Magnetic Separator FAQ

Two machines, two different jobs. Here is how to tell them apart and when to use each.

A magnetic conveyor and a magnetic separator both use magnets to handle ferrous material, but they perform opposite functions. A magnetic conveyor is a material handling device that transports solid ferrous chips and parts. A magnetic separator is a fluid filtration device that pulls ferrous fines out of coolant. One moves metal. The other cleans fluid.

Quick Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a magnetic conveyor and a magnetic separator?

The difference is what they act on. A magnetic conveyor transports solid ferrous scrap such as chips, stamping slugs, turnings, and small parts from the machine to downstream equipment or a container. A magnetic separator removes suspended ferrous fines and sludge from a fluid stream so the coolant or oil runs cleaner. A conveyor is used for material handling. A separator is fluid filtration.

What does a magnetic conveyor do?

A magnetic conveyor moves ferrous material cleanly and without carryover. PRAB uses a beltless slide design, with permanent magnets on a chain beneath a stationary stainless steel slider bed that grip the material and carry it to the release point, including up inclines. It is the right tool when the goal is to reliably move fine or thin ferrous scrap to a wringer, centrifuge, briquetter, or bin. See the full magnetic conveyor product page for models and configurations.

What does a magnetic separator do?

A magnetic separator removes ferrous contaminants from liquid. PRAB separators use a rotating drum fitted with ferrite or rare-earth magnets. As contaminated coolant or cutting oil flows across the drum, ferrous particles are captured and carried out of the fluid stream, and the cleaned fluid continues on. It is commonly used in grinding, honing, and gear cutting, and often runs as a pre-filter ahead of other fluid filtration equipment. PRAB ferrite models remove up to 97 percent of ferrous particles larger than 40 microns, and rare-earth models capture down to 15 microns, per PRAB published specifications.

Do I need a magnetic conveyor or a magnetic separator?

Choose based on the problem you are solving. If solid ferrous chips are piling up at the machine and need to be moved away cleanly, you need a magnetic conveyor. If your coolant is loaded with fine ferrous particles that hurt tool life and surface finish, you need a magnetic separator. Many operations end up using both because moving the scrap and cleaning the fluid are two separate goals.

Can I use a magnetic conveyor and a magnetic separator together?

Yes, and they often work as a pair. A magnetic conveyor handles the solid scrap leaving the machine, while a magnetic separator keeps the coolant clean in the same cell. Both feed the larger goal of recovering fluid and scrap value, which is where coolant recycling systems complete the loop.

Is a magnetic conveyor a type of filtration?

No. A magnetic conveyor is a conveying and material handling device, not a filtration device. It can help the coolant drain off the scrap as it moves, which reduces fluid carried away with the chips, but it does not filter the fluid itself. Removing particles from the fluid is the job of a magnetic separator or other fluid filtration equipment.

What kind of magnets does each one use?

Both use permanent magnets, but are configured differently. A PRAB magnetic conveyor uses ceramic magnets, with rare-earth available, mounted on a moving chain under a fixed slider bed to grip and carry solid scrap. A PRAB magnetic separator uses ferrite or rare-earth magnets inside a rotating drum to attract fine particles out of flowing fluid. The conveyor holds and transports. The separator attracts and extracts.

Which industries use each?

• Magnetic conveyors: CNC machining, stamping, and grinding operations that generate ferrous chips, fines, and thin scrap that must be moved without spillage.
• Magnetic separators: centerless and heavy stock removal grinding, honing, and gear cutting, where fine ferrous particles end up suspended in coolant.

For non-ferrous or mixed scrap that a magnet cannot hold, a steel belt conveyor is the appropriate transport choice instead of a magnetic conveyor.

How do I choose the right one for my operation?

Start by separating the two questions: how do I move the scrap, and how do I keep the fluid clean. For the scrap side, use PRAB’s conveyor selection tool or browse the full conveyor lineup. For the fluid side, the surest path is to test your actual coolant. PRAB offers free fluid testing for separator sizing and free materials testing for conveyor selection, so the equipment is matched to your real material rather than a generic profile.

Talk Through Your Application

Not sure which one fits, or whether you need both? Contact an expert at PRAB, or explore magnetic conveyors and magnetic separators to compare them side by side.