Sorting line for separation of slightly magnetic stainless out of non-ferrous metals

The line is designed to separate mildly magnetic stainless steel from non-ferrous metals — typically copper — in cases where both fractions pass through a recycling process together. The input material is a fine-grained stainless/non-ferrous metal mixture with a low stainless steel content (approx. 5%), where the stainless steel is present as fine particles from 1 micron in size. Typical applications include e-waste processing and industrial non-ferrous metal recycling lines.

The line processes up to 2,000 kg of material per hour. It is optimised for fine-grained fractions where stainless steel and non-magnetic non-ferrous metals are mixed together. Thanks to the screw conveyor and vibratory feeder, material feeding is smooth and uniform even during continuous operation.

Standard magnets (drum separators, overband magnets) are dimensioned for strongly magnetic materials — iron, steel. However, stainless steel is only mildly magnetic: its magnetic susceptibility is several orders of magnitude lower than that of ordinary steel, which is why conventional separators cannot reliably capture it. The MV-R 600 separator uses radial polarisation of the magnetic system, which creates an extremely high magnetic field gradient — an induction of up to 11,000 G — and can capture stainless steel particles from as small as 1 micron.

11,000 G (Gauss) is approximately 10–20 times higher magnetic induction than that achieved by standard ferrous metal separators. This makes it possible to capture even materials with a very weak magnetic response. The 1-micron threshold means that the line effectively separates even fine stainless steel dust that would otherwise pass into the non-ferrous metal fraction, reducing its purity and scrap value.

The screw conveyor ensures a smooth, uniform supply of material to the vibratory feeder and then onto the MV-R separator. Compared to a belt conveyor, it allows precise flow control even when the density of the input material varies, thereby stabilising the layer thickness on the separator — a key condition for achieving consistent stainless steel capture efficiency in continuous operation.

With a stainless steel content of only approx. 5% in the input material, any shutdown of the line for manual cleaning of the separator would significantly reduce overall throughput. The MV-R 600 separator is equipped with an automatic cleaning system that continuously removes the captured stainless steel fraction without interrupting the material flow. This enables unattended continuous operation without loss of efficiency caused by blinding of the magnetic surface.

The line is used primarily in e-waste processing, where granulate from shredded printed circuit boards contains a mixture of copper, aluminium and stainless steel. It is also used in industrial foundries and non-ferrous metal processors, where stainless steel is an unwanted impurity that reduces the quality of the output material. Wherever the goal is to obtain a clean non-ferrous metal fraction free of stainless steel, this line is the optimal solution.

The delivery covers the entire process — from input material analysis, design and custom manufacturing through assembly, commissioning and operator training, including authorised service throughout the lifetime of the equipment. Warranty conditions and the specific scope of the warranty are determined individually depending on the application and line configuration. Before ordering, we offer free testing of your material with a guaranteed completion time of three days.