October 11, 2012 – Thymly Products, a leading manufacturer of dry mix ingredients for bakeries, knows that their high food safety standards protect their customers as well as consumers. In December 2010, they decided to replace their old metal detector and selected Mettler-Toledo Safeline’s PowerPhasePRO RB, an unusual metal detector that offers the highest detection sensitivity for large bulk products and packages.
“We had been running at the industry standard for metal detection sensitivity when a customer came in and requested that we bump it up,” said Dustin Rahn, Plant Manager at Thymly Products. “We have always done a very good job with food safety and part of that is always looking to improve. Mettler-Toledo Safeline is a partner in that quest.”
Of the three production lines at Thymly Products, one is flexible enough to handle every product and package they produce from 10 lb (4.5 kg) pails to 80 lb (36 kg) kraft bags. In addition to this huge size range, the different dry mix ingredient blends packaged on this line have widely varying moisture content, which would challenge other metal detectors, especially when the highest sensitivity is needed.
Most metal detectors designed to handle products as large as 80 lb (36 kg) are unable to detect a 2.0 mm piece of stainless steel, which is the goal of most food processors. Processors with these large products and packages typically downgrade their specifications to 2.2 mm or even 2.5mm. Thymly Products searched for a metal detector that could do better, and they found it with Safeline’s PowerPhasePRO RB.
“We considered metal detectors from three different suppliers. We compared detection sensitivity, ease of use and the quality of construction. Additionally, we needed the metal detector to communicate with our PLC system,” said Rahn. “Our sales rep, Dick DeNenno from Reliant Packaging Systems, was very confident in the PowerPhasePRO RB, and that confidence spilled over. He took me to a plant in Baltimore where a similar unit was being used. I was really impressed with the effectiveness of the unit, and the ease of use blew me away.”
“This is an interesting time to be in the food industry. So many things are changing from a food safety perspective. A food processor must either conform to the new, rising standards or be ready to go out of business,” noted Rahn. “To improve food defense, the industry is increasingly moving toward capturing non-editable records. Our Safeline metal detector throws records directly into our data management system, automatically documenting the operation and streamlining our processes.”
Thymly’s metal detector keeps track of run sizes, run times, who is working the line and the product that’s running in addition to the temperature and humidity, automatically sending this data to the plant’s PLC system where it’s saved. “Automatically delivering data to the PLC reduces the potential for user error and it takes one more thing off the operator’s plate, which allows them to focus more on Thymly’s processes.”
“Safeline is the Cadillac of metal detectors. Everybody told me that before we bought it. It’s a little more money but it’s well worth it. I don’t ever worry about it. It just works,” said Rahn. “We regularly test the metal detector by intentionally passing test strips through the unit to confirm they’ll be identified. We’re at the highest standard that you can achieve.”
“Our dedication to producing high quality product and achieving this high level of food safety has contributed to our success. We’ve been growing by leaps and bounds despite the economy,” added Rahn. “We know that the only way to grow our business is by helping customers grow their businesses. Our aim is to supply functional ingredients that exceed customers’ expectations. Assuring the highest product quality and food safety is an important part of that.”
About Mettler-Toledo Safeline Mettler-Toledo Safeline is the world’s leading provider of metal detection and x-ray inspection systems for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Safeline’s reputation as the primary provider of contaminant detection equipment is built on a commitment to innovative products supported by the most comprehensive product testing, engineering solutions, service and training in the industry.