Modern X-ray equipment software for better detection, efficiency and compliance
X-ray inspection offers attractive solutions to the challenges of food safety. Along those lines, Sesotec experts explain the benefits of high-tech software for efficient food production and greater food safety.
For
scientists, legislators and especially food processing companies, the topics of
food safety and quality are a permanent challenge. Moreover, since the government
regulators cannot actively and fully control food safety, it is the food
industry in particular that bears the brunt of the responsibility. The principle of self-regulation is key,
meaning that anyone who produces food and puts it on the market is responsible
for food safety and liable for the consequences of foreign body contamination.
Production that conforms to the established guidelines is therefore
indispensable. At the same time, of course, it is important to pay attention to
efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Innovative
X-ray inspection makes an important contribution to efforts to meet the
requirements of maximum food safety and achieve economic efficiency in food
production. This includes the
implementation of modern software solutions that support and optimize the
efficiency of the X-ray equipment hardware.
In
the following article, the current state of these efforts is explained, taking
into account the remaining relevant advantages.
The benefits of high-tech features in X-ray
inspection for greater food safety
Food
quality is a top priority. Defective and contaminated food products must be
prevented at all costs to avoid far-reaching consequences, such as expensive
recalls, extensive recourse claims or, in the worst case, damage to health on
the part of the end consumer.
Modern
software solutions, such as those used in Sesotec X-ray inspection systems as a
supporting counterpart to proven hardware functions of X-ray devices, provide a
remedy. Depending on the manufacturer and X-ray inspection model, food
processing companies benefit from various software features. These features
range from software ensuring common standards to innovative solutions that
provide clear performance advantages. What they have in common, however, is
that they make an important contribution to optimizing detection accuracy,
support compliance with food safety standards and increase usability and
productivity in food production. Some examples of software features are
described below.
High detection accuracy and efficiency
While
metal detection registers disturbances triggered by the conductivity and
magnetic properties of ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals or stainless steel,
X-ray technology focuses on density comparison. The method is particularly
suitable for foreign bodies with high densities, such as stones or metals.
However, weaknesses are often revealed in the detection of foreign bodies with
a lower density.
As
a result, the risk of not detecting contaminants such as bones, metal wires and
glass fragments can be high. That is why when selecting a suitable X-ray
inspection system, it is advisable to ensure that it contains features that
improve the detection of bones, metal wires and glass shards. For example:
Bone:
For a long time, the detection of bones in meat and poultry processing was a
challenge. With the appropriate software, the identification of bones and
cartilage is vastly optimized.
Metal
wires: Wires - no matter what type of metal and what diameter - are also
detected. This includes smaller elongated wire shapes that may remain
undetected with other detection methods such as metal detection.
Glass
fragments: Glass in particular is very difficult to identify with other
detection methods. The software filter further optimizes the general advantages
of X-ray inspection with regard to density comparison in the detection of glass
fragments.
The
filters can complement each other. For example, the glass filter in combination
with the bone filter detects large flat foreign bodies with low density much
better.
But
that's not all, as properties such as the weight or shape of the food products
also play a major role. X-ray inspection systems optimally include software
solutions for the reliable identification of weight and shape deviations and
for fully checking the individual products in a line. The software calculates
the weight of the products, taking into account dimensions and density, and
identifies broken, deformed or missing products within a package. This is
particularly time-efficient in combination with software solutions that enable
the simultaneous X-ray inspection of several products on several lines. Common
features for this are:
Multi-line:
This
enables simultaneous X-ray inspection on up to 4 lines. Products from several
lines can be combined and inspected on one unit.
Multi-Product:
It
allows up to 20 different products to be conveyed in any order. The software
recognizes which product is currently passing through the X-ray and selects the
appropriate parameter set within milliseconds.
Zone analyzer:
It
allows zone definitions within an X-ray image. Counting and weighing is
possible for each zone independently and allows optimal detection
sensitivities.
Compliance with current food safety standards
Complete,
efficient monitoring and documentation of all measures for compliance with food
safety standards - such as IFS, BRC or FSSC 22000 and for identifying potential
weak points - is simple in theory but not in practice. This is because the
plethora of rules, regulations and standards, along with constantly changing
framework conditions, is becoming increasingly complex. Software solutions
enable seamless and efficient documentation through:
Audit Checks:
The
software guides you through the audit routine and logs all steps for adequate
monitoring of quality throughout the entire production process. With the help
of the audit check, weak points can be identified, corrected and documented
more easily.
Sensitivity
predictions: The software allows the X-ray inspection system to be enhanced by
means of virtual calculation, without the need for a test card or extensive
input from the operator. The detection sensitivity of stainless steel and glass
is determined automatically. Test cards are stored in the software in all sizes
and are calculated with the greyscale image of the product - as if a product
with a test card were actually being recorded.
Compliance Mode:
The
required detection accuracy can be set manually. In the event of any parameter
changes, these can be easily stored in the software to ensure constant, flexibly
adaptable process stability.
Self-monitoring:
The software continuously checks current sensitivities at defined time
intervals. This control enables the immediate identification of deviations, issues
quick countermeasures, and thus increases the overall stability of the
production process.
Validation process:
The
validation process provides evidence that the desired quality target for the
product is achieved. Product data and information on the detection signal are
evaluated and merged in the metal detector to create the validation certificate
in PDF format. The menu provides step-by-step support in carrying out the
validation process and enables paperless documentation and traceability.
Higher user-friendliness
Measures
that save time and costs contribute to the economic success of food processing
companies. Reliable foreign object detection - and thus maximum food safety - still
depends to a large extent on the human factor, and requires a high level of
user motivation and acceptance. The user’s successful engagement is the only
way to avoid errors in the production process, damage to the health of the end
consumer and a long-term loss of business reputation. For this purpose, too,
there are various software solutions that offer relief to the operating
personnel, reducing the amount of necessary input and at the same time making
it much more time-, cost- and result-efficient. These include:
Automatic
edge detection: The software automatically detects packaging effects that
inhibit sensitivity and adjusts the filter to the product contours. Expertise
in filter techniques, among others, is not necessary for operators.
Automatic
adjustment of the X-ray source: As part of the teach-in process, the optimum
X-ray output is set fully automatically for maximum detection accuracy (Auto
KV).
Clip
detection: A software solution with the "ignore clip" function allows
users to hide the grey value of a metal clip and thus increase the detection
sensitivity inside the product. All that is needed is to check that particular
function in the filter menu.
Conclusion
Defective
and contaminated products can have serious consequences. Recalls, damage to
health on the part of the end consumer and/or recourse claims are
cost-intensive for food companies and particularly damaging to their reputation
and image. Depending on the manufacturer and X-ray inspection models, there are
various software solutions on the market that support food processing companies
in boosting detection accuracy, productivity, conformity and user-friendliness
so that these worst-case scenarios do not occur.
Particularly
noteworthy are those software solutions that support the directive-compliant
implementation of various food safety standards such as IFS, BRC or FSSC 22000
and make a valuable contribution to efficient production while simultaneously
increasing food safety.
E-Book: RAYCON Familie – X-ray inspection holistically thought through
Sesotec has completed the proven RAYCON product family and
thus offers X-ray inspection solutions for all applications in the food
industry.
In our E-Book you can learn more about the RAYCON X-ray systems and how they make the difference with intelligent software.
