Foreign Material Detection

X-Ray Food Inspection Systems

As X-rays pass through the product, they image density differences: stone, glass and metal — even inside the package or the product itself — are detected and automatically rejected. Where the metal detector stops, X-ray begins.

Products passing through an X-ray inspection tunnel on a packaging line

How It Works

It Sees Density,
Not Color

  1. Pass: The product travels on a conveyor beneath the X-ray curtain.
  2. Imaging: The detector measures how much the beam is attenuated as it passes through the product.
  3. Analysis: Software flags anomalies in the density map.
  4. Rejection: The reject system (pusher arm, air jet, or drop flap) removes the defective product from the line.
  5. Logging: Every detection is automatically archived with its image.
X-Ray Generator Conveyor Belt Detector Array Image Processing Reject System pusher arm / air jet Accept Reject
As X-rays pass through the product they image density differences: stone, glass and metal — even inside packaging — are detected in milliseconds and the reject system removes the defective product from the line.

Detection Capability

What Does It Detect?

Metal

Including stainless steel — even inside aluminum foil packaging.

Glass

Glass fragments a metal detector can never see.

Stone and ceramic

Recognized by density, even when it is the same color as the product.

Plastics with metal-like density

High-density plastics such as PVC and Teflon.

X-ray scan image: a stone showing bright white among hazelnuts, marked with a green target ring
REAL-TIME DENSITY IMAGE — STONE DETECTION

Our X-Ray Model

VALOR 5 — X-Ray Hazelnut Sorter

Our real X-ray model on the nut side is VALOR 5; it sees inside without cracking the shell and separates empty and defective kernels with X-ray plus AI. Beyond hazelnuts, it also works for pistachios, walnuts and almonds.

For stone, glass and metal detection in food, our bulk and packaged line solutions are sized to your product and line — the exact configuration is pinned down in conversation.

Get an X-Ray Quote for Your Line

Tell us about your product, your packaging and the foreign materials you worry about; we'll pin down the right X-ray setup for your line together.

or email: info@sagemakine.com

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