The customized solution of the detection system helps brand protection (I)

The online contaminant testing market continues to grow, including metal detection and costly X-ray detection. At the same time, surface inspections provided by X-ray detection and vision systems also play an important role in the broader field of quality control.

Recently, X-ray systems have attracted a lot of attention mainly because X-rays have the ability to check for defects or breakages in the package, and they also have the ability to detect fragments such as glass, stones, and bones that cannot be detected with metal detectors.

Metal detection and X-ray detection still belong to different market types. Mike Randall, the chairman of the Lock Inspection System, points out that to enter this market, suppliers must invest heavily. He explained that "from the perspective of investment costs, we see it as two different types of markets. In most cases, there is no competition between X-ray detection and metal detection."

Therefore, Lock does not enter the X-ray detection market as much as many other companies. Lock company believes that through this approach, the company can maintain its professional image and focus its precious development resources on core technology areas. However, metal detection and X-ray detection do compete directly in the field of color foil packaging. Whether it is cooked food, cheese, or pet food, the UK has a huge market for color foil packaging.

Metal detection technology is indeed difficult to detect the metal contained in the color foil. Randall explained that "stainless steel is the most difficult to detect and has always been our goal. Therefore, we have developed a three-frequency detector." He also realized that in the detection of bronze, brass, copper, aluminum and other color foil X-ray detection does have advantages when packaging other materials with similar or identical characteristics.

New sensor technology

For certain foil packaging, Sartoius, a weight and metal detection company, claims to have achieved a breakthrough in sensor technology. The observer of the flatbed Observer has an aperture height of 45-50 mm and is said to detect the presence of stainless steel in low-profile foil packages. Andrew Hallitt, brand manager, said, “From a magnetic point of view, the aluminum foil itself is transparent. Most stainless steels have been subjected to magnetic treatment at a certain stage and are therefore inherently magnetic. Our system pre-pollutes the contaminants, and then It was sent to the flat panel detector."

Sartorius also revealed that this metal detector was jointly developed by the company and the German STL company. It uses sensor technology and evaluation electronics principles. Through professional design, it can avoid interference and noise in the surrounding environment. In order to improve detection performance in areas where detection is difficult, metal detection specialists have been working on developing multi-frequency systems. Sartorius is one of the companies that has the ability to produce this type of product. Hallitt points out that manufacturers of product packaging based on different levels of conductivity can now optimize the mechanical sensitivity throughout the process.

The Lock Met 30+ 3f tri-frequency detector uses three crystal control frequencies (high/medium/low) to select the best frequency for the product and its packaging. Therefore, when checking film packaged products, the detector automatically selects high frequencies; when checking metal film packages, low frequencies are automatically selected. Cintex, which was recently acquired by Loma Systems Corporation, furthered this strategy and announced that it had produced "the first metal detector with frequency conversion function." The company believes that Sentry VF detectors have a wide operating frequency range between 40 kHz and 900 kHz. Therefore, they can provide maximum sensitivity for a variety of products, regardless of whether it is wet or dry.

However, both control and management are crucial regardless of the frequency converter or multi-frequency machine.

For example, John Craig, Global Product Manager for Contaminant Detection at Thermo Electron, believes that in the future of networked metal detection, not only do units calibrate for dozens of products, but they should automatically switch to the correct settings. Craig believes that more and more large customers are demanding integration of Profibus, Ethernet, and other networks into SCADA control systems. In the entire plant system, data records, reports, dynamic analysis and traceability will all be unified reality. He explained that it is crucial to be able to detect the direction of pollutants and diagnose them. The AuditCheck system is developed and designed by Thermo Electron and can automatically check the performance of metal detectors through programming. It is especially suitable for such networks. Craig said, "Customers need an instrument that can be operated with a switch. The final inspection system should be able to be put into inspection by simple installation."