Mettler-Toledo Launch ProdX Data Management Software Within 360o Product Inspection Capabilities

At Interpack 2011, Mettler-Toledo’s Product Inspection Division launched ProdX data management software – a new core element of its comprehensive 360o Product Inspection capability. The new software platform facilitates live data collection and networked monitoring of product inspection systems across all processing and packaging lines and delivers new levels of data transparency and accessibility, maximum equipment uptime and better control of product safety and security. With this new tool, food, beverage, pharmaceutical and personal care manufacturers can have stronger operational confidence that their product quality is maintained, their reputation is upheld and the welfare of consumers is completely protected.

“Until now, managers did not have an easy-to-use tool to provide a complete look at their product inspection processes. With ProdX, product inspection data is at the manager’s fingertips so key decisions can be made to protect product quality and enhance productivity,” said Kyle Thomas, Product Manager, Mettler-Toledo.

With unique monitoring features, ProdX allows for more uptime and enhanced product quality. The software tool enables online monitoring of product inspection technologies from multiple locations so managers can understand results and performance in real-time. Through an events monitoring screen, activities, warnings and alarms can be viewed for each networked product inspection device so managers can plan interventions in advance rather than waiting to react to potentially line stopping issues. This supports higher productivity further down the line. To protect product quality, ProdX’s dashboard provides early warnings of key product quality indicators, such as non-conforming raw materials from suppliers or upstream processes, processes trending out of tolerance, worn or broken processing equipment, and machinery maintenance requests.

Easy to use with an intuitive interface, ProdX simplifies data analysis so line and maintenance supervisors and operators can quickly receive and act on information to ensure critical control points are managed. Colour-coded machine icons and pictograms provide status updates on product inspection device health and effectiveness at a glance, reducing time required for monitoring. With ProdX, managers can quickly filter data for complete, consistent results across all sites, product lines and devices. It can provide standardised reports for documentation of production data and includes a centralised SQL database with inspection results.

For due diligence and compliance purposes, traceable data is readily available along with proof of regular performance validation. The tool also enables monitoring of non-conformance or legislative variation in different geographic markets. Its reject monitoring feature tracks and builds historical records of all products rejected from each device, production line, area or site.

Productivity and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) gains are realised through quick product changeovers made possible through ProdX’s device grouping function as well as its centralised product specification management and rapid device set-up capabilities. With ProdX, changes to product set-ups can be securely implemented simultaneously on multiple product inspection devices with less reliance on line operators for data entry and product set-up. This feature reduces human error and ensures integrity of data, while various user levels protect process and product security.

The new ProdX software forms an integral part of Mettler-Toledo’s 360o Product Inspection capability to collect data and fully integrate with other product inspection technologies. Mettler-Toledo can now provide manufacturers with technologies for all their product inspection needs from a single source - Garvens and Hi-Speed checkweighers, Safeline metal detection and x-ray systems, and vision inspection from CI Vision. High-speed vision inspection systems from CI Vision will be showcased for the first time at Interpack 2011. These innovative systems provide total inspection of the finished label, print, closure or container to guarantee the optimal condition of the packaged product.

Mettler-Toledo will also be presenting other technologies within its 360o Product Inspection capabilities at Interpack in Hall 11, B55. This will include the latest in Industrial Weighing capabilities such as a new series of compact Industrial Commercial Scales (ICS) and The Freeweigh.Net software solution, an integrated system for the acquisition and analysis of data from quality and process control systems.