It is not uncommon for people to come across metallic objects daily, but what if you needed to identify the type of metal with greater accuracy? This is where metal detectors come in, offering a range of features and capabilities that make them suitable for different types of detecting tasks.
One of the key features that sets modern metal detectors apart is their ability to differentiate between different types of metals. This can be invaluable in situations such as archaeological excavations, where the ability to distinguish between valuable artifacts and simple scrap metal can greatly enhance the accuracy and efficiency of the work.
Metal detectors have come a long way from their humble beginnings and now employ various techniques to differentiate between metals. These include discrimination techniques, which allow the user to set parameters for the types of metals they are searching for, and the use of multiple frequencies to detect different types of metals.
However, not all metal detectors are created equal, and some may not have the technological capabilities to differentiate between metals. In this article, we will explore the different techniques and features that metal detectors use to differentiate between metals and how they can be used to enhance your detecting experience.
Key Takeaways
- Metal detectors can differentiate between different types of metals, but cheaper or older machines may not have the technological capabilities to do so.
- Discrimination is a common technique to differentiate between metals, but it may be ineffective in cases with similar phase responses.
- Tones and screen indicators are also used to differentiate between metals, with modern metal detectors having multiple tones and producing a visual display indication (VDI) ID.
- Different metal detectors are built with features tailored for specific detecting tasks, such as gold detectors, coin-detecting metal detectors, and relic detectors.
How Metal Detectors Work
The workings of metal detectors are based on the principles of metal conductivity and electromagnetic fields. When a metal object is brought near a metal detector, it creates an electromagnetic field around it. This field interferes with the electromagnetic field generated by the detector, triggering an alarm that alerts the user to the presence of a metal object.
The ability of a metal detector to differentiate between different types of metals depends largely on the technology used in its construction. Cheaper metal detectors may lack the technological capabilities necessary to differentiate between metals, while newer machines like VLF detectors can distinguish between metals based on their electromagnetic properties.
Discrimination techniques are also crucial in determining the ability of a metal detector to differentiate between metals. Discrimination involves setting the detector to only respond to certain metals and ignore all others, based on their electromagnetic properties.
By utilizing discrimination techniques, metal detectors can effectively identify and differentiate between different types of metals, making them an essential tool in various fields, including archaeology, security, and treasure hunting.
Discrimination Techniques
Discrimination techniques for identifying specific types of metals in a given area are crucial for ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of metal-detecting activities. Discrimination involves setting the detector to respond only to certain metals and ignore all others. This technique can be achieved by adjusting the detector’s sensitivity level, frequency, and pulse delay.
Discrimination is not effective in cases where metals have similar phase responses, which can lead to false positives or missed targets. Signal response is an essential factor in discrimination techniques. When a metal object is detected, it produces a signal response, which is measured in the form of audio tones or visual indicators on the detector’s display.
Discrimination is achieved by analyzing the metal object’s signal response and phase differences. Some detectors use multiple frequency modes to differentiate between metals and ignore trash items. Discrimination techniques also focus on specific metals, such as gold or silver, by adjusting the detector’s settings to target those specific metals.
Overall, discrimination techniques are an essential part of metal detecting and can greatly increase the chances of finding valuable targets while minimizing the detection of unwanted items.
Types of Metal Detecting Devices
Various metal detecting devices are available in the market, each with their unique features tailored for specific detecting tasks.
Multi-purpose detectors are the most commonly used metal detectors and are designed to detect a wide range of metals including ferrous and non-ferrous metals. They are generally waterproof and capable of detecting up to 6 inches deep. However, multi-purpose detectors have limited discrimination capacity and may favor ferrous metals over non-ferrous metals.
On the other hand, dedicated metal detectors are built with features tailored for specific detecting tasks. For example, gold detectors use discrimination to detect gold and ignore other metals.
Pulse Induction (PI) detectors can only detect gold and only large chunks of it.
Coin detecting metal detectors excel at certain parameters that make them suitable for coin detecting.
Relic metal detectors detect objects using specific frequency, ground balance, and discrimination. They are tuned to detect a greater variety of objects compared to gold and coins and come with great discrimination capacity. However, they may not be waterproof or have as great a depth range as multi-purpose detectors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can metal detectors detect the presence of underground water or oil deposits?
Metal detectors cannot detect the presence of underground water or oil deposits as they only work on detecting metal objects. Applications of metal detectors are limited to detecting metal objects and their discrimination capacity varies depending on the type and quality of the machine.
How deep can metal detectors detect objects?
Metal detector limitations impact detection depth. Detection depth factors include object size, metal composition, soil type, and detector technology. Depending on these factors, depth capabilities range from a few inches to several feet.
Are there metal detectors that can detect multiple metals at the same time?
Multi-frequency detection technology allows metal detectors to detect multiple metals at the same time. However, metal discrimination techniques are still necessary for accurate identification. Discrimination settings can be adjusted to ignore undesirable metals while detecting target metals.
Despite their advanced discrimination capabilities, metal detectors cannot detect hidden or buried electronic devices as they rely on detecting metallic objects. The limitations of metal detector technology make it impossible to detect non-metallic objects.
How accurate are the target ID displays on metal detectors?
The accuracy of target ID displays on metal detectors is affected by factors such as soil composition, target depth, and metal type. Reliability varies between models, with higher-end detectors providing more accurate target ID.
