This month a global manufacturer of specialty pet food, has installed Oxipack leak detection equipment in its 10th factory. This way the animal nutrition specialist standardizes its leak detection method worldwide. This is realised within only 14 months after the first trial runs.
The plant managers save allready considerably on test costs by using the Oxipack non-destructive leak testers. Quite a few years the manufacturer of animal nutrition had been looking for a suitable, non-destructive leak detection method – to test the complete range of packaging. This method should at least be comparable with the previously used bubble test method, in an immersion tank filled with water. But without the waste of throwing away the tested packaging filled with the precious petfood.
In this quest the producer of high-quality pet food came across Oxipack. General director Serge Smit: “The project manager invited us for a pilot round of trial operation in one of their European plants. He knew that our equipment can measure very accurately. But he wanted to ascertain whether the Oxipack method can perform tests similar to the bubble test in the immersion tank. Which they still used in each location.They therefore tested the equipment in a one month trial run, during which we regularly stayed in touch.”
The test track convinced the project manager: not only small 50 gram (=ca 2 oz) containers of cat food could be tested for leaks, but also the larger bags of dry dog food of 15-20 kg (=33-44 lb). For this specific purpose, a larger version of the same device has been developed: the Oxipack Leak Tester XXXL. This way the quality department can test the wide product range uniformally, anywhere in the world.
Global switch
After one month of trial operation, an initial order follows for three European factories in different countries. Here further tests are run for another few months. The precision is aligned with the earlier methods of measurement in the immersion tank. The test values and settings are then adjusted according to the wishes of headquarters. Also, the largest version XXXL is adjusted to make it easier to operate.
In the course of 2015 a global roll-out of leak detection standardisation follows: to the African continent, East-Asia, North America, and North Europe.This month the 10th location has been added: the newest plant of this market leader in Asia has just started using Oxipack leak detection. Simultaneously the water immersion tanks are being banished from the factories, which benefits the production hygiene.
ROI: half a year
The switch to the Oxipack leak detection method also fits into the striving to reduce costs and prevent waste. After being tested in the immersion tank, every packaging containing precious pet food had to be destroyed. When tested in the dry and clean Oxipack Leak Tester, the packaging is not damaged at all. Therefore each tested packaging – provided it has been approved – can now be returned into the packaging line.
The plant managers that purchased the Oxipack non-destructive leak detection equipment in the beginning of this year already save considerably on test costs. The return on investment amounts to approximately 6-9 months, depending on the cost of the tested packages. Thus the investment pays for itself immediately. The company now is standardizing the quality and test principles globally. Shortly all production locations will be using the same leak detection equipment with the same settings everywhere.
Most chosen
In most production facilities two versions of the Oxipack Leak Tester are being used:
- the standard Leak Tester (SLT) which can detect leakage in small flexible packaging from 2 oz to 9 lb;
- the SLT XXXL that tests large flexible packaging of app. 9 lb – 2 qr for airtightness.
