Bluestreak Industrial
Magnetic Sweepers

There are many factors to consider when choosing a magnetic sweeper. Below, we discuss three of the most important considerations to keep in mind.

• Applications
• Features
• Pickup Power

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.

Bluestreak 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 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.

Different features are required for any given situation you might need a heavy-duty magnetic sweeper. If the magnet sweeper is going to be used everyday, it might be worth investing in more convenience features that allow for better handling or easier debris clean off. Other features that come into play include the level of ground strike protection you need on your magnetic sweeper, this will depend on the terrain you are operating in. The amount of magnetic power you need will depends on the debris type you are trying to collect, the surface it is being picked up from, and how fast you want to run the magnet across the surface.

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.

More power is not always the answer when picking a magnetic sweeper; for example if a handheld or rolling magnet is very powerful but so heavy that it is cumbersome to use, this will be less useful than a magnet that is sufficiently powerful to collect your debris but light enough to easily move around. Bluestreak Equipment keeps this mix of requirements in mind when designing our heavy duty magnets for each given application, but only you will know what is best for you.