--- title: "How Walk-Through Metal Detectors Work | Qyvea Kenya" url: https://qyvea.co.ke/how-walk-through-metal-detectors-work-kenya description: "How walk-through metal detectors work: transmitter and receiver coils, zones, sensitivity, why some items alarm and others don't, and what causes false alarms." updated: 2026-10-19 --- > Markdown copy of https://qyvea.co.ke/how-walk-through-metal-detectors-work-kenya for AI assistants. Prices and stock change; check the live page. 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The person who left last month may still be able to walk in. Read on: it takes a few minutes and could save you a lot more than that. **In this guide you will see:** - Coils in the panels create and sense a magnetic field. - Metal disturbs the field and triggers an alarm. - Zones show where on the body the metal is. Quick answer A walk-through metal detector sends pulses of magnetic field from coils in its side panels. Metal carried through the arch disturbs the field, and receiver coils measure the change. If the signal passes the sensitivity threshold, the detector alarms and lights up the zone, the height on the body, where the metal was found. [Photo: Jakub Zerdzicki / Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/36K2PZYNfcM) Why this matters now ## Every day with uncontrolled doors is a day you cannot say who was inside. ### If you wait - Keys copied and never returned - A leaver who still holds access - No record of who entered the store room ### What you get - Cards, fingerprints or faces set by door and by hour - Remove a person in one click - A log of every entry [Rosslare AC G44 Reader](/products/rosslare-ac-g44-reader-22147 "Rosslare AC G44 Reader")[ZKTeco ZK LMB -2805](/products/zkteco-zk-lmb-2805-maglock-2637 "ZKTeco ZK LMB -2805 MAGLOCK")[Dahua DH-ARD312 access controller](/products/dahua-dh-ard312-access-controller-13950 "Dahua DH-ARD312 access controller") [Get my free quote on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/254113301244?text=Hi%20Qyvea%2C%20I%20read%20your%20guide%3A%20How%20Walk-Through%20Metal%20Detectors%20Work.%20I%20want%20access%20control%20sorted.%20Can%20you%20help%3F)Reply usually within 30 minutes. Free site survey in Nairobi and nearby counties. Real products, live prices, in stock now ## Key takeaways - Coils in the panels create and sense a magnetic field. - Metal disturbs the field and triggers an alarm. - Zones show where on the body the metal is. - Sensitivity decides what size of object alarms. - Nearby metal and electrical noise cause false alarms. ## Inside the arch Detection Transmitter coilssend magnetic pulses Metal objectdisturbs the field Receiver coilsmeasure the change Control unitcompares with sensitivity, sounds alarm, lights zone ## False alarms - Large metal doors, frames or lifts close to the arch - Escalators, motors and heavy electrical cables - Two detectors placed too close together - Sensitivity set too high for the site See [detector types and zones](https://qyvea.co.ke/walk-through-metal-detector-types-zones-kenya) and [installation](https://qyvea.co.ke/walk-through-metal-detector-installation-kenya). ## Frequently asked questions Is a walk-through metal detector safe for pregnant women and pacemakers? Walk-through detectors use low-strength fields; people with medical devices who prefer not to walk through can be checked with a hand-held detector instead. Why didn't my keys set it off? Sensitivity is often set to ignore small items so queues keep moving. ## Walk-through metal detector guides by venue Mashine ya kugundua chuma kwa kila mahali: makanisa, shule, maduka makubwa, hospitali na zaidi. 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Free delivery in Nairobi on orders over KES 5,000. **Risk taken off you**: 7-day returns and exchanges on products, and a workmanship warranty on installations. **Customers say so**: Rated 4.6/5 from 57 Google reviews. **Your next step takes one minute:** send us a photo of the place on WhatsApp and we will tell you what it needs. ## Related articles [Access Control · Technology Explained Walk-Through Metal Detector Types and Zones What zone counts mean and which features matter for your entrance. 2 min read**READ FULL ARTICLE →**](https://qyvea.co.ke/walk-through-metal-detector-types-zones-kenya)[Access Control · Guide Walk-Through Metal Detector Installation Where to place the arch, how it's assembled and calibrated, and how guards should use it. 2 min read**READ FULL ARTICLE →**](https://qyvea.co.ke/walk-through-metal-detector-installation-kenya)[Access Control · Buying Guide Best Walk-Through Metal Detector: How to Choose The features that matter, and the ZKTeco and Dahua models we supply. 2 min read**READ FULL ARTICLE →**](https://qyvea.co.ke/best-walk-through-metal-detector-kenya) ### Related services [Metal Detectors](https://qyvea.co.ke/walk-through-metal-detector-price-in-kenya)[Access Control](https://qyvea.co.ke/door-access-control-kenya) ### Related products [Browse the Qyvea shop](https://qyvea.co.ke/products) ### Related projects [Real Qyvea case studies](https://qyvea.co.ke/projects#case-studies) [← Previous**How Much Does a Queue Management System Cost in Kenya?**](https://qyvea.co.ke/queue-management-system-price-in-kenya)[Next →**: How to Install a Video Intercom**](https://qyvea.co.ke/how-to-install-video-intercom-kenya) ## Need this system installed? 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