Combined with Ishida’s already proven Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Dual Energy technologies, the new IX-PD produces an ultra-high resolution and clearer image than conventional X-ray systems. This allows the Ishida IX-PD to offer enhanced detection for low-density items including bones in fish fillets and also minute foreign bodies such as stainless steel wires. In addition, the new model is capable of reliably detecting foreign bodies in applications where products are overlapping or standing up in a pack.
In tests, the IX-PD demonstrated near 100% detection rates for bones in a variety of products including chicken, diced meat and sausages, for example achieving an increase from 40% to 100% compared to existing X-ray technologies for the detection of bone in chicken breast fillets. The performance enhancement of the IX-PD has been designed for high-volume production lines and where there is a tendency of overlap in densely packed food products, which makes fine contaminants difficult to detect.
The enhanced detection capabilities of the IX-PD further minimise the need for manual inspections, and the machine’s ability to recognise the difference between food and foreign bodies with high accuracy reduces the rate of detection errors. In this way, companies can maintain stringent quality control procedures without compromising on throughput rates.
Direct Conversion technology enables the X-rays to be directly converted to electrons rather than through a photodiode. Removing one of the stages in the inspection process increases the energy efficiency of the IX-PD. Maximum output for the system is 300W, while tube voltage is between 25 and 75kv, with Ishida’s GA self-learning technology adapting this to the precise requirement of the foreign bodies to be detected. The energy-efficient operation also helps to extend the shelf life of the X-ray tube.
