Bluestreak Industrial
Magnetic Solutions

In most cases, the ideal magnetic sweeper depends on the intended application. Among other factors, the amount of space or area that needs to be swept, the type of surface (whether flat or all terrain), as well as type and amount of debris in the application area influence which type of sweeper is most appropriate.

For example, handheld sweepers are lightweight, compact, and easy-to-handle, all of which makes them ideal for use in and around confined or tight spaces. On the other hand, push-type sweepers have wheels, come in wider widths, and generally house more powerful magnetic components, which makes them more suitable for cleaning larger areas. Both can be outfitted with a magnetic sweeper release feature.

Magnetic sweepers come with different feature configurations to suit different applications. One of the most important design considerations is the terrain the magnet will be used on. Regardless of type, if the magnet will be used in all terrain, off road type conditions such as dirt, gravel and grass, the magnet must have features for these types of terrain. Similarly, a magnet used for flat surfaces such as concrete and asphalt must have features for this terrain.

For example, a rolling magnetic sweeper like the Bora that is designed for flat surfaces only has three wheel-height settings, no angled nose, and no “wrap around” feature. However, it does have an extremely strong frame for industrial operation applications. By comparison, the RIP has the same magnet as the Bora, but it is designed for all terrain, heavy duty magnetic sweeper applications, has seven wheel height settings to accommodate varying grassy or dirt conditions, and has an angled nose for easy pushing through grass.

In addition, it also has Bluestreak’s “wrap around” design feature to prevent debris being wiped off the bottom by grass or dirt and gravel ruts etc after the debris is picked up. To accommodate these features, the RIP does not have as strong of a frame as the Bora.

At Bluestreak we focus on application specific design and ensure each sweeper has the right features for the intended applications.

The power of a magnetic sweeper can be measured in different ways and is often defined in different ways depending on the manufacturer.

At Bluestreak, we measure pickup power in terms of the “maximum lifting height” a magnetic sweeper can pick up a 2 ½ -inch nail from in a bench test. For example. The Wrasse (4.5×4.5) model has a maximum lifting height of 8 ½ inches. This means that if the Wrasse magnet was suspended over the floor such that the bottom of the magnet was 8 ½ inches above the floor, it would pick up a 2 ½ inch nail from this height.

It’s an imperfect measurement but it’s one that customers can generally understand better than Gauss strength measurements and it is also a real indicator of how the magnet performs on picking up a fairly common piece of debris, which is the nail.

How to Measure Magnetic Sweeper Pickup Power