Case Studies
Feb 01, 2018 |
Almi: Food metal detectors inspect flavourings and spices
The company continues to expand both home and abroad and in 2006 built a completely new production facility. This advanced factory extends over 18,000 square metres and incorporates all the latest equipment to enhance product quality and increase customer satisfaction. The company meets all IFS, ISO 9001 and HACCP standards and holds many certificates and awards for consistently high product quality.
The new plant utilizes the latest in bulk material handling technology designed, supplied and installed by engineering company Johann Daxner GmbH who specializes in providing integrated plant and machinery projects particularly for bulk material processes.
Sesotec, in partnership with Daxner, supplied IFS and HACCP compliant
food metal detectors for product inspection on milling, mixing, filling,
bagging and small component lines. Food metal detectors from
the Sesotec RAPID 5000 range were installed at the large bag filling
station.
IFS Conformity
For Almi it was particularly important to choose metal detection systems
that fulfilled all the requirements of HACCP and IFS in the food
industry. RAPID 5000 metal detectors detect and remove magnetic and
non-magnetic metal contaminants from free-falling bulk materials.
The contaminants are removed by means of a fast-reacting reject flap (“Quick Flap System”) with minimal loss of good material. The modular design concept means that the machines can be easily adapted for different drop heights by removing or adding intermediary pieces.
One of the main reasons for installing Sesotec machines was their “Hygienic Design”; specifically designed and constructed to meet the exacting hygiene standards of the food industry. The circular design of the reject mechanism eliminates sharp edges and crevices, preventing product build-up and blockages, even with non free-flowing flavourings, avoiding product build up over time and the resulting mould formation.
The „Easy Clean“ construction of the reject device means it is straightforward to access for cleaning and maintenance. The RAPID 5000 metal detection systems are also certified for ATEX Zone 20 because flammable dust is created during the filling/bagging process.
A particular challenge of this application was varying product effect of individual flavouring product which can cause false triggering and material loss. To obtain optimum performance machine parameters for each product must be easily set up for each of the different product mixes.. Through the integral Ethernet interface attached to each metal detector the higher-level ESAweight production control system uploads system parameters for each product batch.
Another feature that distinguishes the Sesotec machines is their high level of detection accuracy. The GENIUS controller and operating unit utilizes digital signal processing technology and ensures that the detector head is finely tuned to operate at optimum efficiency. Even particularly difficult, highly conductive spices and flavourings can be tuned out and optimum scanning sensitivities achieved.
The time and data of every event is recorded via the integrated logbook function. The GENIUS controller communicates all relevant data for recording and traceability to the ESAweight control system, for subsequent processing batch by batch in the central database. Analysis of the rejected material provides important information on the source of contamination and Almi have set up an additional station specifically to examine rejected material.
Result
Robert Leeb, Production Manager at Almi is delighted with the results, “Sesotec RAPID 5000 metal detectors meet all our exacting standards and play a vital part in our complex quality management system.”
