How To Set Up A Metal Detector

What you need to know about setting up and maintaining your metal detector

Metal detectors are used in production lines as quality assurance checkers and will confirm that there are no metal particles or pieces in your final product before packaging and shipping. When purchasing a metal detector, it’s always a good idea to make sure it is calibrated correctly for your needs. Unfortunately, SIGMA Equipment does not perform calibrations or handle the set up of metal detectors in-house due to quality assurance purposes, but we have gathered all the necessary information and resources you will need to correctly set up and utilize your metal detector. The information below will cover the ways to calibrate your metal detector, but if you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to our team.

Utilizing the OEM

3rd Party Calibration

Additional Considerations

SIGMA Services

Working with the Original Equipment Manufacturer:

The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of your equipment can send a field service expert to calibrate and quickly get your detector running on the floor. The specific offerings of each OEM will differ but generally, they can provide you with calibration and validation services to ensure that your metal detector is in compliance with the industry’s safety standards.

We always recommend receiving calibrations for your detectors rather than just a validation so that your field service expert can detect and correct anything that may be affecting your equipment’s performance. You should also have a check-up on your equipment at least once a year to make sure everything is running correctly. Click here to see a full list of recommended OEMs who can assist you with your equipment.

Working with a 3rd party

There is also the option of working with a third-party calibration company that can inspect your equipment and ensures it is in compliance with safety regulations. This is a great alternative if you aren’t located near your OEM or if you need a service provider that is familiar with a variety of brands and equipment models. A calibration company can test your metal detector’s sensitivity and adjust it as needed so that it is up to Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), Safe Quality Food (SQF), or British Retail Consortium (BRC) standards.

Reliable companies who can assist you with your equipment:

Additional Considerations

Aside from maintaining your metal detector and making sure it is running optimally to detect contaminants, there are a few more things we think you should consider while setting up your equipment.

Metal-Free Zone (MFZ)

This is the area that surrounds the metal detector’s aperture that must be kept free of any metals, otherwise will result in false rejects. There are two different types of metals to consider, non-moving and moving.

Photo Credit: https://www.loma.com/en-us/about-us/news-press-releases/what-is-the-metal-free-zone

Testing

At SIGMA Equipment, our goal is to work with you to show you the functionality of your equipment. We can help cycle test your equipment and show it running with test strips to confirm that it will detect metal. The test wands that our team uses have small spheres of ferrous, non-ferrous, and stainless steel material so that when we run them through the machine, you are able to see the functionality by watching the equipment reject the test wand.

Aperture

When choosing your metal detector, how big the aperture size is not necessarily the most important aspect to focus on. If the aperture is much larger than the product you are running through it, you run the risk of losing some of the detector’s sensitivity and ultimately leading to false rejects. In order to get consistent and reliable results, the product must move through the middle of the aperture.

Metal Type

You should also know what kind of metal is most effective with your detector. Whether that be ferrous, non-ferrous, or stainless steel.

Packaging Type

If your packaging includes any type of metal, your metal detector may not be as effective and could produce false rejects.

SIGMA Services

Should you need any other additional assistance with your metal detector, SIGMA Equipment’s expanded shop (LINK OUT) offers a variety of technical and engineering equipment solutions that help you prepare to set up your metal detector. Our experts can retool and recondition your equipment so it’s ready to go and get your production line up and running. Summary Implementing a metal detector is extremely important to your product’s safety and reliability, but making sure your detector is set up and performing correctly is even more crucial. Establishing this foundation will give you the assurance that your production will run correctly and detect contaminants accurately.

When it comes to finding the right metal detector for your needs, keeping up with your production, or keeping your product safe, our service team has the knowledge and industry experience to provide the answers. To get started with SIGMA, reach out to one of our sales experts by clicking the link below, or click [here](link to metal detectors equipment list) to see our list of available metal detectors!

Disclaimer: The type of product that you run through your production line varies from customer to customer. On top of this, there are also a variety of certifications or site-specific approvals, and customer’s site production set up, making it difficult to replicate your site-specific work. Because of this, it is crucial that you talk to your Quality Assurance team and professionals trained by the OEM. Those professionals and your QA team can assure you that everything with the equipment is uniform and up to standards and will run in your production environment.

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