With a view to success of its AXR x-ray inspection systems, Mettler-Toledo has launched an enhanced version of its x-ray technology, the AXR-P, which is designed to help food and pharmaceutical manufacturers ensure the safety and integrity of a wide variety of packaged products.

The advanced x-ray machine allows brand owners to meet requirements of local legislation, such as the Framework Act on Food Safety introduced in South Korea in 2011, for the inclusion of more rigorous data monitoring on production lines, with storage of product inspection data for both conforming and non-conforming products.

Able to examine products for foreign body contamination and other quality defects, it offers manufacturers greater quality control to boost production and comply with stringent food safety standards, such as Europe’s International Featured Standards (IFS), to operate in lucrative international markets.

Ideal for inspecting packaged foods, including ready meals, as well as pharmaceutical products the AXR-P x-ray system features an advanced central processing unit (CPU). This technology promotes greater line efficiency and stronger quality control by allowing faster data processing and exceptional detection sensitivity at higher throughput speeds than traditional x-ray systems.

Featuring edge threshold technology it enhances the system’s detection of foreign bodies, such as metal, glass, mineral stone, calcified bone and high-density plastic and rubber, regardless of their shape or location within the product. In addition, the more powerful CPU permits higher speed signal transmission between the x-ray detector and the rejection device, allowing the AXR-P to be designed with a compact footprint of two metres in length, making it ideal for manufacturers with limited factory floor space.

As well as foreign body detection, the AXR-P is capable of ensuring products consistently meet manufacturers’ standards and specifications by simultaneously performing a number of other inline quality checks. These include gross mass measurement, the identification of missing or broken components and the examination of packaging for damage and seal integrity. This enables food and pharmaceutical manufacturers’ products to meet consumer requirements for quality.

The system’s easy-to-use Human Machine Interface (HMI) enables operators to select and move images into a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for closer examination, as well as compare data from other products in the batch. The AXR-P technology is developed using standardised hardware, is also straightforward to service and maintain with increased availability of spare parts and, to boost production line flexibility, additional plug-ins, which allow the inspection of up to 16 different lanes. Other customisation options are available to meet manufacturers’ needs.

“The dynamics of the food and pharmaceutical manufacturing industry are changing due to rising international and regional competition,” said Jun Zhang, marketing associate, Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection. “Boosting production line efficiency, remaining cost-effective and staying ahead of the competition are paramount for manufacturers. Yet these needs must be balanced with ensuring adherence to ever-increasing and changing local and global regulations and standards.”

Mettler-Toledo will showcase the enhanced AXR-P and other innovative product inspection solutions at Sino-Pack 2013 in Guangzhou, China from March 4 to 6.

Mettler-Toledo is the world’s leading supplier of metal detection and x-ray inspection solutions for the food and pharmaceutical industries.