Baking&Snack - February 2017 - 121

erature. Users can edit and control systems via remote
application on an Ethernet network instead of making adjustments on the factory floor.
The ability to learn product characteristics also
applies to X-ray systems, Mr. Pedersen noted. "The
operator of a Sesotec Raycon unit presses a button and
feeds the product through; the machine learns the characteristics," he explained.

More X-ray vision
Most baked foods and snacks are packaged in plastic
films or paperboard cartons, materials essentially transparent to metal detectors. Those baked and sold in foil
pans or packaged in metalized films present a different
problem, one requiring another sort of electromagnetic
radiation: X-rays.
In the past, slow inspection speeds tended to work
against use of X-ray technology. Modern systems, however, solve such limitations. For example, Mekitec USA offers the Midmeki, a mid-range unit in its Meki line, which
operates efficiently at conveyor speeds nearing 6.5 ft per
second, according to Rick Clayton, general manager and
global service manager, Mekitec USA.
He described a recent installation where the baker added a Midmeki to look at products baked and packaged in
aluminum foil tins and other products too large to pass
through the existing metal detector. With a detection zone
16- by 8-in., it could handle the large trays of brownies and
loaf cakes. "With in-foil scanning, no manual intervention was necessary to prepare goods for inspection," Mr.
Clayton observed.
The compact units have on-screen displays that pinpoint
the exact location of the contaminants in the product.
This helps operators take corrective action more quickly.
All reject images are saved for later analysis and traceability, an important aspect of any inline safety management
program.
Because X-rays provide an inside look at every product,
they exceed human inspection capabilities. They can find
broken cookies or cracked pizza crusts within packages
and count objects to verify coverage or fill.
And this applies to all products that pass through the
system. Mr. McGhie compared this method to manual inspection. "Samples measured [manually] can represent just
a small fraction of the products made on the line, whereas
the inline inspection system measures 100% of the products made and records statistics for each measurement every two minutes or for a period set by the user," he said.
"The system generates reports based on shift, day, week
and month, with date and time stamps, providing results
for all products inspected."
To give users a head start, Heat and Control's new Ishida
IX-EN and IX-Gn Series X-ray (IX) line of inspection sys-

tems provides patented Genetic Algorithm (GA) image
processing. Systems come with many standard GA settings
for a range of products and possible foreign bodies already
stored in the machines. Also available is an optional failsafe system that prevents a contaminated product reaching
the consumer in the event of a power outage or breakdown,
helping to minimize the potential for costly recalls.

Developed specifically for
bakery operations, this
metal detector features
multiple-frequency technology to counteract product
effect and give more
accurate results.
Fortress Technology

Advice to buyers
Because there are so many choices for inline inspection and
safety functions, vendors of these systems advise buyers to
research them thoroughly.
"Do your homework," Ms. Sharpe said. "Speak to other
processors who use such systems for products and processes similar to your own. Also, do the product testing."
Inline inspection system vendors like Fortress Technology
encourage users to test at the manufacturers' factories.
The characteristics of the products drive applications.
"Understand what product attributes are important to the
customer, and focus the inspection criteria on these," Mr.
McGhie said. "The inspection system should be able to
measure these attributes in a way that is easily understood
by operators and thus gives the operator confidence in the
measurement."
Remember that food safety can be a moving target.
"Your requirements and FDA's may change, so it is important to work with a vendor that is going to provide timely
and reliable ongoing support," Mr. McGhie advised.
And consider the future. "Always buy the latest technology, especially today," Mr. Pedersen urged. "The technology
is evolving faster than the machines become obsolete. You
may need to spend a bit more, but buying the newest technology, you'll get more life from the system."

Find resources for metal detectors and X-ray by visiting
www.esourcebaking.com. Browse by category under
Equipment, and click on Package for listings.

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