no (electro) magnetic interference field
on the installation point
The devices comply with EG Directive EG EMV
2004/108/EG and Low Voltage Directive 2006/95/EG
▪ Electrostatic charging:
System components and pipes must be grounded
despite the use of anti-static or electrically conductive
coated scanning pipes
Thank you very much for your attention.

sesotec.com Julia Kunz, 15.03.2016

Updated by Emma Hu, 24.03.2017