Four-way x-ray designed for packaging

A recent development in x-ray detection for packaging leaves no place for contaminants to hide, whether in glass, metal and even stone or bone, according to its manufacturer.

Smiths Detection says that it has developed the patented Eagle Quadview system particularly for processors reliant on glass packaging, after complaints from the industry about inspecting more concealed areas like the crown of a jar.

X-rays have been used by the industry for many years as a means to discover possible contaminants in their products.

Standard x-ray products currently only scan a product from a single angle, which can cause some problems for food packaging, the manufacturer claims.

However, the Quadview is designed to scan packaging or a vessel from four different x-ray beams to ensure that all areas of a package are properly scanned.

A Smiths Detection spokesperson told FoodProductionDaily.com that this feature was particularly important to products like glass jars, where finding 100 per cent of contaminants could prove "tricky" for standard X-ray products.

"Almost all glass jars have a raised crown at the bottom of the jar creating a 'hiding place' for contaminants," they said. "Because most products in glass jars - like baby food - are liquid or slurry mixes it is easy for a dense contaminant to slide to the bottom of the jar and hide behind the crown."

The four-way view also allows for processors to cut down on the number of errors that lead to false rejects, lowering the expense of product waste, according to the company.

As part of the product's design, the manufacturer says that the Quadview can be fitted easily over existing production lines allowing the device to be used at the end of the line during sealing. This can help to cut down on the number of manual checks required during processing.

The company adds that the product is also compatible with control networks so that data can be viewed in real time for performance and quality checks on site. In order to support traceability within the packaging supply line, the product also uses a system of date-time stamped images of any affected products.

Although the device's primary function is contaminant detection in glass, stone, bone and metal products, it can also be used to asses fill level and check-weighing.

The product is available to processors in both the America's and Europe.
Source: packwire