CASE STUDY
Prioritizing Food Safety—Metal Detection in Milchwerke Schwaben’s Dairy Processing
Product safety has top priority in the dairy industry. To ensure the quality of dairy products, Milchwerke Schwaben uses metal detectors from Sesotec.
P-SCAN RG metal detectors from Sesotec are installed in horizontal pipelines. Image courtesy of Sesotec.
The Sesotec P-SCAN RG metal detector in stainless steel design (glass-beaded) with protection class IP 65 meets the standards of the food industry. Image courtesy of Sesotec.
Milchwerke Schwaben’s presence in the dairy industry starts as early as 1922, dairy farmers in Ulm, Germany joined together to form a cooperative that would make it possible to produce dairy products with greater efficiency. This merger resulted in a company whose products meet the needs of consumers throughout Germany and abroad.
At Milchwerke Schwaben, the farmers are not only suppliers of milk—they are also co-owners of the entire dairy industry. More than 800 milk suppliers deliver fresh milk to the cooperative every day and Milchwerke Schwaben processes 410 million kilograms of milk and whey each year. On average, nearly 200 employees annually produce 65,000 tons of yogurt and desserts, 5,000 tons of butter, 33,000 tons of cheese, and 23,000 tons of milk and whey powder.
No Product Safety Without Metal Detection
Dairy manufacturing involves demanding quality and safety standards regarding all equipment and processes. Especially with a high number of suppliers, regular inspections are the be-all-end-all of a safe production process. The dairy industry has been a leader in quality and hygiene for many years, taking its responsibility for safe and high-quality products very seriously. Milchwerke Schwaben is no exception.
Metal detection must be installed at various checkpoints to control the quality of dairy products. Butter and rice pudding, for example, are transported through pipelines prior to filling. In order to ensure these packaged products are free of metallic contaminants, metal detectors are used.
Metal Detectors in Pipelines for Safe End Products
Within the production line that transports butter and rice pudding, Sesotec P-SCAN RG metal detectors are installed in the pipelines at various points and in different positions (horizontal or vertical).
Sesotec metal detector P-SCAN RG installed in a vertical conveyance pipeline P-SCAN RG detects magnetic and non-magnetic metal contaminants at a high-performance level to ensure product quality. The equipment is built from glass-beaded stainless steel with protection class IP 65, which meets the standards of the food industry and offers adaptability for other pipelines to be installed. With 34 different coil sizes for all common nominal pipe diameters, the metal detector can be integrated into existing production lines.
The high-tech electronics of the GENIUS+, in combination with a metal detector, makes for a precise and robust metal sensor. Automatic selection from two or three search frequencies provides enough sensitivity for all types of possible metal contamination, even when inspecting butter and rice pudding—products whose processing temperatures result in a high degree of product effect.
Enclosed in machine housing and free from corners and edges where residue can accumulate, the hygienic design of the P-SCAN RG metal detectors meets customer requirements for CIP (clean in place).
Metal Detection Ensures Safer Processing
From retailers to end-consumers, product safety requirements are becoming increasingly stringent. “In order to remain competitive, we have to meet the highest quality standards. Without product safety, there is no certification,” says Jürgen Knupfer, head of the fresh products department. P-SCAN RG metal detectors from Sesotec are installed in horizontal pipelines. The Sesotec P-SCAN RG metal detector in stainless steel design (glass-beaded) with protection class IP 65 meets the standards of the food industry.
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