FEATURE MIXING, WEIGHING & INSPECTION ENJOYING THE BENEFITS OF X-RAY
A gluten-free snack manufacturer has chosen Loma Systems’ X5C X-ray system to carry out quality control and ensure products remain contaminant-free
E
njoy Life Foods – a rapidly growing manufacturer of certified gluten-free
and Non-GMO Project verified snacks – recently installed four X5C Compact X-ray inspection units from Loma Systems at its 200,000 square foot baking facility in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Chosen for its reliability, robustness and space-saving design, the compact machine is inspecting a range of allergen-free snack bars wrapped in metallised film for contaminants. The Enjoy Life Foods’ plant produces
cookies, snack bars, chocolate bars, baking chocolate, seed and fruit mixes, and savory snacks which are free-from gluten and 14 common allergens. The product is supplied across the USA and Canada, as well as other global markets. Aaron Jackson, project engineer at Enjoy
Life Foods, said: “We decided to upgrade our inspection technology when we moved to the new plant and began using more metallised film packaging across some of our product lines. We approached Loma due to past experience with their metal detectors and checkweighers, their proven track record in the global food industry inspection market and the fact that they always stand behind their products.”
Enjoy Life Foods has installed the X5C X-
ray system at the end of its packaging lines where it is inspecting wrapped solid chocolate bars and snack bars containing seeds, chocolate chips or caramel pieces. The X5C is operating at speeds up to 240 packs/min, on a continuous 24/7 basis. Loma’s X5C model is developed for food
manufacturers, processors and packers running multi-product lines who are looking to make the switch to X-ray technology for the first time. It is a compact yet functional system designed to reduce the cost of ownership of X-ray inspection technology by up to 30%. Snack foods often fluctuate in density
which can make it difficult to find foreign bodies and inspection challenging. However, Loma’s X5C not only detects physical contaminants, it also inspects for proper fill level, seal defects, mass measurement and component counts. It can also identify lumps of product including seasoning or powder. In addition, snacks that are packaged in
metallised film or have variable product temperature and moisture content will have no effect on the detection sensitivity levels of Loma’s X5C. Jackson said: “Loma recommended the
MIXER TAKES CONTROL OF DAIRY ODOUR ISSUES
A Landia AirJet mixer that solved an odour problem at one of California’s oldest independent dairies, is close to completing a full five years of uninterrupted service. At the Hollandia Dairy in north San Diego County, a side-entry mixer (from a different manufacturer) was failing to prevent build-up of odorous septic sludge in a 35,000-gallon bolted steel equalisation tank (18.5 ft. in diameter x 18.75 ft. in height). Hank Van Nieuwenhuyzen, chief operations officer at Hollandia Dairy, said: “Our old side-entry mixer just
wasn’t mixing the tank anywhere near enough, so odours were building up. ...we have always endeavoured to be good neighbours, so investing in a much better mixer was a must.” ES Engineering were called in to see what solution could be found. Project manager Christian Tasser (who
now works in the wastewater treatment and renewable energy sector for Carollo Engineers), said: “We looked at how we could best prevent the tank’s contents from going septic, taking measures to reduce pH levels and see what would be best, especially for peak production times.” He added: “The wastewater, including effluent from Hollandia’s fruit juice manufacture didn’t pose a big
problem with solids content, but the existing mixing system wasn’t up to the job.” Looking for an instant, yet long-term solution, Tasser sought to maximise the effect of the newly
purchased Landia AirJet (chopper pump model MPTK-I 80) by recirculating the foul air (from the top of the tank) down through the wastewater, thereby effectively scrubbing the sulphur out of the air to eliminate the odour issues. “The Landia AirJet is reliable and very effective.” said Tasser. “The
capital cost isn’t high, and you no longer need to add chemicals to the tank – plus there’s the very big advantage of not needing blowers, which are very energy intensive.” Hollandia Dairy’s Hank Van Nieuwenhuyzen added: “Installation was
easy, through an existing manway, so no additional holes were needed in the wall of our tank. And in nearly five years of operation we’ve not had any problems at all with the Landia AirJet - and haven’t had to clean out the tank once! Our odour problems have been solved. It’s been an excellent investment.” Landia
32 FEBRUARY 2019 | PROCESS & CONTROL
The space-saving X-ray unit ensures reliable inspection of allergy friendly snack products wrapped in metallised film
X5C due to our limited production space, budget restraints and its ability to reliably and accurately inspect snack bars wrapped in metallised film. In terms of cost, the unit compares extremely favourably with other types of inspection equipment. “Although the X5C is a streamlined
model, it has been optimised to give maximum performance. Offering good value for money, it provides reassurance that our quality control procedures meet customer requirements.” The X5C is suitable for the detection of
glass, calcified bone, rubber, stone as well as ferrous, non-ferrous and stainless steel metal in various packaging. It operates at line speeds up to 50m/min and measures just 1m in length. It is capable of handling products up to 100mm (height) x and 300mm (width) but weighing no more than 3kg. In line with CFR21 part 11 traceability,
Loma’s X5C is multi-level password protected for improved data management, which means the system can log events against individual operators. Produced from brushed stainless steel, it
offers an ultra-hygienic design for easy cleaning, low maintenance and serviceability. A quick release belt can be completely removed without the need for tools and the belt tension can also be eased for cleaning. The X5C has sloping surfaces to reduce drying time and to stop food particles and washdown droplets from accumulating in crevices. Energy saving benefits are thanks to the
x5C’s detector array with a 0.8mm diode pitch. This provides a low power and self- contained high efficiency X-ray generator, resulting in the best balance of processing power to inspection capabilities. The detector features an easy to use
eight inch intuitive touch screen, and uses a Windows Embedded Standard operating system. “The Loma X5C X-ray machine runs on a
24/7 basis and requires little or no attendance by staff,” added Jackson. “It is easy to install and simple to operate plus needs little maintenance.
www.landia.co.uk
Loma Systems
www.loma.com
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