ASTM International

Performance Standard for Hand-Worn Metal Detectors Used in Safety and Security
 N F3020

Annotation

This standard applies to all hand-worn or glove-type metal detectors used to find metal contraband concealed or hidden on people or other objects with hand-accessible surfaces. Hand-worn metal detectors (HWMDs) are significantly different in design compared to the more common hand-held metal detector (HHMD). For example, the HWMD generates a much more localized magnetic field than does the HHMD and the useful field of the HWMD is normal to the plane of the hand whereas the useful field of the HHMD is multidirectional.

This standard describes minimally acceptable performance requirements, which includes metal object detection performance, safety (electrical, mechanical, fire), electromagnetic compatibility, environmental conditions and ranges, and mechanical durability. The requirements for metal detection performance are unique and, therefore, test methods for these parameters are provided, including the design of test objects. An agency or organization using this standard is encouraged to add their unique operationally-based requirements to those requirements listed in this minimally-acceptable performance standard.

This documentary standard describes the use of spherical test objects, instead of actual threat objects or exemplars of threat objects, to test the detection performance of hand-worn metal detectors. Spherical test objects are used because the detectability of spherical test objects is not orientation dependent, whereas this is not true for non-spherical test objects. This orientation-dependent detectability of nonspherical test objects may allow a HWMD to be incorrectly attributed a higher performance capability than that HWMD is capable of providing. To aid agencies wishing to add specific threat objects to their detection performance requirements, included in Annex A1 is the analysis of the probability of detection for different orientations of agency-specific nonspherical threat objects.