Detecting even the smallest foreign bodies in raw materials and packaging is a challenging task for food producers. One of the most reliable methods is X-ray inspection. Minebea Intec GmbH from Hamburg has set up an X-ray inspection system at HCP Health Care Products Ltd. to detect impurities in the production of sweeteners.
HCP manufactures Sweetener products for major brands and supermarkets in the UK and beyond. For one of its customers, HCP needed a particularly reliable Inspection solution. This customer packaged sweetener in containers with screw caps and an additional metal foil. This foil proved to be a problem: it prevented the reliable detection of metallic foreign bodies under the sweetener tablets by a metal detector.
„There are two solutions in this situation,“ explains HCP Global Product Manager Dr Thorsten Vollborn„One option is to reorganise the process so that the Metal detection before the packaging is finally sealed. However, this procedure would Contamination risk This is a risk that we and our customers do not want to take. The better choice is an X-ray inspection device that allows reliable detection of any contamination in the already sealed container.“
Test application proves the high detection sensitivity
When searching for a suitable inspection system, HCP quickly came across Minebea Intec and its Dylight„ X-ray inspection system“. In a test application, 400 faultless products initially passed through the system without any complaints. However, faulty products that were subsequently introduced were reliably detected. The Detection sensitivity of the Dylight, which detects metal parts of any kind from a size of 1.2 millimetres, quickly convinced HCP.
The Dylight system delivered Minebea Intec The solution was finally realised within just two weeks. This suited HCP because the company was under a lot of time pressure and needed a quick solution.
„Dymond Bulk“ recognises foreign objects in loose goods
In addition to the Dylight, Minebea Intec's portfolio also includes other X-ray inspection systems. The model „Dymond Bulk“ was specially developed for bulk goods. According to Minebea Intec, it also has a good Detection performance in raw materials such as vegetables, nuts, dried fruit and cereals.
The Hamburg-based company also offers Dymond systems for Inspection of packaged products on. They are used for typical tasks involving the inspection of food in cartons, boxes, bags, pouches, trays or portion packs. Dymond systems are available with belt widths of up to 800 mm and are also suitable for Multi-track applications of a maximum of eight lanes.
New „sideshooters“ ensure more throughput
To complement these X-ray inspection systems, Minebea Intec has also developed High-speed reject systems on offer. The latest developments in the Sideshooter recently introduced the Dymond D and a new version of the Dymond S for horizontal X-ray inspection. Compared to previous systems, these further developments offer users an increase in performance for higher throughput or products with a higher density, as well as simplified integration into production lines. The new systems are suitable for the reliable inspection of tins, Tetra Paks or other tall, upright packaging made of glass, metal or plastic.
[infotext icon]Global success with analytical balances
Minebea Intec describes itself as a leading manufacturer of industrial weighing and inspection technologies. The German company was founded almost 150 years ago as a precision engineering workshop by Florenz Sartorius. Sartorius achieved its first commercial successes with analytical balances. Minebea Intec has been part of the Japanese Minebea-Misumi Group since 2014. Minebea Intec supplies products, solutions and services for the process industry in the field of production and packaging lines[/infotext].
