Beltless Scrap Removal for Fine Ferrous Chips and Grinding Fines
Some metalworking scrap is too fine, too sharp, or too small for a hinged steel belt conveyor to handle effectively. Grinding fines slip between belt aprons. Needle-like chips jam sidewings. Fine turnings wrap around rollers. When your machine tools produce this type of ferrous scrap, the NLECO Model 700 Magnetic Conveyor solves the problem by eliminating the belt entirely. Material rides directly on a stainless steel deck, held in place and moved forward by permanent magnets underneath—no aprons, no sidewings, no belt-related jamming or carryover.
This magnetic approach is fundamentally different from every hinged steel belt conveyor in the Titan or SteelTrak lineup. Where those conveyors use interlocking steel plates to physically carry scrap, the Model 700 uses magnetic force to pull ferrous material along a smooth, sealed surface. The result is reliable transport of the finest, sharpest, and most problematic ferrous chips without the maintenance issues that conventional belt conveyors create in these applications.
Stainless Steel Deck and Magnet Technology
The Model 700 uses a 12-gauge stainless steel precision roller hi-radius deck. The long-radius, self-cleaning discharge head is a unique NLECO design that ensures dependable product release at the discharge point—a critical feature, since fine ferrous material has a tendency to cling to magnetic conveyor decks beyond the intended drop zone.
Magnets are enclosed within stainless steel housings for protection and longevity. Two magnet types are available depending on the application. Charged ceramic magnets are the standard option, providing reliable holding force for most fine ferrous chip and swarf applications. Charged neodymium magnets are available as an upgrade for applications that require stronger magnetic pull—useful when the material is particularly fine, when the conveyor operates at higher speeds, or when the scrap contains a mix of ferrous and lightly contaminated non-ferrous material where stronger holding force improves separation.
Standard magnet centers are 12 inches, but spacing varies by application. Tighter magnet spacing may be specified for very fine material or steeper inclines where consistent holding force across the full deck length is critical.
Frame Configurations and Specifications
The Model 700 frame is 6-5/8″ deep, formed from 12-gauge steel. Three frame configurations are available: horizontal for flat transport, L-shape for ground-level infeed with inclined discharge, and Z-shape for below-grade infeed with horizontal mid-section and inclined discharge. Standard curve angles include 30, 45, 60, and 75 degrees—notably, the 75-degree option is steeper than most hinged steel belt conveyors offer as standard.
Standard belt widths range from 6″ to 18″. Conveyor lengths up to 20 feet are available. Standard speeds are 24, 36, 48, and 60 FPM, selectable based on the scrap type and volume. The standard drive is ½ HP (230/460V, 3-phase, 60 Hz, TEFC) with a shaft mount on the right side. The chain and track system uses #60 roller chain mounted to UHMW for smooth, low-friction operation.
Access panels are built into the frame for quick inspection and service without disassembling the conveyor.
When to Choose a Magnetic Conveyor Over a Hinged Steel Belt
The decision between a magnetic conveyor and a hinged steel belt is driven by the type of scrap your machines produce. Choose the Model 700 when the material is fine ferrous chips or grinding fines that would fall through or jam a steel belt apron, when the scrap has sharp edges that catch in sidewing gaps, when you need a smooth self-cleaning deck with no belt maintenance, or when the application involves coolant-wet grinding swarf that benefits from a sealed stainless steel conveying surface.
Choose a hinged steel belt conveyor (Titan 620–660 or SteelTrak 715–727) when the scrap is larger turnings, stampings, castings, or forgings, when the material is non-ferrous (aluminum, brass, copper), when belt widths wider than 18″ are required, or when chain pull demands exceed what a magnetic conveyor’s drive system delivers.
Many facilities use both types. Magnetic conveyors handle fine ferrous scrap from grinders and precision machining centers, while hinged steel belt conveyors handle the heavier chip loads from turning, milling, stamping, and forging operations.
Applications
The Model 700 is commonly specified for CNC grinding operations producing fine ferrous swarf, precision machining centers generating needle-like ferrous chips, screw machine and Swiss-type lathe fine chip discharge, centerless grinding lines, tool and cutter grinding departments, and any metalworking process that produces fine ferrous material that conventional belt conveyors cannot handle reliably.