Application Note: Thermo Scientific Intellitrack XR signal processing software

Industrial metal detectors have been widely used in manufacturing facilities to identify unwanted metal contaminants in packaged, unpackaged and bulk goods. Specifically in the food industry, certain products with a high salt and moisture content present a challenge to metal detectors due to high product effect. This high product effect can cause false rejects leading to a reduction in manufacturing efficiency and profitability. The innovative Thermo Scientific™ Intellitrack XR (IXR) signal processing software is designed to enhance metal detector performance for challenging applications with high product effect. Some typical applications that benefit from IXR software include:

• dairy products with high salt content, such as cheese and butter
• marinated meat and seafood
• cleaning products such as wet wipes and wet floor mopping cloths
• pickled vegetables and fruits.

Introduction

Modern industrial metal detector technology utilises multi-coil designs. Transmitter coils located in the centre of the housing emit high frequency radio signal ranges from 50kHz to 1,000kHz, 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.