Today
How a magnetic drum with a ferrite magnet reliably removed nails from wood chips (case study)
Removing metal contaminants from wood chips is, in practice, one of the biggest challenges when processing pallet wood and wood waste. Nails, screws and metal fragments commonly end up in the chips – and searching for them by hand is time-consuming, physically demanding and never 100% reliable.
That is why a custom-designed prototype device was created, with a magnetic drum fitted with a ferrite magnet as its key component. The goal was simple: to remove metal contaminants from the chips automatically, reliably and without unnecessary effort before the material is used further.
Real-world testing: not a lab, but an actual operation
To prove the device works outside ideal conditions, the test was carried out directly on site.
The magnetic drum was fed with the entire contents of a trailer full of wood chips — material that typically contains pallet nails, leftover fasteners and other metal contaminants.
The result was immediate and very convincing.
Metal contaminants were captured during the very first pass of material over the magnetic drum.
To verify this, we ran the same chips through the device again.
During the second pass, no additional nails or screws were captured.
This was followed by a check using a bar magnet and a visual inspection of the material. The outcome was the same: no remaining metal contaminants.
Why a magnetic drum with a ferrite magnet works so well
The magnetic drum with a ferrite magnet proved to be an ideal solution for this application, especially thanks to the combination of simplicity and reliability:
- continuous, automatic metal separation without operator intervention
- robust design suitable for coarse, bulky material
- long service life of the ferrite magnet
- minimal operating costs
- an ideal solution for wood chips, pallet wood and wood waste
The magnetic drum runs smoothly – captures and separates metals, and the chips continue onward already clean.
Conclusion
This case study clearly shows that a magnetic drum with a ferrite magnet is a highly effective solution for removing metal contaminants from wood chips.
When:
- metals are removed during the first pass,
- the second pass only confirms the material’s cleanliness,
- and the follow-up check doesn’t find a single nail,
it’s clear the technology works exactly as intended.
Simple principle. Robust design. Maximum real-world effect.
Equipment used: Magnetic drum MB 204 F 600
