Product inspection systems play a crucial role in maintaining the safety and quality standards of consumer goods. 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. This article highlights the use of metal detector technology used by a tissue manufacturer in China.
Background on Tissue Manufacturing
The 2024 Facial Tissues Global Market Report from The Business Research Company notes that the facial tissues market size has grown to over $11 billion and will continue to grow to about $15 billion over the next five years. They describe the main types of facial tissues as soft, absorbent, disposable papers that come in box and pocket packages.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, the agency “does not consider facial tissues, paper napkins, paper towels or similar products subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act when sold only for conventional wiping purposes. If the labeling of such products suggests or implies a therapeutic or cosmetic benefit is to be derived from this use, this may bring them within the definition of a ‘drug’ within the meaning of section 201(g), a ‘device’ within the meaning of section 201(h), or a “cosmetic” within the meaning of section 201(i) of the Act.”
However, just because manufacturers are not mandated by certain government agencies to supply a quality product, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t help ensure items are safe to use before they reach the consumer. Implementing inspection technologies helps ensure the safety of end customers by effectively detecting and removing metal contaminants that may pose health risks. In addition, inspection systems help manufacturers demonstrate their commitment to consumer protection.
These factors help contribute to brand protection. 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.
The Threat of Metal Contamination
Like other paper products, those soft tissues used for runny noses or dripping tears start off as trees or recycled paper that have been mixed with water to break down the fibers and turned into a pulp, which is then processed via various machines that screen, press, dry, move, roll, cut, and package the raw materials into those rectangular one or two-ply tissues.
That is a lot of moving and vibrating machinery operating for hours on end. With all that movement, and with ordinary daily use, machinery can wear out and break down. Screws become loose, pieces break off, and there is the possibility that metal pieces will fall into the product line, contaminating the pulp or paper at its various points in the production process.
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 help ensure the safety of their end customers and protect their brand reputation, they implemented industrial 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.
Metal Detection Technologies
Metal detectors are standard in the food industry to find small particles of ferrous, non-ferrous and stainless steel before packaged foods are shipped out the door. The same technology is also used in facial tissues manufacturing, as well as in many other personal care products manufacturing.
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.
Summary
The implementation of product inspection systems, such as Metal Detectors, ensures the safety of end customers by effectively detecting and removing metal contaminants that may pose health risks. 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.
If you’re a manufacturer of facial tissues, you want your product to help ease the pain of the consumer, not be a cause of it.
Additional Resources
- Application Note: Enhanced metal detector performance for conductive products
- Online Resources: Applied technologies to improve weighing and inspection
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