Things to Consider When Choosing a Metal Detector
Metal detectors are indispensable tools, from security to archaeology. They keep the public safe while also helping maintain a sense of peace and order in areas where people come out to play, relax, or explore nature. Unfortunately, technology keeps changing quickly; thus it's important to take several factors into consideration when purchasing one of these tools.
At first, it is important to determine your intended use for the machine. If your plans involve only occasional beach combing or yard digs, more basic models may suffice; but for serious digging such as searching for lost treasure, more sophisticated electronics and discrimination capabilities should be sought out.
At the core of any metal detector lies its search coil, which emits electromagnetic waves that penetrate ground to locate any objects that conduct electricity. When these waves hit an object made of metal, they create electric currents called eddy currents in its surface that generate secondary electromagnetic fields picked up by detector and transmitted back as audible or visual signals to its user.
Metal detectors use signal analysis to distinguish between trash and treasure, but too much iron or other high-conductive debris in the ground may interfere with hot metal detector this ability and cause false positives. Therefore, make sure any detector you consider offers excellent target ID features to enable it to distinguish among various targets.
Target ID features are also critical in pinpointing an object found using a metal detector, making archaeologists' jobs much simpler - without disturbing top metal detectors artifacts in the process! With such features in place, archaeologists can dig precisely where needed instead of randomly, thus minimizing damage done during excavation efforts.
Factors beyond physical damage also can have an effect on metal detector performance. Moisture from rain or sand exposure, for instance, can alter soil conductivity and interfere with its signal. Furthermore, certain ingredients found in products can impact how they respond to metal detection tests by producing false-positive results that lead to false positive readings.
NIST maintains a facility and metrology capability to test pulse induction metal detectors with precise accuracy. This includes mechanical devices to gold and metal detector position test artifacts, materials designed to emulate human tissue's electrical conductivity across their frequency range of operation, software to record and analyze data, as well as mechanical devices that position metal detector price artifacts for testing artifacts accurately, software recording data analysis results, as well as recording calibration services to help manufacturers ensure that their products metal detector price comply with specific sensitivity requirements.