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X-ray vision checks inside chocolates boxes

Thorntons in the U.K. uses X-ray scanning equipment to inspect foil-wrapped and boxed chocolates. Software upgrade detects missing chocolates.

At Thorntons, the X-ray inspection system checks lidded boxes for contaminants and, through a software upgrade, chocolates that
At Thorntons, the X-ray inspection system checks lidded boxes for contaminants and, through a software upgrade, chocolates that

Once possessed only by comic book superheroes, X-ray vision is now used on-line to help ensure the quality of packaged goods. At Thorntons, a manufacturer of premium confections in the United Kingdom, an X-ray inspection system from Loma Intl. (Carol Stream, IL) has been in operation since 1999 at the company’s headquarters facility in Somercoates, England. It checks for contaminants in foil-wrapped and unwrapped chocolates.

A subsequent software upgrade from Loma made the system even more “super” by allowing it to detect missing chocolates—even foil-wrapped ones—inside the boxes (see July ’01, p. 2). This helps eliminate concerns over missing chocolates in the boxes.

Thorntons formerly used a metal detector to inspect the chocolates for contaminants. The inspection took place before the chocolates were wrapped. Inspecting after wrapping was out of the question because the wrap used on many of the chocolates is foil, which renders a metal detection system useless.

However, Thorntons wanted to push automated X-ray inspection as far downstream on the packaging line as possible so that the inspection isn’t done too soon, before some of the manufacturing steps. That way, the inspection system could serve as a final on-line Quality Assurance (QA) inspection to also ensure that contaminants introduced during the manufacturing process would be detected.

The Loma AXIS X-ray machine was installed in September ’99. The X-rays are generated from an above-conveyor source and are detected by a row of 0.88 sq mm diodes below the conveyor. Chocolates conveyed through the machine travel between the X-rays above and the diode array below. Each boxed piece is analyzed up to 800 times/sec as it moves through the machine. This process yields a grayscale X-ray image that’s analyzed by the AXIS software, which compares the X-ray image with preset standards to determine if the package is okay or not. Contaminants show up as darker areas. Unlike metal detection systems, X-ray systems can detect the presence of pieces of glass, rubber, product clumps, and certain plastics, including polyvinyl chloride.

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