Eliminating false rejects in the pharmaceutical sector
The effective implementation of the CEIA Anti-Static Kit eliminates false alarms on capsule inspection systems. By replacing insulating conveyors with dissipative solutions, static electricity is eliminated, ensuring maximum efficiency and production continuity without altering sensitivity.
The client and the scenario
A leading pharmaceutical company specializing in the production of food supplements and hard-shell capsules was experiencing a high frequency of false alarms on its capsuling line. The metal detector, a CEIA THS/PH210 installed at the exit of their capsule filler, was experiencing an incredibly high rejection rate of daily production.
The problem: electrostatic charges
Technical analysis revealed that the root cause was not physi¬cal metal contamination, but rather a phenomenon triggered by electrostatic charges:
- FRICTION: As the capsules slid through the original PETG chute, they generated static electricity due to friction.
- MATERIAL: Since the standard conveyors of the metal detector are made by PETG, which is an insulating material, the accumulated charges could not dissipate to the ground.
The solution: implementation of the CEIA Anti-Static Kit
To resolve the issue at its source, the official CEIA Anti-Static Kit was implemented, replacing the PETG conveyors (infeed and intermediate) with FDA-certified PE-UHMW components.KEY FEATURES OF THE SOLUTION:
- ACTIVE DISSIPATION: The anti-static conveyor allows charges to flow constantly toward the metal detec-tor's grounding system;
- MECHANICAL INTEGRATION: A "plug-and-play" replacement of the infeed and intermediate conveyors. Both components are fully compatible with the original parts and the useful passage area for the product remains completely unchanged. Tool-free installation.
Results achieved
Following installation, the benefits were immediate:- ELIMINATION OF FALSE REJECTS: False alarms dropped to zero.
- PRODUCTIVITY: Increased operational efficency through the recovery of thousands of compliant capsules per shift.
- STABILITY: The metal detector maintained maximum sen¬sitivity toward real contaminants (Ferrous 0.22 mm, Non- Ferrous 0.24 mm, and AISI 316 Stainless Steel 0.37 mm) without being affected by flow speed.
Conclusion
The investment in the CEIA Anti-Static Kit paid for itself in less than two weeks. It successfully recovered vulnerable production margins, restored the system's optimal signal-to-noise ratio, and guaranteed absolute compliance without sacrificing throughput.