Separation & Detection Systems

Separation equipment works on magnetism alone, so it only captures ferrous (magnetic) contamination. Non-ferrous metals such as aluminium, brass and most stainless steel grades aren't magnetic and will pass straight through a separator untouched. Picking up non-ferrous metal is the job of detection equipment, which uses electronic sensing rather than magnetism to identify metal contamination regardless of whether it's magnetic.

Separation physically removes ferrous contamination from the product as it passes through, before it can cause damage further down the line. Detection doesn't remove anything itself - it senses metal contamination (ferrous, non-ferrous, and often stainless) as it passes through and triggers a reject or alarm. If your only risk is ferrous contamination, separation alone is usually sufficient and is the simpler, lower-cost option. If you also need to catch non-ferrous or stainless contamination, or you need auditable proof of due diligence for food safety, detection is required. Many lines run both together - separation early to take the bulk of the ferrous risk out, detection later as a final safety net for everything else.

Our equipment can be specified in food-grade stainless steel with hygienic, washdown-friendly designs suited to HACCP-controlled environments. The exact certifications and standards that apply depend on the specific system and how it's being used in your process, so it's best to talk to our team about your setup directly - they'll confirm what's relevant and what documentation we can provide for your due diligence file.

These are separate configurations. Dry product separation (grate magnets, drum separators, chute magnets, etc.) is built around free-flowing solids, while liquid separation (in-line traps and housings) is designed around flow rate, pressure and viscosity. A process that involves both a dry stage and a liquid stage would typically need the appropriate separator fitted at each stage, rather than one unit covering both. Our team can map this out against your process for you.

Most retrofits are straightforward - it usually means breaking into existing pipework or a conveyor and fitting the unit using standard flanges or fixings. Some downtime is generally unavoidable since the line has to be opened up to install it, but for most installations this is measured in hours rather than days. More complex or bespoke builds may need a planned shutdown window, which we'll scope out with you in advance so it can be timed to suit your production schedule.

There's no consumable element to replace - maintenance is simply cleaning off the captured contamination. Most separators are designed for quick-release access, so a clean typically takes a few minutes per unit. Frequency depends entirely on your contamination levels - some lines check daily, others are fine with a weekly clean. Detection systems work differently and instead need periodic calibration checks to stay within your food safety auditing schedule.

This varies by system, so we're not able to quote a standard lead time. Once we've assessed your requirements and completed the outline design, we'll give you a realistic delivery estimate specific to your build.

Yes, every system has practical limits at both ends, and these are set by the model and housing size rather than being fixed across the board. As a rule, the free volume inside the unit needs to be larger than the pipework it's fitted to, or you'll restrict flow - so very high flow rates need a correspondingly larger unit. Send us your actual flow data and our team will match you to the right size.