X-ray transparent belt boosts performance on contaminant detection lines

Donnerstag 3 Juni 2010

X-ray transparency and added durability are benefits of a new conveyor belt that helps improve performance for contaminant detection in glass containers on food and pharmaceutical lines, said Mettler Toledo Safeline.

The company said its new belt incorporates a slat band modular design to facilitate high-speed handling of glass containers of various sizes.

The walls and bases of glass jars and bottles can vary by as much as 20 per cent – which makes the detection of foreign bodies in the containers challenging. One issue is that previously-used polyurethane (PU) conveyor belts, while x-ray transparent, wear out quickly when handling heavy glass containers at high speeds, said the company. Heavier belts with higher weight capacities are more durable but hinder the flow of X-ray beams and reduce the sensitivity of detection.

The new patented modular plastic belt combines the the benefits of both belt types by boasting a “low absorption but durable material that does not result in any loss in sensitivity of detection”, company product development and sales manager Niall McRory told FoodProductionDaily.com. The design also ensures that slat thickness is uniform and no metal is in the path of X-ray beam as the joining pins are external.

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