Plan Automation Technology Blog

Three Steps to Optimal X-Ray Inspection Machine Performance

Posted by PLAN Automation Blog on Thu, Jan 30, 2020 @ 09:01 AM

With so much on the line when it comes to safety and quality, your inspection equipment has to run as optimally as possible. Ensuring peak performance and the best lifecycle of an inspection system includes choosing machines designed to last, ensuring the best environment to run the systems, training operators on proper procedures and taking proactive, preventive measures. Maximizing performance through care, training, and preventive, proactive measures also helps operators enhance their overall equipment effectiveness and lower their total cost of ownership over the life of the equipment.

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Topics: X Ray Inspection for Food, Food Safety and Quality Inspection, Product Inspection, X Ray Inspection Technology, Food Product Inspection, Eagle Pi

Interview with Jacqueline Southee, North America Representative of FSSC 22000

Posted by PLAN Automation Blog on Thu, Jan 23, 2020 @ 09:01 AM

With food safety recalls continuing to make news around the world – including incidents involving physical contaminants – and the ongoing need to stay compliant with regulations and voluntary standards, manufacturers are looking to tighten up their preventive, proactive measures. This month, Christy Draus, Marketing Manager of Eagle Product Inspection is talking with Jacqueline Southee, North America Representative of FSSC 22000, on how manufacturers can protect their brands through certification of their food safety management system and help them conform to international and independent standards. 

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Topics: X Ray Inspection for Food, Food Safety and Quality Inspection, Product Inspection, X Ray Inspection Technology, Food Product Inspection, Eagle Pi

Are You Getting the Most Out Of Your Meat Carton Inspection?

Posted by PLAN Automation Blog on Thu, Jan 16, 2020 @ 09:01 AM

Optimizing inspection technologies for meat carton applications adds another layer of protection for processors as they strive to provide safe, high quality products to their customers. Today’s advanced x-ray machines and software are designed to help processors get the most out of inspection, with a range of built-in tools that keep the line moving while covering more bases. Those looking to invest in new x-ray systems for carton applications can get a real sense of that equipment’s potential performance by identifying variables and conducting multiple tests with their supplier to determine the greatest probability of detection.

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Topics: X Ray Inspection for Food, Food Safety and Quality Inspection, Product Inspection, X Ray Inspection Technology, Food Product Inspection, Eagle Pi, X Ray Inspection of Meat

Straight Talk from Eagle: The New Era of Smarter Food Safety

Posted by PLAN Automation Blog on Thu, Jan 9, 2020 @ 09:01 AM

It’s a new year, a new decade and a new era for food safety. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration will soon publish a strategic blueprint on its “New Era of Smarter Food Safety” initiative that emphasizes a stronger food safety culture and the use of smarter tools and technology that provide greater traceability and prevent food safety hazards in the first place. X-ray technologies fit well into this new approach, in demonstrating a company’s commitment to food safety, performing accurate, reliable inspection and capturing information and visuals for enhanced traceability. 

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Topics: Product Quality, X Ray Inspection for Food, Food Safety and Quality Inspection, Product Inspection, X Ray Inspection Technology, Food Product Inspection, Eagle Pi, FDA

Four Ways to Increase Efficiencies While Protecting Your Brand

Posted by PLAN Automation Blog on Thu, Dec 19, 2019 @ 15:12 PM

Maximizing efficiency on the line is a top goal for today’s manufacturers, who face concurrent challenges based on their operating environment and producing a safe and compliant product. Advanced x-ray systems can be deployed to find and remove contaminants that pose safety hazards and determine product flaws, but can also be used to improve efficiencies, from time, money, energy and labor standpoints.

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Topics: Product Quality, X Ray Inspection for Food, Food Safety and Quality Inspection, Product Inspection, Food Product Inspection

Five Ways to Achieve Operational Excellence with Multifunctional X-ray Inspection

Posted by PLAN Automation Blog on Fri, Nov 15, 2019 @ 15:11 PM

The umbrella covering operational excellence is widening and encompasses the methodologies of Lean Manufacturing, Total Quality Management, Six Sigma, PDCA and other models to help you with your continuous improvement efforts. While you’re striving to reach your goals through these and other initiatives, optimizing x-ray technologies not only find and reject contaminants but offer many other capabilities for improved safety, quality, traceability and productivity to help you meet your targets.

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Topics: Product Quality, X Ray Inspection for Food, Food Safety and Quality Inspection, Product Inspection, Food Product Inspection

Advanced Inspection Technology: Helping Dairy Manufacturers Achieve Operational Excellence

Posted by PLAN Automation Blog on Fri, Nov 15, 2019 @ 15:11 PM

Achieving operational excellence can be challenging for any food or beverage business, particularly dairy manufacturers that work under the industry’s most rigorous 3A specifications. Technologies, including advanced inspection capabilities specifically designed for dairy plant applications, can be put into place that meet such strict standards and that can be optimized to both find and reject contaminants and enhance quality assurance.

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Topics: Product Quality, X Ray Inspection for Food, Food Safety and Quality Inspection, Product Inspection, Food Product Inspection

Keep Your Fruit and Vegetable Operations Compliant with Inline Technology

Posted by PLAN Automation Blog on Fri, Nov 15, 2019 @ 11:11 AM

Given the fact that most produce originates in fields, trees, and in the great outdoors, there are opportunities for environmental foreign material to mix with good products as they are collected and sent to food manufacturers for further processing. X-ray machines find and remove contaminants in the bulk flow part of the process, as well as other critical control points in production, to ensure that fruit and vegetable manufacturers and packagers are compliant with food safety standards and regulations. X-ray inspection systems also help ensure product quality and integrity.

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Topics: Product Quality, X Ray Inspection for Food, Food Safety and Quality Inspection, Product Inspection, Food Product Inspection, Compliance

Supplier Management: Trends, Changes and Verification

Posted by PLAN Automation Blog on Fri, Nov 15, 2019 @ 11:11 AM

The desire and need to reduce risks at more points in the food and beverage production process, along with new regulations on the use of preventive controls, has led to a renewed focus on supplier management. Beyond verbal assurances, manufacturers increasingly seek information and verification from suppliers about goods sent to their facility, a shift that ultimately sets the bar higher for food safety. Suppliers who use x-ray inspection systems can use the accompanying data as proof to their manufacturer partners. While manufacturers, whose suppliers do not use x-ray on outgoing goods, can deploy x-ray technology to scan incoming goods as a way of keeping them in check.

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Topics: Product Quality, X Ray Inspection for Food, Food Safety and Quality Inspection, Product Inspection, Food Product Inspection

Avoid Over & Underfilling with a Product Inspection System

Posted by Mat Bedard on Tue, Sep 26, 2017 @ 07:09 AM

There are billions of different packages that are filled every day around the world. A package can mean a jar, bottle, box, tube, a can or any other container filled with a product. According to the law, all prepackaged goods should display the volume or net weight and the number of pieces. In the modern world, the value of a product is much more than just its functions and sealable elements including image and safety.

Some simple products incorporate these elements because they can influence their compliance with the regulatory requirements. You should conduct product inspection checks thoroughly, including checking whether packages contain what they are labeled in legal quantities.

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Topics: Product Quality, X Ray Inspection for Food, Food Product Inspection