CHALLENGE
Metal contamination can create serious risk in wood chip processing.
The customer processes a mixture of virgin and recycled wood chips as part of a wood panel manufacturing operation.
Recycled wood can introduce additional contamination risk, with ferrous metal such as nails, screws, wire, staples, and other tramp metal entering the process. If not removed, this material can damage downstream equipment, disrupt production, and affect final product quality.
The customer needed a reliable way to clean the wood chip stream before further processing, while maintaining consistent flow through the line. The solution also had to be designed around the plant layout to ensure it could be installed correctly into the existing process.
SOLUTION
Inline magnetic separation provided continuous protection.
Bunting supplied an Inline Oil-Cooled Electro Overband Magnet designed to remove ferrous contamination from the mixed wood chip stream.
Positioned directly in the process line, the magnet captures tramp metal as material passes through, helping prevent contaminants from traveling further downstream.
Bunting worked closely with the customer to customize the design to suit their plant layout, including the overall length and suspension angle. Drawings were provided for customer approval before manufacture, helping ensure the magnet could be integrated correctly into the existing process.
The system was selected to provide dependable separation performance in a demanding wood processing environment, where material flow, equipment protection, and product quality are all critical.
SYSTEM DESIGN
Designed to clean mixed wood chips without interrupting production.
The Inline Oil-Cooled Electro Overband Magnet was engineered for installation within the customer’s existing process, allowing ferrous metal to be removed continuously from the wood chip stream.
To support installation, Bunting customized the equipment design around the plant layout, including the required length and suspension angle. Approval drawings were supplied before manufacture so the customer could review the design and confirm suitability for their site.
The system supports:
- Removal of tramp ferrous metal from virgin and recycled wood chips
- Customized design to suit the customer’s plant layout
- Approval drawings provided before manufacture
- Protection of downstream processing equipment
- Continuous operation within the production line
- Improved process control before further material processing
By removing metal early in the process, the system helps reduce the risk of damage and supports a more reliable manufacturing operation.
RESULT
Cleaner wood chips and greater protection for downstream equipment.
With the Inline Oil-Cooled Electro Overband Magnet in place, the customer gained a dependable method of removing ferrous contamination from mixed wood chip material.
This helps reduce the risk of equipment damage, unplanned downtime, and contamination-related quality issues.
For wood panel manufacturers, effective magnetic separation supports both process reliability and finished product consistency.
WHY IT MATTERS
Contamination control is essential when recycled wood enters the process.
Recycled wood can help support more efficient use of resources, but it also increases the need for reliable contaminant removal.
Magnetic separation provides an important safeguard by capturing ferrous metal before it can damage equipment or compromise production. In wood processing and panel manufacturing, this can help improve uptime, reduce maintenance risk, and support consistent product quality.
Customising the magnet to suit the installation also helps reduce project risk. By confirming key details such as length, suspension angle, and approval drawings before manufacture, the final system can be built around the realities of the customer’s plant rather than forcing the plant to adapt around the equipment.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Why is metal removal important in wood chip processing?
Metal removal protects downstream equipment from damage and helps prevent contamination from reaching later stages of production. This is especially important when processing recycled wood.
2. What types of metal can be found in recycled wood chips?
Recycled wood chips can contain ferrous contaminants such as nails, screws, staples, wire, brackets, and other metal fragments from previous use or handling.
3. How does an Inline Oil-Cooled Electro Overband Magnet work?
An Inline Oil-Cooled Electro Overband Magnet is installed over the material flow to attract and remove ferrous metal from the conveyed product stream. Captured metal is removed before it can reach downstream equipment.
4. Can magnetic separation be used on mixed virgin and recycled wood chips?
Yes. Magnetic separation is commonly used to remove ferrous metal from both virgin and recycled wood chip streams before further processing.
5. Why is recycled wood more likely to contain metal contamination?
Recycled wood may come from pallets, construction material, furniture, or other used wood products. These materials can contain nails, screws, staples, and other ferrous contaminants that must be removed before processing.
6. Can overband magnets be customized for existing plant layouts?
Yes. Overband magnets can be customized to suit existing plant layouts, including factors such as equipment length, suspension angle, conveyor position, and available installation space. Approval drawings are often used before manufacture to confirm the final design.
