In another United Biscuits application, this time at the company’s Billingham site, Lock Inspection Systems has worked with the company to help improve the processing efficiency of their multi-bag crisp packing lines and reduce product wastage. These benefits are a result of retrofitting the snack lines with 62 throat metal detectors.
The packing lines were originally fitted with conventional end of line metal detectors which were inspecting sealed multi-packs of crisps each containing up to nine individual bags of the snack product at the end of the packaging process. However, the main drawback when inspecting sealed multi-packs was the wastage potential if a foreign metal object was detected in one individual bag – this would mean the entire multi-pack would have to be rejected.
In contrast, Lock’s MET30+ UNIVERSAL detectors were retrofitted within the confined space between the outlet of the multi head weigher and the inlet to the VFFS bag maker – this meant that the crisps were inspected during the free-fall prior to entering the bag. Without the hindrances of the metalized film packaging the throat metal detectors are working at optimum level and have reduced product waste.
The initial order of 18 throat metal detectors has recently been increased by a further 44 units, making Lock UB’s designated and preferred supplier of throat metal detectors.
Paul Simcox, project engineer for United Biscuits, commented: “Lock’s MET30+ UNIVERSAL throat metal detectors have exceeded our expectations in waste reduction and optimising the packaging efficiency of the lines.”
Lock Inspection
T: 0161 624 0333