Suitable Calibration/Sensitivity for Metal Detector ?

Hi,

Can you please help me out, i am starting to over-think things !

I work in a meat processing facility, we produce different products in the plant, we have several Metal Detectors in place and each MD is externally calibrated once a year.

Now we discovered, that when Production have big orders, they sometimes use (X) Metal Detector to run products that are usually run through (Y) Metal Detector.

The (X) Metal Detector have 2 programs they can choose from, but the Calibration Certificate for the (X) MD is conducted on the original sensitivity for the normal products that would go through it (4.0 mm for Fe).

The product that was supposed to run through (Y) MD requires a sensitivity of 3.0 mm for Fe.

My question is:

Do we need to have an External Calibration for the lower sensitivity? or as long as it is calibration on anything and they use the appropriate test units then it is fine?

My thoughts are that since the sensitivity is lower, then we need to ensure that the MD is capable of detecting the required size, whether we can do that in our daily verification of the MD and that would be enough, or we need an external certificate to show that the machine can detect that, is where I am confused.

Thanks in advance!

I would not think a change in size that small 1mm would make a difference. If the detector is calibrated, you should be okay. Check the calibration routine from the external source who performs the calibration if you looking for more information on HOW they do the calibration. 

Hi,

 

Can you please help me out, i am starting to over-think things !

 

I work in a meat processing facility, we produce different products in the plant, we have several Metal Detectors in place and each MD is externally calibrated once a year.

 

Now we discovered, that when Production have big orders, they sometimes use (X) Metal Detector to run products that are usually run through (Y) Metal Detector.

 

The (X) Metal Detector have 2 programs they can choose from, but the Calibration Certificate for the (X) MD is conducted on the original sensitivity for the normal products that would go through it (4.0 mm for Fe).

 

The product that was supposed to run through (Y) MD requires a sensitivity of 3.0 mm for Fe.

 

My question is:

 

Do we need to have an External Calibration for the lower sensitivity? or as long as it is calibration on anything and they use the appropriate test units then it is fine?

 

My thoughts are that since the sensitivity is lower, then we need to ensure that the MD is capable of detecting the required size, whether we can do that in our daily verification of the MD and that would be enough, or we need an external certificate to show that the machine can detect that, is where I am confused.

 

Thanks in advance!

Hi Mariam,

The usual (haccp) situation for using MD  is frequent verification of MD sensitivity by using the appropriate documented diameter test pieces.

I would assume this means you have 3mm and 4mm test pieces on-site.

Should be easy enough to see if the machine X actually will reject 3mm as well as 4mm ?

Hi Marisam,

As far as I am aware the size of the test stick may be dependant on the MD Aperture size and pack sizes processed through the MD.

Also dependant on which regulation your MDs get calibrated. BRC requirements are quite open and leave test stick choice to the manufacturer (risk based approach). M&S and TESCO are much stricter and dictate the size of the test pieces.

If your case is BRC and you want to reduce quality risks - I would say just perform an additional verification test that 3mm test piece will be rejected on the second machine when using this product.

Hi Marisam,

 

As far as I am aware the size of the test stick may be dependant on the MD Aperture size and pack sizes processed through the MD.

Also dependant on which regulation your MDs get calibrated. BRC requirements are quite open and leave test stick choice to the manufacturer (risk based approach). M&S and TESCO are much stricter and dictate the size of the test pieces.

 

If your case is BRC and you want to reduce quality risks - I would say just perform an additional verification test that 3mm test piece will be rejected on the second machine when using this product.

Hi Olga,

In practice customer's requirements often tend to be decisive.