Throat Metal Detectors

Throat metal detectors, also known as vertical metal detectors, are often used for metal detection in food packaging and processing lines, and are installed in Vertical Form, Fill and Seal (VFFS) processes located between a multi-head weigher and bagmaker equipment.

The metal inspection takes place immediately before the product enters the bag, overcoming limitations created by the packaging material to deliver very high levels of sensitivity performance for all metal types.

Vertical metal detectors do not have a reject mechanism. Instead, they integrate with the bagmaker equipment to either stop the line make a double bag following a detection event, so that metal-contaminated products can be identified and removed from the production line.

Throat vertical metal detectors are particularly suitable in instances where metalized film packaging is used in Vertical Form, Fill and Seal (VFFS) bagging operations. The type of vertical metal detector best suited for individual manufacturing facilities will depend on the application.

The finish of the metal detector is often important depending on the type of environment it will be used in. Vertical metal detectors are available in a choice of finishes:

• A painted finish for use in dry, non-aggressive environments
• Stainless steel construction for more demanding applications
  

A rugged stainless steel version with heavy-duty sealing is a good option for the most challenging situations, such as Individual Quick Frozen (IQF) product packaging applications.

METTLER TOLEDO Safeline Super Throat metal detectors offer enhanced sensitivity in vertical inspection applications; however, our Throat vertical metal detectors can be installed where space is particularly restricted to deliver extremely high levels of sensitivity to all metal contaminant types.

Optimizing process efficiency is essential to meet the demands of your customers and maximize the profitability of your business. METTLER TOLEDO vertical Throat and Super Throat metal detectors are a flexible, easy-to-install solution, offering a wide range of benefits to enhance productivity and minimize downtime.

Our range of vertical metal detectors offer full integration and compatibility with all leading weigher and bag-maker combinations for seamless installation into your manufacturing processes.

METTLER TOLEDO Safeline's Profile technology allows manufacturers to reduce the frequency of routine performance monitoring tests through Reduced Test Mode, and decrease the time taken to conduct performance monitoring tests through its Automatic Test System (ATS) – boosting productivity on the production line.

RT Mode has the ability to monitor the metal detector's performance on the production line to a level of certainty that the frequency of routine performance monitoring can be significantly reduced, subject to quarantine periods.

ATS decreases the time taken to conduct performance monitoring tests by >80% (from 3-5 minutes per line, to under 45 seconds per line to complete the end-to-end process for a three-metal test).

In some cases, depending on your business testing protocol, Reduced Test Mode and ATS can lead to significant uptime advantages, improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), increasing cost savings in today’s demanding production environments.

Related Content:

• RT and ATS ROI Calculators
• Reduced Test Frequency Benefits
• ATS Datasheet

METTLER TOLEDO Safeline Profile Throat and Super Throat vertical metal detectors can contribute to safer working practices in food manufacturing environments. By reducing the frequency of metal detector testing using new Reduced Test Mode technology, there is a corresponding reduction in the number of "ladder climbs" required by an operator to either drop the test sample through the aperture or access the HMI to run test routines.

Emulation, another feature available on our Profile metal detectors, allows the metal detector HMI to be controlled from a variety of networked devices such as a tablet or mobile phone. This reduces the need to work at height when the HMI is installed in an awkward location, as is the case in many dry product inspection applications.

ATS virtually eliminates the need to work at height to conduct most routine performance monitoring tests and reduces the requirement for line operators to have to reach across installed equipment to drop the test samples through the aperture of the metal detector.

Related Content:

• Reduced Test Frequency Benefits
• ATS Datasheet