Generally, X-ray systems are helpful in finding smaller bits of metal and contaminants of varying makeup other than metal. While metal detection is king of culling out bigger contamination, X-ray can excel at finding the hard-to-see debris.
“Some X-ray inspection systems and technologies have been redesigned with added or enhanced capabilities,” said Kyle Thomas, strategic business unit manager with Eagle Product Inspection. Some of those include detection and removal of smaller, varied contaminants at higher throughput rates than before; improved hygienic design; and incorporation of additional inspection functions.
One of Eagle’s latest designs offers a dual-view X-ray inspection that provides sensitivity capable of detecting contaminants up to 50% smaller than before.
Todd Grube, manager of inspection systems, Heat and Control, which offers Ishida X-ray systems, pointed out the benefits of technology that can improve detection of low-density foreign objects, even in overlapping product. Ishida’s latest offering is based on medical absorptiometry.
“It compares absorption of X-rays on two levels to clearly distinguish particles of metal, glass, rubber, stones and other foreign objects,” he said. “It also includes functions for weight verification and product defects.”
