Frequently Asked Questions
About ACCUVUE X-Ray Machines
- What is the aperture size of the x-ray unit’s conveyor and will it accommodate my product?
- Can my product be inspected by the case?
- Can the x-ray inspection equipment detect plastic and rubber?
- Are CXR’s x-ray machines portable?
- How safe is CXR’s x-ray inspection equipment? Do we need to worry about radiation?
- What are the allowable occupational radiation exposure limits set by the government and is CXR’s equipment in compliance with them?
- How does CXR determine that any radiation emissions from the x-ray inspection systems are within allowable limits?
- Are CXR’s x-fay inspection systems safe for our product? Will it irradiate our product?
- Can CXR’s x-ray inspection machines detect glass particles in glass containers? Aluminum particles in foil or metal packaging?
- Can the x-ray unit be exposed to wash down?
- See more FAQs about CXR Company Services.
- See FAQs on Cabinet X-Ray Systems from the FDA.
What is the aperture size of the x-ray unit’s conveyor and will it accommodate my product?
CXR’s largest conveyor aperture is 26 inches x 15 ½ inches, and can accommodate a product that is one or two inches smaller than the aperture and of almost any length.
Can my product be inspected by the case?
Whether a product can be inspected by the case depends on three factors:
- The size of the case. Our conveyors can accommodate a maximum case size of approximately 24 inches x 14 inches.
- The density of the suspected contaminant. A particularly dense contaminant, like stainless steel particles, can be detected by x-ray more easily than a less dense contaminant, like plastic.
- The smallest size foreign particle that the customer needs to detect. For example, if the customer knows they have lost an intact bolt it is more likely that their product may be inspected by the case than if they must find .8 mm particles.
CXR offers free testing of all products and contaminants. Simply send us a case of your product along with the suspected contaminant and we will tell you whether x-ray inspection is a viable solution and what the lowest cost and safest option is for x-ray inspecting your product.
Can the x-ray inspection equipment detect plastic and rubber?
CXR’s x-ray inspection machines can detect some plastics and rubbers, depending mostly on the contaminant’s relative density compared to the product. For example, a relatively dense plastic can usually be detected in less dense products such as fluids or powders. Additionally, if the contaminant is of a relatively large size, it is often possible to detect the void that it makes in a denser product.
Are CXR’s x-ray machines portable?
Yes. CXR’s ACCUVUE x-ray unit™ with conveyor has a 4' x 8' foot print and we can easily transport it to your plant. We maintain a fleet of customized full size Chevy vans for that purpose. We require a fork lift at street level to unload the machine and conveyor from the van. The equipment has casters but we recommend transporting it via fork lift if there is some distance it must travel inside the plant to the inspection area. The x-ray machine weighs approximately 800 pounds and the conveyor approximately 400 pounds.
How safe is CXR’s x-ray inspection equipment? Do we need to worry about radiation?
CXR’s x-ray inspection systems are extremely safe and use only low-level x-ray sources. The equipment is designated Cabinet X-Ray by the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health and is permitted to emit no more than 0.5 milliroentgen per hour at any point five centimeters from any surface. This is the same specification to which carry-on luggage x-ray inspection systems at airports are required to submit. CXR’s equipment is well within all required limits.
Radiation exposure decreases by a factor of 2 for every additional inch away from the machine’s surface. (Formula = 1/distance squared) For example, if you stand 1 inch (approximately 5 centimeters) from the machine you will receive at most .5 MR/hour (.5 ÷ 1 squared). If you stand 2 inches from the machine, you will receive at most .13 MR/ hour (.5 ÷ 2 squared). If you stand 6 inches from the machine, you will receive at most .01 MR/hour (.5 ÷ 6 squared) which is the same as normal, natural background radiation.
What are the allowable occupational radiation exposure limits set by the government and is CXR’s equipment in compliance with them?
According to Government Regulations, 10 CFR 20, allowable occupational radiation exposure limits are 5,000 MR/year for whole body (head, trunk, arms above the elbow, legs above the knee) and 50,000 MR/year for extremities (hands, elbows, arms below the elbows, foot, knee or leg below the knee.)
CXR’s x-ray inspection equipment emits no more that .5 MR/hour at five centimeters, or one inch, from any surface of the machine. If an employee should stand 1 inch away from the unit for 8 hours a day for a working year of 200 days, s/he would receive, at most, 800 MR/year which is less than 20% of the allowed maximum. CXR’s x-ray inspection systems are safe and in compliance with all government regulations.
How does CXR determine that any radiation emissions from the x-ray inspection systems are within allowable limits?
CXR closely monitors for radiation to be certain we are staying well within safe limits. The x-ray inspection machines are tested for radiation emissions using a certified Ludlum radiation meter every time they are set up, whether at our plant or a customer’s plant. In this way we are certain to emit no greater than the .5 MR/ hour limit. In addition, customer employees working with our equipment are provided with radiation dosimeters to monitor any radiation exposure. CXR technicians train customer employees in the proper use and reading of dosimeters.
Are CXR’s x-ray inspection systems safe for our product? Will it irradiate our product?
CXR’s x-ray machines are safe for your product. Government Regulations 21 CFR 179.21 state that, for cabinet x-ray, no food shall be exposed to radiation sources so as to receive an absorbed dose in excess of 10 grays. CXR’s x-ray inspection machines are well within these established limits. Our equipment is designed to inspect products for foreign particle contaminants, product defects, etc. We do not perform irradiation, or sterilization, of your product.
Can CXR’s x-ray inspection machines detect glass particles in glass containers? Aluminum particles in foil or metal packaging?
Yes, that is the beauty of x-ray inspection. X-rays can penetrate glass, aluminum, plastic, etc. packaging and still detect particles that are the same composition as the packaging because x-ray relies on density. CXR’s X-Ray Inspection Systems can detect glass particles in glass containers, aluminum particles in foil or metal packaging, and many other contaminants that metal detectors can not identify, regardless of packaging.
Can the x-ray unit be exposed to wash down?
CXR’s x-ray unit itself cannot be exposed to wash down. However, the unit is designed to roll away from the conveyor so that the conveyor itself may be power washed. Please do not expose the x-ray unit itself to power washing, only the conveyor.
See more FAQs about our services.
See FAQs on Cabinet X-Ray Systems from the FDA.
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CXR Company, Inc.
P.O. Box 1114
2599 North Fox Farm Road
Warsaw, IN 46580
