Security hand held metal detectors

Although they have become popular on countless beaches across the world, metal detecting has become crucial in the safety/security field. Ever since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, airport security has become increasingly thorough (and irritating), from increased “random” searches to losing the ability to bring liquid through security. But the one aspect of airport security that has remained intact is the metal detector. We’ve all experienced the anxiety of walking through the metal detector, but a few “lucky” individuals have had the pleasure of being frisked by security hand held metal detectors.

Also known as security wands, these metal detectors allow the operator to find specific contraband on the perpetrator. A walk-through metal detector can only detect the presence of metal (some advanced detectors can give an approximate height of the object off the ground), but security hand held metal detectors can pinpoint the exact location of a dangerous object-which makes them perfect secondary, security device.

There are many types of metal detection, but they all share various similarities. All detectors rely on a basic system called beat frequency oscillation (BFO). This system involves two coils of wire, which are connected to an oscillator that produces thousands of pulses per second. When the pulses travel the length of the wire, they create radio waves.

A tiny receiver located on the metal detector will pick up these radio waves and transmit them into an audible series of beeps-usually based on the difference between the frequencies. When the coils pass over a metal object, the current passing through the coils creates a magnetic field around the object. This newly-created field interferes with the frequency from the initial coils, thereby changing the frequency of oscillation in the metal detector. The resulting radio waves change the duration and tone of the beeps, and that’s why hand held metal detectors will beep more rapidly when passed over metal objects.

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