Many of the UK’s leading supermarket retailers strongly recommend the use of x-ray technology over magnetic metal detection highlighting a growing awareness of the benefits of using Thermo Scientific x-ray systems to reduce the number of rejected products coming out of production and ultimately improve safety, as well as the bottom line. Providing high levels of brand protection, x-ray technology detects a wider range of contaminants than other types of inspection equipment, including non metallic foreign objects like glass and bone.

In addition, x-ray detection sensitivity is three to five times greater than magnetic metal detectors for products packaged in metallized film and foil – increasingly being used by the food industry, particularly for ready meals, due to their presentation benefits and ability to extend shelf life.

“This customer demand for more sensitive x-ray equipment further underlines our position as industry leaders in the development of x-ray inspection technology,” comments Bob Ries, Thermo Fisher Scientific’s contaminant inspection product manager. “It also reflects our commitment to providing easy to use, flexible and powerful x-ray detection systems.

He continues: “Customers no longer fear x-ray technology recognising that it is a proven, safe method that will not harm employees or adversely affect the products being inspected. Another reason for the upward trend is that x-ray acquisition costs have significantly decreased due to our policy of offering low cost / high performance technology.”

Thermo Fisher Scientific offers a wide range of x-ray inspection solutions to meet the diverse requirements of its UK customer base. The recently launched Thermo Scientific POWERx™ is a brand new line of high performance x-ray systems specially designed for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. It consists of 16 industry-leading models, which collectively are capable of inspecting products ranging from small pharmaceutical glass vials to large, multi-package cases.

The Thermo Scientific POWERx has been introduced to complement the company’s Thermo Scientific EZx™ and Thermo Scientific PROx™ systems. The versatile Thermo Scientific EZx is an entry-level unit with the simplicity of a metal detector together with the enhanced detection capability of an x-ray system. The machine was specifically developed with traditional metal detector users in mind.

The PROx provides industry-leading brand protection against a wide range of defects including contaminants and product assembly errors. With its well proven x-ray sensing system and sophisticated image analysis software, PROx provides actionable information that can track and improve the manufacturing process. Its x-ray imaging feature and flexible detection filters optimise the machine’s detection sensitivity and reduces the number of product rejects on the assembly line.