Mettler-Toledo's "How to Select Critical Control Points for X-ray Systems" Webinar Now Available
By identifying physical contaminants, x-ray systems ensure product safety. They also help manufacturers to comply with standards such HACCP by controlling Critical Control Points (CCPs). These specific junctures on the production line require applied-controls in order to reduce contamination risks to acceptable levels.
Manufacturers typically install an x-ray inspection system at the end of the production line, although it can be installed at any point during the production process.
Questions addressed in the webinar include:
- Which are the best locations for x-ray inspection equipment?
- Where are the critical control points to ensure the highest levels of product safety?
- Should x-ray inspection be at the beginning of the production line, where the raw materials arrive, at some intermediate stage, or at the end of the line before products are shipped?
- Would products safety and quality be better served by installing x-ray systems at more than one critical control point?
The webinar starts with a brief description of why manufacturers use x-ray inspection, and how the technology catches contaminants. It goes on to explain that effective x-ray inspection has to be part of an HACCP approach to product safety. After briefly covering the first two of the seven HACCP principles, the webinar takes viewers step-by-step along the production line.
The steps that are covered in the production line include raw ingredients, bulk flow products, pumped products, processing, before and after packaging and sealing, and final cases.
At each production stage, the webinar discusses the advantages and disadvantages of placing x-ray inspection equipment at that point. As a general rule, early inspection gives better detection rates because the product can be inspected in shallow layers and in a homogeneous form that lends itself to x-ray inspection. On the other hand, inspection of sealed and packaged product comes at a point when no new contaminants can intrude.
The step by step analysis helps analyze risk versus cost of choosing the optimal location – one that gives the best level of product safety, for the least disruption, and for the least cost.
About METTLER TOLEDO
METTLER TOLEDO is a leading global manufacturer of precision instruments. The Company is the world’s largest manufacturer and marketer of weighing instruments for use in laboratory, industrial and food retailing applications. The Company also holds top-three market positions in several related analytical instruments and is a leading provider of automated chemistry systems used in drug and chemical compound discovery and development. In addition, the Company is the world’s largest manufacturer and marketer of metal detection systems used in production and packaging. Additional information about METTLER TOLEDO can be found at www.mt.com