Woolworths Quality Assurance

HowtoGuideMetalDetectionFunctionality

BasicprinciplesofMetalDetection

Allgeneralpurposemetaldetectorsfunctioninthesamewayandsharemanysimilarcharacteristics,
thoughnotalldetectorsaresuitableforeveryapplication.

Therearethreetypesofmetaldetectors
ConveyorMountedSystems
Vertical(Bagfill)Packagingsystems
Pipeline(Inline)Systems

Mostmetaldetectorsinthefoodindustryarebasedonabalancedcoilsystem.Ametaldetectorwill
usuallycontain3coils.Thetransmittercoilwillgenerateafieldthatisdesignedtorevealmetalparticles
inordertomakethemdetectable.Thisprocessiscalledilluminatingthemetalparticle.Theremaining
twocoilsaredesignedasreceiversandareconnectedtogethertodetectthepresenceofanilluminated
metalparticle.Thedetectionisrelatedtotheconductiveandmagneticpropertiesofthosemetals.The
ratiooftheaperturetothesizeoftheproductisvitallyimportantinensuringoptimalperformance,due
tothesensitivitybeingmeasuredatthegeometriccentreoftheaperture.

Source:www.mt.com

Asmuchaswerelyonmetaldetectors,asameansofqualitycontrol,theyarestillunabletodetectevery
particleofmetalpassingthroughthem.Aswithanymeasuringinstrument,therearerestrictionson
accuracyandthisvariesdependingontheapplication.

Thatswhenadifferenttechnology,knownasferrousinfoildetection,comesintoplay.Thesedetectors
usestrong,permanentmagnetstocreateaconstantmagneticfield,whichisdisturbedbythe
introductionofmagneticmetals.Althoughthisequipmentonlydetectsmagnetisableferrousmetalsand
magneticstainlesssteels,itremainsacosteffectivesolutionforsomeapplications.FerrousinFoilmetal
detectorsshouldbeusedonfoilpacked,aluminiumfoiltrayandlikeproducts,asthesearecapableof
detectingferrousmetalsonlywithinfreshorfrozenproductswhicharepackedinafoilwrapping.

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FactorsAffectingMetalDetection:

Thefactorsaffectingmetaldetectioninclude:
MetalType
MetalShape&Orientation:simplyreportingthatthedetectorlocatedanobjectinone
orientationdoesntprecludethepossibilitythatitwouldbemissedinanotherorientation.
ApertureSize/PositionintheAperture:themaximumsensitivityoccurswhenthebeltandfood
itemisclosesttotheedgeofthemetaldetectorportal.
DetectorFrequency
EnvironmentalConditions:notimpactedbyexternalelectricalinterferenceorbyplantoperating
conditionse.g.wetenvironments,areasofhighvibration,extremesoftemperatureorharsh
hygieneprocedures.Ifthecoilsystemisallowedtomoveorvibratebyjustafewmicrons,the
disturbancecouldbeenoughtocauserejectionofaperfectlyacceptableproduct.
PackagingMaterial:Differentpackagingmaterialscaneffectsensitivities.
o Paper,cardboardpackaging,takingintoaccountrecycledcontent.
o Glass(jars&bottles)
o MouldedPlastics(jars&bottle,trays)
o PolyFilm
o MetallisedPolyFilm
o AluminiumFoil
o Oxygenscavengers
o Promotionalmaterialandinserts
o Steelcans
ProductCharacteristics
o DryProductsE.g.sugar,flour,snacks,confectionery,cerealsetc:HighSensitivity
o WetProducts(producteffectapplications)E.g.readymeals,meat,fish,sauces,
preserves,etc:ReducedSensitivity
o IronrichproductsHighSensitivity
o ProductscontaininghighlevelsofsaltReducedSensitivity
o Irregularproductshapes.ReducedSensitivity

TableMetalType

MetalType
EaseofDetection
Electricalconductivity
Magneticpermeability
Ferrous
Easilydetected
Good
Magnetic
NonFerrous
Relativelyeasytodetect
Generallygoodorexcellent Nonmagnetic
StainlessSteel Relativelydifficultto
Usuallypoor
Usuallynonmagnetic
detect

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DiagramOrientationExample

Source:www.mt.com

Sensitivity

Thesensitivityoftheequipmentisessentialindeterminingthetypeandsizeofpiecesofmetaldetected.
Theequipmentsensitivityisappropriateifallofthefollowingparametersaremet:
Thesensitivitycanbemaintainedwithoutperiodicadjustment.
Thedetectorgivesminimalfalsesignalsanddoesnotrejectgoodproduct.
Detectordoesnotgoblindafterdetectingalargemetalpiece.
Detectionindifferentorientations:theresultingdisturbancesignalcanbeonetotwoordersof
magnitudegreaterinoneorientationthantheother.Mosttestpiecesuseasphericalobject,so
thesignaltheygiveoffisthesameinanyorientation;butwhentestingareturnedforeignobject,
suchasaneedleorpieceofwire,itneedstobetestedindifferentorientationtoensuremaximum
effectiveness.

RejectMechanisms

Thereareavarietyofrejectdevicesavailablewhichmayinclude:
Carriageretractingband/Sweep/diverterarm(product<5kg)
Airblast(product<1kg).Thesecanbeunreliableifyouhaveadropinairpressure.Ensurethatthe
airpressureissufficienttocopewithanypotentialmetalcontaminantse.g.metalbolts.
Pusher(product<10kg)
Stopondetect(product<60kg)

Detectorfailsafesystemswherefitted,mustbechallengedatregularintervals(eg:startandendofshift/
day)tomakesuretheyareeffective.

Rejectconfirmationsystem:automaticbeltstopfailsafesystem,toconfirmmetalcontaminated
productshavesuccessfullyenteredtherejectbins.

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Asmostmetaldetectorconveyorsarerelativelyshort,withtherejectsystemclosetotheconveyorout
feed,itisnotpossibletoensureanycontaminatedproductnotrejectedwillberetainedonthemetal
detectorconveyorwhenitstops.Itisthereforeimperativetostopthefollowingconveyor(orequipment)
atthesametimeandadditionaloutputsonthemetaldetectionsystemshouldbeavailabletofacilitate
this.AfterRejectConfirmationAlarmallproductshouldberemovedfromthemetaldetectorconveyor
andfollowingconveyor(orequipment)andrejectedorreinspected.

Binfullsystem:anautomaticbeltstopfailsafesystemwhichactivatesshouldtherejectproduct
collectionboxbecomefull.

Airpressuresystem:anautomaticbeltstopfailsafesystemtocoverairpressurefailurestotherejection
mechanism.Theaccesstoadjustingtheairpressureshouldberestricted.

Searchheadfailure:anautomaticbeltstopfailsafesystemtoconfirmdetectionheadfault.

Backupsensor:anautomaticbeltstopfailsafesystem,toactivateshouldproductbackupunderoutthe
feedbeltofthemetaldetector.Whereappropriateabackupsensorshouldbeinstalledtoensure
productispreventedfrombackingupontothemetaldetectorconveyor.

Bindoorunlockedalarm:anautomaticbeltstopfailsafesystemtoactivateshouldtherejectbindoorbe
leftopen/unlockedforlongerthanapresettime.

ProductTestingTestPacks

Thetestpacksmustberepresentativeoftheproductsgoingdownthelinee.g.shapeanddensity.Actual
productshouldbeusedastestpacks.Thepacksusedtomakeuptestpacksshouldbepassedthroughthe
metaldetectorbeforetheyareusedtoensurethattheydonotcontainmetal.

Detectorsmustbecheckedusingclearlyidentifiedtestpacksatthesametemperature(andtherefore
maintainedatsametemperature)asstandardproductpassingdownthelineandtestpiecesofadefined
size.

Thetestpiecesmustbepassedthroughthedetectorinthecentreoftheaperturewiththetestpack.

Consecutiveleadingandtrailingchecksmustbecompletedinlongpackstoensuretherejectmechanism
cansuccessfullyreject.Thetestmustberepresentativeofhowproductswouldnormallytravelthrough
thedetectorduringnormalproduction.

Thesiteshouldonlyusetestpieceswhicharecontrolledandthesizeofthemetalcanbeverifiede.g.they
aremanufacturedwithaserialnumberorissuedwithacertificate.Testpiecesareavailableinvarious
sizes/shapese.g.sticksorcards.Themostappropriatetypefortheproductshouldbechosen.

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Testpacksshouldbemadeuponanhourlybasiswithproductfromtheline(sameproduct).Ifitisnot
practicaltodothisandtestpacksaremadeupinadvance,thetestpacksmustbecontrolledandlabelled
withproduct,date,testpiecesizeandtype.

ProductTestingLocationofTestPieces&ConsecutiveTests

Thetestpacksneedtobemadeuptoworstcasescenario.Thetestpiecesshouldbelocatedinthe
leading,centreandtrailingpositionsasperdiagramsbelowforthe3packconsecutivetest,andthe
leadingandtrailingedgeforthe2packFerrousinfoil.Theleadingandtrailingpositionswouldnotbe
consideredarequirementiftheproductisasmallpack(i.e.lessthan100mm).

Thetestpacksshouldbemarkedwiththelocationofthemetalifitisnotvisible.

Whereapackcontainsproductsofdifferentdensity,thelocationofthetestpiecesinthepackshouldbe
basedonworstcasescenario.

Ifthelocationofthetestpieceisnotvisibleadditionalcontrols/checksneedtobeinplacetoensurethat
thetestpiecesremainintherequiredlocationsifthepacksareusedformultiplelocationse.g.afterbeing
rejectedthetestpiecesmayhavemoved.

All3testpacks(Ferrous,NonFerrous,StainlessSteel)shouldpassthroughthedetectoroneaftereach
otherwithnormalspacing/linespeed.Thelineshouldberunningandthetestpacksintroducedinthe
placesof3uninspectedpackswherepossible.

DetectionUnit

Midpoint

Trailingedge

Leadingedge
EvenLineSpacing

ProductFlow

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ForFerrousinFoilDetectorstwotestpacksarerequiredincludingtwoferroustestpiecesofthesame
size.

DetectionUnit

Trailingedge

Leadingedge

EvenLineSpacing

ProductFlow

ProductTestingMemoryTest

Theobjectiveofthetestistochallengetheeffectivenessoftherejectsystemsothatitdoesnotblanket
reject.

Thetestpacksshouldbesentthroughthemetaldetectorwithastandardpackinbetween(whichhas
alreadysuccessfullypassedthroughthemetaldetector).

Itisafailedtestifanyofthetestpacksarenotrejected.Ifastandardpackisrejectedthelinemustbe
stoppedandtheissueinvestigatede.g.timingofrejectmechanism.

Ifamachinestrugglestonotrejectgoodpacks,adviceshouldbesoughtfromtheequipment
manufacturer.Thecapabilityofthemachinemaybedependentonthelinespeed.

Ifasitewishestocombinetheconsecutiveandmemorytestintoonetest,theprocedurebelowis
recommended:

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VerticalPackagingsystems

Verticalpackagingsystemsconsistofathroatmetaldetectorandabagformerbeneath.Theycanbeused
forcertainproducttypese.g.snacksandconfectionery.

Example

RejectMechanism

Ondetectionofmetalthedetectorshouldsendasignaltothebagmakertoproduceadoublebagor
stop.Thesystemshouldalsobefittedwithanaudibleand/orvisiblealarmtoindicatethatthesystemis
stoppedduetoametalcontaminationincident.

Testing
Whentestingverticalpackaginglines,ferrous,nonferrousandstainlesssteeltestpiecesshouldbe
independentlyplacedintheproductflowandsuccessfulrejectionsobserved(i.e.doublepackmadeand
audibleand/orvisualalarmactivatedandlinestops).

Confirmationmustbesoughtthatthetestpiecehasbeencapturedinthedoublepackproduced.

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InLineDetectionSystems

Liquid,pasteandslurrytypeproductscanbeinspectedastheyarepumpedthroughapipelinepriorto
beingdispensedintothefinalpack.Thisformofinspectionisrecommendedinapplicationswherethe
productispackedinmetalcontainers(e.g.tincans).

Systemsofthistypeshouldincorporateanautomatedrejectvalvesystemimmediatelyafterthemetal
detectionheadwithanaudibleandvisualindicatortosignalwhencontaminationisfound.Contaminated
productshouldberejectedintoasuitablesecurecontainer.

Source:www.mt.com

Testing

Withpipelinesystems,testpiecesshouldideallybeplacedintheproductflowandsuccessfulrejection
observed.Ininstanceswhereplacingatestpieceintheproductflowisnotpractical,thesystemmaybe
testedbyinsertingtestpiecesbetweenthepipelineandthedetectionhead(inthedirectionofproduct
flow)andobservingtheoperationoftherejectsystem.

Source:www.mt.com

Sensitivitystandardssetintheseinstancesshouldreflectthatthetestpieceisnotpassingthroughthe
centreoftheaperture(sensitivityisthereforehigher).Intheseinstances,thesizeofthetestpieceused
shouldbeadjustedtocompensate(e.g.smallertestpiecesize)consultequipmentmanufacturerfor
advice.

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