subject: Plate Magnets Are Important To Industry [print this page] Mass production has some dangerous drawbacks because foreign objects can go unnoticed and cause damage or injury. Harvested crops are processed through large equipment run across the ground where parts come loose and can drop into the product. Multiple passes by gleaners to remove all foreign objects will miss the tiniest objects that contaminate the final product if not removed. Plate magnets were invented in direct response to the need to purify large quantities of non-metal ingredients through machinery made completely of metal.
Plate magnets are one inch thick and vary from eight to twenty-four inches wide and match the width of standard conveyor belts. The face of the magnet falls into the categories of standard or food-grade, which must be certified, for use in food processing for humans and animals. During the design of the processing plant, plate magnets of the appropriate size and strength are ordered and installed.
For ease of cleaning, the plate magnet housing surrounds the flat magnet, and a set of hinges holds the framed magnet while one edge is lifted directly upward with the handle. When all metal and ferrous objects have been removed from the magnets surface, the assembly is closed, and the conveyor is started again. One of the best methods for cleaning the magnet is to use a small vacuum to ensure the capture of every object. Since metal is not supposed to be in the product passing by the magnet, the cleaning is not required very often. Prior to cleaning the magnet, close examination is made of the foreign matter and recorded to track the types of objects that are contaminating the ingredients.
Anywhere delicate equipment could be damaged by a small piece of metal, a plate magnet is mounted above or below the conveyor belt to capture any foreign matter. When the product is processed through another machine, another plate magnet will follow to ensure that nothing metal fell from the machine into the product. Animal feed and human food producers use plate magnets to ensure product purity at every stage of production. Anywhere industrial equipment is used for non-metal materials, multiple plate magnets are planned into the processing line. Another place where plate magnets are found is in gravity, pneumatic and vacuum duct systems where a foreign piece of metal can become a missile within the system. Plate magnets are mounted within corners to pull any foreign objects out of the main airway.
Any foreign object found by the end consumer can cause very expensive product recalls that can damage the reputation of the company for many years to come. Employee safety is equally important when removing sharp objects and bits of rust from materials during processing activities. Plate magnets play a key role in protecting equipment and purifying product materials in large factories and processing plants. The effort to purify food and keep employees safe is rarely understood or appreciated by most consumers.
