By Greg Washburn and Joshua Belisle · Edited by Dana Gardner
Published August 8, 2024 · Reviewed by Greg Washburn · July 30, 2026
Summary
How does an electronic metal separator remove metal from resin?
An electronic metal separator uses highly sensitive electronics to detect ferrous and non-ferrous metal particles as small as 0.5mm in the material stream and removes them automatically. It is typically bolted directly on the throat of a processing machine running a slow choke-feed, so metal in virgin material or contaminated regrind is rejected before it can cause costly machine damage.
This type of metal separator has highly sensitive electronics that react to both ferrous and non-ferrous metal particles as small as 0.5mm. They are typically bolted directly on the throat of a processing machine in an application with a slow choke-feed. Ferrous metals plus stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass, nickel, and even lead – including contaminated regrind, are identified and automatically removed from the material stream.Features to look for:
- Automatic Venturi-driven Vacuum Reject Mechanism
—With a fast-acting pneumatically driven slide gate - No ‘Blind Spot’ in Rejection Cycle
—Results in superior rejection performance that reduces the risk of costly machine damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What metals can an electronic metal separator detect?
It reacts to both ferrous and non-ferrous metals. That covers ferrous metals plus stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass, nickel, and even lead, in particles as small as 0.5mm. Metal carried in contaminated regrind is identified and automatically removed from the material stream the same way.
Where is an electronic metal separator installed?
It is typically bolted directly on the throat of the processing machine, in an application with a slow choke-feed. In that position it is the last check before material enters the machine, so metal that got past upstream handling is removed before it can cause costly machine damage.
What features should I look for in an electronic metal separator?
Look for an automatic venturi-driven vacuum reject mechanism with a fast-acting, pneumatically driven slide gate. Also look for a design with no blind spot in the rejection cycle, which improves rejection performance and reduces the risk of costly machine damage from metal that would otherwise pass through.
About the Authors
Vice President of Operations, Novatec
Greg Washburn is Vice President of Operations at Novatec and has been with the company for more than three decades. He is involved in all phases of engineering design and product manufacturing, giving him a broad perspective on how resin drying and conveying equipment moves from engineering concept through production and into real-world processing environments. Greg holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and an MBA from Loyola University Maryland. His experience spans engineering, manufacturing and operations across Novatec’s material-handling technologies.
Technology Manager, Novatec
Joshua Belisle is Technology Manager at Novatec, where his work focuses on simulation and technology development for resin drying. He earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Engineering Business from the University of Virginia in 2023 and joined Novatec that same year. Joshua uses simulation tools to investigate previously difficult-to-measure aspects of the drying process, helping Novatec better understand airflow, heat transfer and other variables that influence resin-drying performance.
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