Detecting contaminants in fluids

Mettler Toledo Safeline has launched the new FluidCheK x-ray inspection system for manufacturers and packers of beverages and other liquids.

It is equipped with advanced image-scanning software and employs x-ray beams at an angle for total quality control.

The new FluidCheK x-ray system ensures accurate detection of dense contaminants like glass, metal, stone, plastics (such as Teflon) and rubbers (such as Viton).

It is effective on containers with a domed base as well.

"It has been traditionally difficult for perpendicular horizontal beam x-ray systems to inspect the base area of glass and metal containers with raised internal bases or domes,” said Niall McRory, New Product Development Sales Manager, Mettler Toledo Safeline.

“Since the dome area, which forms part of the x-ray base image, is denser than the rest of the container, contaminants can be hidden, resulting in detection blind spots."

The x-ray inspection system focuses inspection on the base area rather than on the entire container, which is effective because contaminants are usually denser than the surrounding liquid, so they will always sink to the bottom of a container.

The x-ray generator is closer to the product, reducing the distance the x-ray beam must travel to the detector.

This increases the quality of the x-ray image and improves the sensitivity and probability of detection, resulting in product safety.

The x-ray beam also inspects the container base at an angle to prevent blind spots and hidden areas for contamination detection.

The FluidCheK performs a completely "non-contact inspection", where products are not touched at anytime as they pass through the machine to prevent product handling issues and damaged pack labels.

By offering accurate quality control, the FluidCheK helps brands comply with local and international regulations, retailer requirements and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) practices.

The system is also equipped with a new software technique for contamination detection called XTP.

The software analyses each pixel in the x-ray image so that even the smallest changes in a product can be identified.