In the pet food industry, check-weighing plays a critical role in ensuring product quality and compliance with regulations. Traditionally, companies have used check-weighers to measure the weight of packaged products. However, with advancements in X-ray technology, more and more companies are turning to X-ray for check-weighing based on X-ray’s improved accuracy, efficiency, and speed.
X-ray check-weighing systems use X-ray technology to not only volumetrically measure the weight of packaged products but also to simultaneously inspect their contents for foreign material, missing contents (too few meat chunks, as one example), and other quality issues. Some reasons X-ray check-weighing can be more effective and efficient than traditional check-weighers include:
- Increased Accuracy: Traditional check-weighers measure product weight by passing containers over a load cell. External factors such as vibrations or temperature changes can affect this process, resulting in inaccurate readings. In contrast, X-ray systems use X-ray technology to measure product weight based on their density, which is not influenced by external factors. As a result, X-ray check-weighing systems are more accurate and reliable than traditional check-weighers – especially for light weight or fast moving packages.
- Multi-Functional: X-ray systems not only measure product weight but also provide additional quality controls by inspecting the contents of the packages and the structure of the package itself. This enables a more comprehensive assessment of product quality through the identification of foreign material (glass, metal, stone, hard plastics, bone), contaminants, fill-level, malformed ring pulls, or dents – reducing the need for additional inspection processes.
- Faster Inspection Speed: X-ray systems are capable of inspecting a larger number of products at a faster speed than traditional check-weighers. X-ray technology can inspect packages and their contents without contact, enabling a quicker inspection process that doesn’t slow down the production line.
- Better Productivity: The increased accuracy and efficiency of check-weighing with X-ray systems can improve productivity by reducing the need for additional inspections, rework, and scrap. This not only saves time but also reduces costs associated with wasted products and rework.
- Compliance with Regulations and Contracts: X-ray systems can ensure manufacturing compliance with regulations by providing a more accurate and reliable means of measuring product weight and identifying any quality issues. For some warehouse clubs, inspection (preferably by X-ray) is a condition of delivery. To ensure demonstrable and traceable compliance, X-ray provides robust evidence of inspection.
Overall, using X-ray for volumetric check-weighing offers several advantages over traditional check-weighers in terms of accuracy, speed, and functionality. Many companies are turning to X-ray check-weighing systems as a more effective and efficient solution for their quality control needs. X-ray inspection is well suited to a wide range of containers – metal cans, plastic cups, boxes, bags, pouches, and chubs.
