METTLER-Toledo has unveiled a new X-ray inspection system which the manufacturer said has been designed to detect contaminants in small, individually packaged products at high-speed.
The X34C is said to be based on the three design principles of ‘compactness, high-speed and precision’.
Mettler-Toledo explained that the system has a footprint of just 700mm in length, which includes an integrated reject. The machine can operate at 120 metres per minute, making it possible to keep product inspection aligned with many high-speed flow-wrapping machines and pack sealers used in the confectionery sector for packing individual products.
The ‘optimised’ focal distance of the 0.4mm diode detector and 100W optimum power generator is said to maximise the probability of detecting small contaminants and helps to reduce false rejects. Because the power and contrast levels of these components are automatically optimised for each application, the system does not always need to run at its full 100W output.
Mike Pipe, head of global sales & product management, Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection, said, “We are expecting that manufacturers of small confectionery products and snacks will love the high-speed inspection that the compact X34C gives them, as improved detection sensitivity allows the technology to inspect and reject single bars at fast speeds straight after they exit the flow-wrapper. This not only reduces waste, because a single bar rather than the entire multi-pack can be rejected, but it also enables the manufacturer to maintain high levels of productivity at this critical point of the production line.
“For manufacturers, who are typically hard-pushed to fit new equipment into existing lines, the small footprint of the X34C means they can benefit from outstanding levels of contaminant detection and productivity without too much disruption to their operation.”
The X34C shares many of the same features as other models in the Mettler-Toledo Safeline range. These include the operating software, such as ContamPlus, that both the standard X34 and X36 systems use, with automated product set-up.
The system can also be connected to Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection’s ProdX data management software. On the hardware side, the X34C can be configured to meet customer requirements, including with an airblast reject system to remove contaminated products at high speed.
