Renowned for global product inspection excellence, the Product Inspection Division of Mettler-Toledo has long been at the forefront of providing food and pharmaceutical manufacturers with the latest checkweighing, metal detection, x-ray and vision inspection solutions to ensure product safety and protect businesses from product recalls or damage to brand reputation. At interpack 2014, Mettler-Toledo launched its latest innovations; taking centre stage was the C3000 System, a truly exceptional advancement in checkweighing.
The design customisation of the new checkweighing portfolio enhances performance by up to 33
per cent at high throughput rates with increased stability, allowing for very high weighing accuracy at speeds of up to 600 products per minute. The resulting improvement in overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and reduction of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) are firm favourites with food and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Other next generation technologies to enhance manufacturing productivity included the X36 Series x-ray technology, offering up to five times more sensitivity than traditional systems and a new metal detector conveyorised system to be used in harsh wash down food production environments.
In addition, Mettler-Toledo announced its new partnership with GE Intelligent Platforms to provide improved connectivity and Management Information System (MIS) solutions to manufacturers.
The C3000 System offers a range of checkweighing and combination technologies easily configured for a variety of food and pharmaceutical applications. The new range is unique in the sense that until now, weighing accuracy was compromised by production line disturbances and vibrations. With the new Mettler-Toledo Garvens interface-free mounting of the C3000 System weigh cell, a greater level of stability is offered. Coupled with an innovative conveyor set up, product transfer is improved and increased weighing accuracy at faster speeds for higher throughput is guaranteed.
Constructed with a robust tubular base frame, C3000 System checkweighers offer easy cleaning and maintenance, while its highly adaptable modular design with open structure and minimised horizontal surfaces facilitates any future modifications or upgrades. In addition, the C3000 System offers a range of optional product inspection technology combinations such as metal detection (CM model), x-ray inspection (CX model) or vision inspection (CV model), allowing food and pharmaceutical manufacturers to future proof their technology investment for new product lines.
Another highlight at interpack 2014 introduced by Mettler-Toledo Safeline X-ray was the latest generation of x-ray inspection systems. The X36 Series of adaptable product inspection systems uses the most advanced x-ray imaging technology on the market to provide high detection sensitivity appropriate to a broad range of packaged applications. Food and pharmaceutical manufacturers can rely on maximum efficiency on their processing lines to maintain competitiveness, especially those seeking to consistently detect and remove miniscule contaminants. X36 Series systems can also simultaneously perform product integrity checks, from checking the mass of products to the verifying seal integrity on single or multi-lane applications, without compromising the throughput rate and process efficiency.
The X36 Series is the most flexible and energy-efficient x-ray system to date and can be adapted to individual application requirements to ensure a future-proof investment, even if line changes are required after the initial installation. With a choice of innovative 0.8mm or 0.4mm detector diodes, generator sizes and detector width options, the system can be customised according to the nature and format of the packaged products being scanned, ensuring quality and safety at all times. The 0.8mm detector, for example, can be engineered with a 20W generator, reducing power consumption and offering up to five times higher sensitivity than traditional systems. This versatility offers food manufacturers optimised flexibility to meet the needs of both their current and future product ranges.
The new Mettler-Toledo Safeline Metal Detection Series 100 conveyor is designed to European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group (EHEDG) standards, featuring a fully customisable hygienic open construction design with a clean stainless steel brushed finish casing, rounded tubular construction frame and sloped surfaces. This makes it ideal for use in harsh and wet food production applications such as those encountered in the meat, poultry, seafood, ready meal and dairy industries where advanced levels of hygiene are required. Hygienic conveyor belts, including the Intralox PU type option, incorporate an under lift mechanism to facilitate easy cleaning of even hard-to-reach parts. In addition, quick-release wear parts offer tool-free assembly and dismantling, minimising maintenance downtime and boosting overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) on fast-moving production lines.
Enhancing OEE can be achieved through reducing downtime on product changeovers, as well as rejecting contaminated products - increasing equipment reliability, proactively maintaining equipment, and optimising their set-up. Mettler-Toledo Safeline Metal Detection showcased Packaging Machine Language (PackML) enabled metal detector demonstrating real-time OEE reporting. The primary objective of PackML is to bring a common “look and feel” and operational consistency to all machines that make up a Packing Line. So this new feature supports production efficiency improvements by providing OEE data directly into a factory management information system, through an existing RS232 or Ethernet interface or via a Mettler-Toledo Safeline Fieldbus Interface Module. Such metal detection systems allow the manufacturer complete access and control over monitoring and reporting production line data to improve operational performance.
To enable powdered and granulated food manufacturers and processors with limited vertical factory space to comply with food safety standards and benefit from enhanced metal contaminant removal on their production lines, Mettler-Toledo Safeline showcased its upgraded Gravity Fall metal detector. The system has been designed with a further height reduction of 15 per cent compared with previous models, making it an ideal solution for vertical space constrained applications. This has been possible as all Safeline Gravity Fall detectors use revolutionary Zero Metal Free Zone (ZMFZ) technology, enabling the compact Gravity Fall metal detector to be closely installed to neighbouring metal structures, without compromising the detection sensitivity, minimising the risk of contamination reaching consumers and safeguarding brand reputation.
“Mettler-Toledo’s aim is to enhance food and pharmaceutical productivity by reducing operational downtime and protecting the brand reputation of manufacturers by guaranteeing that only high-quality, safe products leave the factory floor. At the forefront of our product inspection innovations is the need to facilitate business growth through compliance with local and international product safety standards and regulations. Supported by our global presence with localised customer service, our product inspection experts continually provide specialist advice to manufacturers enabling them to get ahead of their competition” said Jana Meier, marketing manager and interpack project leader, Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection.
Our “Global reach with local excellence” concept mirrors the sentiment. Mettler-Toledo provides unparalleled support with regional service experts, around the globe, ensuring that customers receive a high-level of local and international support and advice around-the-clock. In addition, manufacturing facilities located worldwide enable Mettler-Toledo to stay connected to its customers, allowing for rapid response supported through local expertise.
Effective process data collection and Management Information Systems (MIS) is a guiding theme for the company and are an integral part of Mettler-Toledo. Showcased at the show were data management software ProdX 1.2 for integrated management of process data from x-ray inspection, metal detection and checkweighing technologies, the network-based software solution FreeWeigh.Net, plus the globally accessible Pilot Site Manager (PSM) software for integrated track and trace line management in the pharmaceutical industry. Taking today’s challenges of a global world into consideration, Management Information is the key ingredient for manufacturers to stay ahead through monitoring and controlling multiple production lines across one or more facilities.
Mettler-Toledo’s desire to provide food and pharmaceutical manufacturers with improved product connectivity and MIS solutions led the company to a newly announced partnering with GE Intelligent Platforms. GE Intelligent Platforms provides industrial software, control systems and embedded computing platforms to support Mettler-Toledo’s equipments’ optimisation through the integration of industrial internet technology, adding value to mutual customers through increased efficiency and productivity.
Unlike traditional solutions, connecting GE Intelligent Platforms' proven Proficy food safety software with Mettler-Toledo’s industry-leading inspection equipment provides a real time, end-to-end view of the entire food safety and manufacturing operation. Thus, proactive steps to avoid issues before they happen can be taken. The powerful solution offers built-in connectivity solutions to extract key performance indicators (KPIs) from inspection equipment and integrate this with food safety objectives from other process equipment. This gives manufacturers deep operational insight across their entire production facility as well as quick and easy access to critical and holistic operational information. Food and beverage manufacturers will benefit from outstanding Food Safety and Operational Excellence, while having timely access to operational data and insights at a local facility level and across their entire enterprise.
Mettler-Toledo is also exhibiting other technologies at interpack in Hall 11, B55. This will include the latest in vision inspection systems, such as the CI Vision V6300 system, which can support up to five cameras. This latest system allows comprehensive inspection of labels on containers and cases for placement and legibility, as well as correct information. The CI Vision V6300’s small footprint makes it easy to install, while its intuitive touchscreen interface and powerful CIVCore software simplify setup and operating processes for machine operatives.