[Metal Detectors] Product Review

Profiled below are several metal detectors from leading manufacturers. Manufacturers, if you would like to have a product featured in a future issue of QA, send text and photos to Assistant Editor Chuck Bowen at cbowen@giemedia.com.

Loma Systems >> www.loma.com

A new-generation, variable-frequency metal detector is being launched by Loma Systems. The IQ3 offers users both state-of-the art sensitivity and stability. Packagers with multi-product requirements will now have a higher degree of metal detecting accuracy and flexibility than previously possible, the company said.

The introduction of the IQ3 variable frequency metal detector dramatically alters the way a metal detector functions. The IQ3 analyzes “product effect,” reviews a broad band of frequencies and offers the right one for the specific application within seconds, the company said. This frequency selection also removes operator error from the equation and allows a broad variety of products to be run through the same unit.

The IQ3’s capabilities are made possible by the latest in case and coil geometry, which greatly reduces the effects of vibration, electrical interference and thermal shock. In turn, this enables increased stability, which means fewer false positives, Loma said.

CEIA >> www.heatandcontrol.com

CEIA THS/3F metal detectors quickly detect and remove metal contaminants without slowing production or wasting excess product.

This three-frequency metal detector automatically selects the optimal detection frequency based on product characteristics, the company said.

Extremely sensitive to all magnetic and non-magnetic metals, including stainless steel, CEIA detectors use digital signal processing for consistent accuracy and to prevent interference from two-way radios, motors and other nearby RFI devices.

Auto-learn and automatic tracking functions eliminate false readings caused by product effect, the company said.  Fully HACCP-compliant, and easy to clean and inspect, CEIA metal detectors have an IP69K washdown rating and withstand challenging environments, the company said.

Combine the detector with CEIA’s modular belt conveyor to obtain integrated control of conveyor speed and rejection. Ethernet capability is also available for centralized data acquisition and control.

Lock Inspection Systems >> www.lockinspection.com

Lock Inspection Systems introduces the state-of-the-art 3f/hf. Based on the technology of Lock’s MET 30+, the latest addition to its portfolio offers a fully automatic, triple-frequency metal detector capable of highly accurate inspection of food products and also poly-film and metallized packaged products, the company said.

The 3f/hf features an in-built automatic frequency selection facility, which chooses the optimum frequency, whatever the product or packaging. The high frequency is selected to inspect dry products such as cookies or snackfoods at 875Khz. This frequency gives food manufacturers and packers a heightened sensitivity for non-ferrous and stainless steel metals — up to 30 percent higher than standard detectors, the company said.

Mettler-Toledo Safeline >> www.us.mt.com

Mettler-Toledo Safeline has introduced a new, cost-effective gravity flow metal detector. Designed for dry processing applications, the new GF metal detector can detect ferrous, non-ferrous and stainless steel contaminants in high-volume, free-flowing powders and granular products, the company said.

Customers can directly influence the contaminant detection sensitivity and ease of product changeover by choosing the best metal detector model for their requirements — from the one-frequency Certus model for basic, reliable detection to the three-frequency PowerPhasePRO.

Thermo Fisher Scientific >> www.thermofisher.com

Thermo Fisher Scientific has upgraded its Thermo Scientific metal detector family (formerly sold under the Goring Kerr brand name). The upgrade extends the operational life of the Thermo Scientific DSP2, DSP3 and Metal Eliminator products in the field while improving ease of use, reliability and performance.

The new upgrade option also gives customers two choices to meet their metal detection needs: The upgraded detector detects 5 to 10 percent smaller metal.