Fortress Launches Combination Metal Detector and Checkweigher

Fortress Technology announces the newest edition to its Raptor checkweighing series: a compact, space-saving high-performance food metal detector and checkweighing combination machine.

Simple to use, robust, and hygienic, the Raptor Combination targets food waste and product giveaway and is Fortress Technology’s first fully integrated checkweigher and metal detector.

Now available in the US and Canada, the intuitive Raptor Combination machine captures and reports all the data required to guarantee food brand integrity and absolute traceability. 

Available in four standard belt widths – 100mm, 200mm, 300mm, and 400mm –the Raptor series was engineered for food processors operating in high care sectors, including confectionery, chocolate, bakery, packaged meats and fish, cheeses, and ready-to-eat meals. It also solves several previous issues that the combination inspection market has failed to address. Notably, accurate inspection and weight checking of products and pack formats weighing from 1.76 oz up to 17 lb, and measuring up to 400mm in length.

Reducing Food Giveaway

With input costs impacting already fragile margins in all food sectors, increasing output and boosting machine reliability can help to control rising manufacturing costs.

“In checkweighing systems, reliability and accuracy are essential to address machine downtime, comply with local regulations, and minimize product giveaway,” said Eric Garr, regional sales manager. “Due to its robust stainless steel frame coupled with transparent covers and engineered cutouts to prevent airflow impacting weighing accuracy, our Raptor series reduces effects from the factory environment, minimizing the issue of false weight readings.” 

Utilizing feedback from the DC brushless motors and optical sensors, the system operates at high speeds for rapid and precise weight checks of individual packs in real time, while tracking products as they transverse across the system. The modular electronics also have the optional ability to provide feedback to upstream to filling, portioning, and packing automation equipment; signaling when to increase or decrease fill quantity.

To optimize quality control and reduce the risk of costly metal contaminant recalls, the Raptor Combination system integrates a precision Fortress Stealth or Interceptor metal detector to inspect packaged food products.

The Conveyor Run-Only Mode is another feature. For processors that are producing non weight-controlled products, or in the unlikely event of a checkweigher hardware failure, this enables manual control of the belts and run the metal detector with independent control of its reject and reject monitoring. “We know that our customers can still ship product without a checkweigher but, product cannot ship if it has not been inspected for potential metal contamination,” explained Garr.

Fortress Technology, Toronto, ON, Canada 416-752-2898 www.fortresstechnology.com