The Role of Product Inspection Systems in the Consumer Goods Industry

Enhancing Product Safety and Quality

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) protects the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under its jurisdiction. Their website notes that the CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products—such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals—contributed substantially to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products since the agency was founded.

With or without CPSC regulations in place, no manufacturer wants to hurt consumers with their products.  With the increasing concern for product contamination, manufacturers in industries such as food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, and personal care are turning to advanced technologies to detect and remove foreign metal contaminants.

Technologies to Help Ensure Safe Personal Care Products Go Out the Door

Most facilities have implemented technologies and quality control programs to help ensure safe, quality products go out their door.  Here’s a look at how one of these technologies, product inspection systems, play a crucial role in maintaining the safety and quality standards of consumer goods. This article highlights the use of industrial metal detectors and checkweighers – like those used in the food industry – in two real-life case studies: a tissue manufacturer in China and a wet wipes manufacturer in the United States.

Case Study 1: A tissue manufacturer in China faced the challenge of detecting and removing metal pieces originating from worn production machinery, human error, or inadvertently introduced through raw materials. To ensure the safety of their end customers and protect their brand reputation, they implemented metal detectors at the end of their production line, after the packaging process. This strategic placement allowed them to effectively detect and remove any metal contaminants, ensuring the highest quality standards for their products.

Case Study 2: A wet wipes manufacturer in the United States opted for a metal detector and checkweigher combination system due to its unique advantages. Limited floor space was a concern for the manufacturer, and the combo system provided a space-saving solution by mounting the metal detector on the same conveyor as the checkweigher. Additionally, the high moisture content of their product posed a challenge for conventional metal detectors. Fortunately, the equipment they chose utilized technology that could provide accurate detection even for wet and conductive products.

Metal Detector and Checkweigher Technology

Modern industrial metal detector technology utilizes multi-coil designs. Transmitter coils located in the center of the housing emit high frequency radio signal ranges from 50 kHz to 1000 kHz, and the receiver coils reside on both sides of this transmitter coil. The signals between transmitter and receiver coil on either side are equal in strength, this is defined as a balanced system. When products or contaminants pass through the metal detector, the magnetic and/or conductive nature disturbs the signal on one side of the metal detector, causing the system to be out of balance. Depending on the signal strength, the metal detector will determine whether this is a product with metal contaminants, or simply the product itself. The output is used to detect metal and then the contaminated product will be rejected from the production line.

A checkweigher classifies, counts and rejects products that are off spec, which helps manufactures meet throughput and legal requirements while providing reliable weight control.

Benefits of Product Inspection Systems

We noted that, in general, manufacturers want to ensure the safety of end customers by effectively detecting and removing metal contaminants that may pose health risks. No one wants to be responsible for unsafe products that could harm people or pets. But besides not wanting to cause injuries, there are other reasons to be diligent about removing physical contaminants before the products reach store shelves.  Here are a few:

• Brand Protection: By eliminating the risk of metal contaminants in their products, manufacturers can safeguard their brand reputation. A single incident of contamination can have severe consequences, including recalls, legal implications, and damage to consumer trust. Product inspection systems serve as a proactive measure to prevent such incidents.
• Compliance with Regulations: The consumer goods industry is subject to strict regulations regarding product quality. Product inspection systems help manufacturers meet these regulatory requirements and demonstrate their commitment to consumer protection.
• Operational Efficiency: With the integration of advanced technologies, product inspection systems not only enhance safety but also improve operational efficiency. The combination of metal detection and checkweighing in a single system maximizes profits by minimizing product giveaway and reducing waste.

Summary

The use of product inspection (X-ray inspection, metal detector, checkweigher) systems has become essential in the consumer goods industry. These systems provide reliable and affordable solutions for detecting and removing foreign metallic and non-metallic contaminants, ensuring the safety and quality of products. By implementing these systems, manufacturers can protect their brand reputation, comply with regulations, and improve operational efficiency, ultimately leading to customer satisfaction and business success.

Additional Resources

• Application Note: Enhanced metal detector performance for conductive products
• Online Resources:  Applied technologies to improve weighing and inspection