Walk Through Metal Detectors
In short. A walk through metal detector screens people as fast as they can walk, and tells the operator which part of the body set it off. Our archways run £2,250 to £5,350. Walk through metal detector cost depends almost entirely on zone count and whether you need it weatherproof.
Schools, courts, stadiums, hospitals and festivals all end up with the same problem. You need to screen a lot of people in a short window without turning the entrance into a bottleneck. A hand wand takes around twenty seconds a person. An archway takes about a second. That difference is the entire argument.
How They Work
A field across the doorwayTransmitter coils in one upright, receivers in the other. Metal passing through disturbs the field and the unit alarms. Nothing is projected into the body and no image is made.
Zones tell you whereA multi zone archway lights up the height band where the metal sits, so the follow up check with a wand is quick and specific rather than a full search.
Sensitivity is adjustableSet it high for a courtroom and you will stop everyone with a belt. Set it for the threat you actually face. We will help you tune this on handover.
ThroughputThirty to sixty people a minute in practice, depending on how well your queue is managed and how many you have to re check.
Choosing an Archway
Indoor, standard dutyThruScan s3 £2,250 and the
s6 £2,450. The right choice for schools and offices.
Higher zone countThruScan s9 £2,760 and the
sX £3,099, where you need precise location and fewer nuisance alarms.
Outdoor and all weatherThruScan sX-WP £4,625, built for festival gates and stadium entrances that live outside.
Walk Through Metal Detector Cost
£2,250 to £2,500Entry archways, multi zone, mains powered, suitable for permanent indoor installation.
£2,500 to £3,100More detection zones, finer discrimination and better handling of busy sites.
£4,625 and upWeatherproof and high specification units for outdoor and high security use.
Why Buy From Us
Official UK supplierReal warranty, spares held in the UK, and someone to ring when a unit plays up.
Screening kit we knowWe sell and support this equipment every week, so the advice is based on what holds up in daily use.
Honest adviceIf a hand wand will do the job, we will tell you that rather than sell you an archway.
Quotes and paperworkWritten quotes, purchase orders and invoices for schools, councils and venues.
You will want hand wands alongside any archway for secondary checks. See the hand held range and the wider security detectors page.
Walk Through Metal Detector Questions, Answered
How do walk through metal detectors work?
One upright transmits an alternating magnetic field and the other listens. Metal passing between them disturbs the field and the unit alarms, with the illuminated zone showing the approximate height of the object. Nothing enters the body and no image is produced.
How much do walk through metal detectors cost?
Ours start at £2,250 for a multi zone indoor archway and reach £5,350 for the top specification unit. The weatherproof model is £4,625. Price is driven by zone count, build and whether it has to live outdoors.
Are walk through metal detectors safe?
Yes. The field is a small fraction of the strength used in medical imaging and well inside international exposure limits. They have been in daily use in airports for decades.
Are walk through metal detectors safe during pregnancy?
Yes. The field is far too weak to affect a pregnancy, and health authorities treat airport screening as safe throughout. If you would rather not, you can ask for a hand search instead and that request should be respected.
Can you walk through a metal detector with a pacemaker?
Yes. Manufacturers advise walking through at a normal pace rather than lingering inside the archway, and not leaning against the uprights. Anyone concerned should show their device card and ask for a hand search.
Can a walk through metal detector detect a vape?
Yes. A vape has a lithium battery and a metal heating coil, which is plenty of metal to alarm. Detecting vapes is one of the main reasons UK schools install archways.
Can walk through metal detectors detect liquids?
No. They respond to metal only. A liquid in a plastic bottle passes straight through unnoticed, which is why liquid screening uses separate equipment.
What is a walk through metal detector called?
A walk through metal detector, abbreviated WTMD, is the proper term. You will also see them described as archway detectors, portal detectors or security gates. They are all the same thing.
