What are the components of a metal detector?
In this article we will look at what exactly constitutes a metal detector for it to do the job it does. We will also look at the three types of technology that are also associated with metal detectors.
A typical metal detector will be lightweight and consist of only a number of parts.
1. stabilizer – This is an option and is used to keep the metal detector stable while the user sweeps it back and forth.
2. control box – This is what contains all the circuit, controls, speaker, batteries and microprocessor for the metal detector.
3. axis – This connects the box to the coil and is often adjustable so people can set it to a comfortable level for their height.
4. search coil – Probably one of the most important parts of any metal detector as it actually detects if there is metal there. In some cases, some people may refer to it as a “search head”, “loop”, or “antenna”.
However, most systems will also have a jack to connect headphones to the metal detector and some will have the control box below the shaft and a small display unit above it.
Operating a metal detector is quite simple. All you need to do is turn it on and then slowly move over the area where you want to search. In most cases you will sweep the coil back and forth over the ground in front of you and when it passes over a target object the metal detector will emit an audible signal. There are more advanced metal detectors available that provide a display noting the type of metal it has detected and how deep it is in the ground.
There are three types of technology that are used in metal detectors and these are:-
1. VLF – Very Low Frequency
This is probably the most popular sensing technology available today and is made up of two distinct coils, the transmit coil and the receive coil.
2. PI – Pulse Induction
Unlike the VLF metal detector, the PI system can either use a single coil as a transmitter and receiver or it can have 2 or even 3 coils working together.
3. BFO – Beat Frequency Oscillation
This is the most basic way to detect metals. In a BFO system there are 2 coils of wire, one of which is in the search head and the other smaller coil will be located inside the control box.