Commissioning via service tool

Service without limits: Commissioning of a metal detection system with AR technology

Commissioning via service tool

Key facts

To optimally cope with the stringent requirements to ensure product quality, a food manufacturer chose to replace its existing detectors with the freefall metal detection system Vistus. Increased safety measures on site meant the set-up had to be carried out remotely.

Application & Product

On its way to further processing stages, dry potato powder falling down by gravity passes the metal detection checkpoint to separate foreign objects from the product flow.

 

Customer benefits

  • Flexible set-up via the service tool miRemote
  • Reliable detection and elimination of foreign objects
  • Authentic performance validation by True In-Process Validation

"The tool miRemote by Minebea Intec has overcome all borders. Despite the difficult situation, we successfully managed to set up the metal detector via the live video chat and the customer was really impressed."

Jan-Henrik Pahnke
Service Technician at Minebea Intec

The freefall metal detection system Vistus provides ultimate detection performance for the food industry. The system reliably detects and ejects metallic foreign objects, irrespective of whether ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals or even non-magnetic stainless steels are concerned. To deliver on their own high quality expectations, a leading food manufacturer for potato products has decided to implement a metal detection system not only featuring Vistus, but also equipped with the patented True In-Process Validation by Minebea Intec

As the company was subject to special measures due to a pandemic situation at the time the system was due to be set up, the necessary work was carried out via miRemote together with the customer. The service tool is based on digital AR (Augmented Reality) technology. miRemote allows direct access to Minebea Intec services anywhere and any time, via any smartphone or tablet. This eliminates waiting time and downtime but also travel costs and arrangements. The ability to demonstrate gestures, transfer useful documents or provide direct voice instructions enables technicians to explain to the customer what to do. All you need is an Internet connection and a web link through which the session is started - soon you will be able to communicate with the Minebea Intec service technician in absolute real time, just as if they were present at your premises.

The customer provided optimum conditions for set-up. Sufficient connection speed was provided for the use of miRemote, system installation had been completed and the system had been connected to the power supply, meaning product teach-in could commence at short notice. For this, the customer has set up a tripod holding their smartphone whose camera was directed at the display of the detector. The product to be detected is potato powder which passes through the metal detector in an ESD pipe. All free-fall detectors Vistus are preset to maximum detection performance by default. Since dry potato powder itself is very unlikely to trigger false alarms, phase shifting could be adjusted remotely.

For this purpose, the True In-Process Validation involved introducing test parts via the test part opening right into the middle of the product flow. Foreign objects that have been detected are removed via a flap, with non-detected foreign objects being intercepted using a test part stopper. miRemote allowed the service technician to monitor the tests and provide guidance in real time on the screen until the detection result was finally in line with quality assurance requirements. The entire job took around four hours, which is essentially the same as with on-site set-up work.


Mediacenter

Category File Name File Size File Type
Best Practices
Best Practices Best Practice // Servicing with no borders: full set-up of a metal detection system using AR technology 1,35 MB pdf
Brochure
Brochure Flyer // miRemote 1,91 MB pdf

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