Frequently Asked Questions
Will CXR Company test my product for free even if we don’t have a current contamination problem?
Absolutely. Send us a sample of your product(s) along with as many possible contaminants as you wish and we will issue you a full report detailing the contaminants that can be detected in your product and the smallest size at which they can be safely detected. We will complete these tests in a timely manner and at absolutely no charge to you.
^ back to topCan I choose whether to have my product x-ray inspected at my plant or at CXR’s plant? What products can CXR’s plant accommodate?
We will be happy to quote the cost of x-ray inspecting your product at your plant as well as at our plant. CXR’s plant is registered as an FDA Drug Establishment. We are not a cold storage facility. We can inspect cold product if it can be stored in refrigerated trucks while at our plant, but we do not have USDA inspectors on site.
Is your x-ray inspection technician available to answer questions and help with product changeovers during leases?
For a daily lease, CXR’s technician remains at or near your location after set-up of the x-ray equipment and training of your personnel. If he is not on-site at the moment you need him, he can be there in minutes after receiving your call.
For longer leases, CXR’s technician sets up the x-ray inspection machine at your location, trains your personnel and answers any questions you may have. Once both you and the CXR technician are completely satisfied that you have all the information you need, you release the technician to return home. If any questions arise during the x-ray inspection you need only call CXR at 800-817-5763 for help. We will respond immediately.
What is the knowledge level required to run the x-ray inspection equipment and what training is provided by CXR Company?
Your personnel do not need specialized knowledge or classroom training to run CXR’s x-ray inspection systems. Our inspection machines are quite simple to operate. CXR’s x-ray technician will show your employees how to safely power up the x-ray inspection machine and run your product through. CXR’s technician will use a seeded sample of your product to train your personnel in how to locate contaminated product using the x-ray inspection machine. The technician will make certain the x-ray inspection machine’s settings are optimized for your product. CXR’s technician will also show you how to use and read the radiation dosimeters that we provide. He will answer any questions that you or your personnel have about the X-Ray Inspection System and how the inspection should be run.
^ back to topCan 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.
^ back to topCan 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.
^ back to topAre CXR’s x-ray inspections machines portable?
Yes. CXR’s ACCUVUE x-ray unit™ with conveyor has an approximately 4' x 9' foot print and we can easily transport it to your plant. We maintain a fleet of customized cargo 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.
^ back to topCan 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.
^ back to topCan the real-time x-ray inspection unit be exposed to wash down?
CXR’s real time 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.
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