 BBs, Nails, Wire, Random Metal Trash
collected by the sweeper magnet. Shields Company recently received a magnetic sweeper inquiry, which resulted in an order, from a company seeking to retrieve “BBs”. While this may not seem odd at first, it’s the nature of the BB use that is unusual.
When our customer service rep inquired as to the nature of the use, the customer explained that they were a manufacturer of nail polish and that inside each jar of nail polish is a BB (if you’ve ever shaken a jar of your wife’s nail polish, they definitely have a BB inside to stir it up). Apparently the customer was having an issue with BBs by the thousands, perhaps millions, on the warehouse floor and must get them cleaned up. A sweeper magnetwas the most logical way to accomplish this. As a result, and after discussing the application, the customer decided on a magnet sweepers to attach on an electric forklifts. Problem solved!
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US Air Force FOD Improvements
 Magnetic Sweeper Usage vs. Foreign Object Debris Incidents As seen on the chart , using data compiled by the United States Air Force, incidents from “FOD” or “Foreign Object Debris” inversely decline nearly 1000% when using magnetic sweepers along flightlines and aircraft traffic areas. This chart shows the ratio of FOD incidents per 100k flight hours when using magnetic sweepers.
Flat Tire Reduction
Recently Southwest Airlines’ Houston station spent approximately $7000 for tire repair costs. More significant was the time ramp equipment was out of service. As you know, keeping equipment in serviceable condition is essential to running an efficient operation.
 Southwest’s Ground Equipment Maintenance Foreman decided to try Shields Magnetics and their product line, including the magnetic ramp sweeper. This product is designed to pick up metallic FOD in order to prevent ingestion in aircraft engines and to prevent tire damage to ramp equipment. Initially Southwest purchased three Magnetic Ramp Sweepers. These immediately proved very effective. They followed up with an order to equip each of their bag tugs with a unit. The result has been that tires repairs have been significantly reduced, from somewhere in the vicinity of 15 flat tires a week down to two or three.
 Standard Magnetic Sweeper Bar We are constantly asked “What is the lifting power” of a magnetic sweeper. Our response to this is two-fold. ”Lifting power” of a magnetic sweeper is a very misleading term. When measuring the strength of a magnetic sweeper in a controlled environment such as in a stand on a warehouse table, the magnetic sweeper will hold a 150 lb. flat plate. When adjusting the height of the sweeper, it is possible to measure the distance to pick up various objects such as paper clips, tools, nails etc… All of this changes the second a magnetic sweeper is installed on a service vehicle. There are SO many variables in play eg: suspension height, traveling speed, type of terrain etc.. that it is almost impossible to tell a customer “the unit will pick up such and such”. It is not an exact science when using a magnetic sweeper for it’s intended purpose. What we do know, and this is from studies conducted by several air carriers using the product, is that there is a significant reduction in equipment damage incidents in relation to the number of magnetic sweepers in use. A magnetic sweeper, when mounted by chain from a service vehicle and within 4″ of the ground, will pick up virtually all ferrous metal it goes over assuming a traveling speed not to exceed about 10 mph. The smaller metal is actually harder to pick up as there is less service area. The larger object such as a wrench, pliers or other tools, are very easy for a magnetic sweeper to pick up as there is more surface area to attract. Shields Company uses only the strongest Grade 8 permanent magnets so if there is any chance of picking up the metal, our magnetic sweepers will get it done. That’s why we put a product performance guarantee on all products.
Tri-Polar© Magnetic Circuitry is a state of the art method of magnetizing a permanent magnet which all but eliminates peripheral magnetic leakage, directing the magnetic field straight down and creating a stronger magnet. Shields belt magnets are 30% stronger than competing units of the same size, and equivalent or superior to many sizes of Electro Magnets, depending on the application. This technology is not available from any other magnet system manufacturer in North America. Benefits of this are:
- Prevents Magnetic Field Peripheral Leakage
- Lowers incidences of surrounding frames, structures and idlers, from becoming magnetized
- Achieves better tramp metal extractions
- Assists in reducing conveyor belt damage
Visit Shields Company Magnetics for more information on our full line of industrial magnetic products.
 Flight Deck of an Aircraft Carrier Aircraft carriers and flightlines go hand-in-hand. The safety of both on-deck personnel and the pilots is of paramount importance and one of the key methods of debris clean-up on a flightline is with FOD Magnets and Magnetic Brooms.
When a jet engine is idling, it is sucking in over 23,000 lbs of inbound “thrust”. One small stray piece of “foreign object debris” or “F.O.D. metal ingested into the engine can be spit back out and kill an officer on deck. This same stray piece of metal has the capacity to shut down a 5 million dollar engine as well as damage turbine blades. Multiple daily FOD Walks along a flight deck using a magnetic broom remove Metal from GROOVES and NICHES unreachable using any other FOD removal equipment/sweeping devices. In addition, many of the on-deck service vehicles utilize the hanging style magnetic sweeper to continuously canvass for stray metal. Between the FOD walks using a magnetic broom and the installation of a magnetic sweeper or “FOD Magnet”, the flightlines and flightdecks of our country’s aircraft carriers are kept as clear as possible of dangerous ferrous metal.
 It never fails to amaze us at the broad spectrum of customers coming to us for magnets. Just when we think we’ve run out of new industries to cater to, we get another call for a use which probably no person other than the guy on the other end, would be familiar. We all know that certain fast food restaurants sell chicken nuggets. Well, those little nuggets have to be consistently chopped by “choppers” down to a certain size. Those “choppers” are metal and over time, metal fragments will wear off and drop in a conveyor line. We have sold conveyor belt magnets to food processing companies to eliminate this threat and insure a pure product line free of metal contaminants. Yet another use, same scenario, is potato chips processors. Potatoes have to be sliced and diced and it’s critical that no metal end up in the food line. Vegetable plant processors, think broccoli and asparagus, also use conveyor magnets to maintain a pure product line and eliminate metal contaminants from entering the food processing line. There are magnets for all needs, in the case of the food industry, the magnets, specifically their housings, must be “food grade” stainless steel for corrosion resistance. The other area, where magnets are used is to extract the cutlery from the trays of discarded airline food. While only the folks in first class get meals on trays, the forks, knives and spoons from these trays have to be separated by the flight catering companies. Once a flight is landed and the dirty trays removed from the plane, there are conveyor lines which transport the dirty trays upon which magnets are placed in order to insure that all cutlery is removed from the flight trays before washing.
In a world where so much is in front of our eyes, it’s kind of interesting to know how magnets assist in the “behind the scenes” world that make it all happen.
 “Easy Grab” Handles for quick and easy debris removal and unit inspection. Toyota Lift Truck has chosen to use Shields Company’s Type ALT Magnetic Sweepers with Grab Handles on the Toyota line of fork lift trucks. Shields originally designed this option on it’s magnetic sweepers for Toyota and it’s made the job of cleaning off the magnetic sweeper much easier. Shields Type ALT Magnetic Sweepers with the grab handles have become quite popular across many markets. Shields is the first company to offer such an option on it’s magnetic sweepers however it probably won’t be long until it’s copied! Shields Company is the original U.S. Manufacturer of magnetic sweepers and has spawned many imitators. Shields constant attention to making the product better and making the customer experience easier has enabled the Shields line of magnetic sweepers to remain the strongest selling brand in the world.
 DAGS Magnetic Forklift Covers Shields Company’s new line of DAGS Magnetic Fork Covers serve a dual purpose. Since these are rubber forklift fork covers, or rubber forklift covers, they will keep all painted surfaces scratch free and safe from harm. These rubber fork covers also are magnetic. As magnetic fork covers, they will keep the load in place and free from slipping. Magnetic forklift covers are simple to install and easy to store when not in use. Simply “stick” the magnetic fork covers on the side of the forklift when not in use! Rubber forklift covers stay out of the way and are there when ready to use!
 Belt Magnets with Exclusive Tri-Polar Magnetic Circuitry Shields Belt Magnets are the only belt magnets available with exclusive Tri-Polar Magnetic Circuitry. Shields Comany/Mastermag has developed this computer designed magnetic circuitry using a rare, large and very costly 13 ton magnetizer, one of only three in the world. It is exclusively available on Shields/Mastermag 12, 14, 16 and 18 series belt magnets.
Translated what it means is this. Most belt magnets and magnet systems manufacturers traditionally magnetize ceramic blocks before forming the circuit in a stainless steel box. Due to the nature of magnets and belt magnets-wanting to repel each other- there is a limitation on how many blocks can be stacked on top of each other. Shields Company belts magnets are formed in the stainless steel box prior to magnetizing. After the circuit is arrange and box sealed, it is immersed in the 13 ton magnetizer for three separate charging sessions, thoroughly magnetizing the system creating the Tri-Polar Magnetic Circuitry. All Shields belt magnets used Ceramic 8 material. This is also known as Strontium Ferrite.
With the Tri-Polar Magnetic Circuitry as part of Shields larger belt magnets, Permanent Magnet Technology will never be the same. As a direct result of this technology, peripheral magnetic leakage is all but eliminated, directing the magnetic field straight down and creating a stronger magnet. These belt magnets are approximately 30% more powerful than the competing units of the same size, and equivalent or superior to many sizes of Electro-magnets. As a result of this strength, Manganese Wear Impact Plates are included as standard on this line of belt magnets.
When shopping for belt magnets, there is no other option. Our pricing and technology is unrivaled in the industry.
We get periodically about safety standards for our lifting magnets. Lifting magnets have a universal standard to which they should subscribe or meet. That standard is the ASME standard B30.20-2010 requires a minimum 2:1 safety ratio between safe working load (SWL) and test load. manufacturer’s have different standards that tend to be higher, most permanent magnetic lifter producers work to 3:1 Shields Company lifting magnets meet and exceed the 3:1 safety rating as prescribed by ASME. Our lifting magnets are designed to be used on a variety of surface, rough, smooth, waffle grid etc… thus the 3:1 safety rating becomes even more important. Irregular shapes and varying thickness has an impact on the performance of a lifting magnet. Lifting magnets are made to also lift round steel as well as oblong object. When choosing lifting magnets, it’s best to describe your application in detail to the specialist.
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