Activating the technologies preinstalled on their Halo Ready Fortress metal detectors has proven to be an efficiency and safety gamechanger for many of the mills ’ quality managers .
“ This feature alone has made a huge impact on our labor demands and potential product waste . Without this blue light we would have to either sift and rework every 50lb test sack assuming it was contaminated , or simply reject and waste it . That could have added up to re-inspecting 12 sacks , 600lbs of flour , per line , every shift ,” highlights Manvine metals in the exact geometric centre of each Stealth metal detector aperture . The technology then mimics the disturbance caused by a test contaminant calibrated to the precise size , metal type and speed of each product bag as it passes through the metal detector aperture .
“ With automated tools like Halo and Contact 4.0 we are proactively preventing issues for our team members , all while improving customer service and overall food safety ,” reports Manvine .
Three Ardent Mills sites have deployed Fortress Technology ’ s Contact 4.0 networked data capture package .
GIVING SAFETY THE BLUE LIGHT In order to distinguish between a real metal detection reject and when a Halo test is being performed , the milling business requested one customisation – a blue light system to alert operators when a test is running .
SMARTER REPORTING A HIT WITH QA With many sites moving towards paper-lite processes , automating QA documentation has been a crucial step in maximising both equipment and operator efficiency , reports the milling business .
As a web-based networked system , Contact 4.0 allows operators to monitor multiple metal detectors . “ Our quality managers loved Contact 4.0 as soon as it was implemented . As a networked system , it ’ s so easy to go into the centralised browser , select and email shift reports and view when tests were performed . Having this complete oversight allows them to immediately address issues and ensure the inspection process doesn ’ t cause a bottleneck ,” exalts Manvine .
The cohesive Contact 4.0 reporting system allows authorised employees to troubleshoot performance issues remotely . Test failure , fault or non-conformity events can trigger an automatic email alert , detailing when an event occurred on a specific machine .
Automatic testing enhances efficiency and workforce safety at Ardent Mills , which processes about 22.4 million bags of packed milled product annually .
With more facilities eager to switch and activate similar efficiency-enhancing programs , the packaging engineer anticipates ongoing integration projects . Citing real-time information as being the enabler for smarter decision making , Manvine believes that rolling out new technology also ignites curiosity and drives operators to do even better .
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