LED signal tower ensures maximum safety in food production

(See WERMA at FoodManufacturing.Live, 15 May 2025, on stand 68)

Safety and quality are paramount in the production, processing and packaging of food. Compliance with hygiene regulations and the guarantee of first-class end products is a top priority. Consumers expect high-quality and hygienically flawless products, while manufacturers rely on smooth, process-optimised and efficient production.

An important aspect of this is the detection of foreign bodies and contaminants that could impair the quality and integrity of the food. This is where X-ray inspection devices from Sesotec come into play, reliably detecting and identifying foreign bodies in unpackaged and packaged products.

A key component of the X-ray scanners is the eSIGN LED signal column from WERMA. Thanks to its bright signals, it clearly and reliably displays the current status and thus not only ensures a quick and clear overview of the inspection process, but also enables rapid intervention and reaction in the event of faults or error messages.

Reliable detection of foreign objects

Sesotec was founded almost 50 years ago in Schonberg, Bavaria. The company is a leader in the field of mechanical engineering for foreign object detection, material sorting and analysis and has always been firmly rooted in the Bavarian Forest. Johann Sus has been working as an X-Ray Engineer in the Electrical Design department at Sesotec for five years and smiles: "We work where others go on vacation."

The company now employs more than 740 people and, in addition to its headquarters in Germany, is represented by a total of six subsidiaries in Singapore, China, USA, India, Canada and Thailand, six foreign subsidiaries in Italy, France, Spain, Poland, the Czech Republic and Malaysia, as well as over 60 partners in all major markets around the world.

At Sesotec, the focus is on top quality combined with passion and technological progress. "It is our goal and our aspiration to be able to offer every customer a tailor-made solution that not only meets their requirements, but exceeds them," says Johann. "On this basis, we have developed an X-ray inspection system specifically for users in the food industry that immediately detects foreign objects in unpackaged products clearly, quickly and reliably."

The RAYCON D+ HX LW Hygienic X-ray inspection system not only offers maximum performance in the inspection of unpackaged food and bulk goods, but also meets the highest standards, complies with all important food industry guidelines and applies the principles of hygienic design. "This combines highly efficient foreign body detection with maximum user-friendliness and hygienic design," says Johann. "And reliable protection against complaints and recalls can be ensured."

Clear signals to indicate faults

The way the RAYCON D+ BULK series works is very simple: the bulk materials are distributed evenly across the entire width of the conveyor belt via an integrated feed hopper and inspected. The X-ray scanners not only detect metals, but also contaminants such as glass, ceramics, raw bones, PVC and stone.

"As soon as the scanner detects a foreign object - no matter how small - it is sorted out. The system stops immediately in the event of an 'error status' and the signal light clearly indicates this," explains Johann. "The yellow light of the eSIGN LED signal tower cannot be overlooked. This allows the machine operator responsible to react immediately and not only prevents contamination of the food, but also avoids long downtimes. This saves time, money and increases productivity."

Hygienic design - down to the last detail

The materials of all components of the RAYCON D+ HX LW Hygienic are designed for the high protection class IP69 so that they can be cleaned repeatedly and intensively without abrasion. These requirements were also placed on the signal towers that were to be used.

"For our X-ray scanners, we were looking for a light that not only had a high degree of protection, but also complied with all applicable regulations in the food sector and was constructed in accordance with hygienic design guidelines," says johann.

"We have been using various signalling devices from WERMA for many years. In the course of this project, however, we also looked at solutions from competitors. However, no other beacon was able to meet the high requirements and we are very pleased that we have once again found what we were looking for at WERMA."

Gottfried Zeidler works in technical sales at WERMA and immediately introduced Sesotec to the new, elegant and versatile eSIGN LED signal tower. "This signal tower has been developed, tested and certified according to the highest criteria and bears the 'Fraunhofer Tested Device' seal of approval - an internationally renowned test mark for products that have been objectively qualified according to recognized standards and guidelines with regard to their cleanroom suitability," he says. "In addition, the high degree of protection IP66 / IP69k ensures improved resistance to typical production substances, while UL Type 4X guarantees resistance to UV radiation and environmental influences. Simply the perfect solution for status indication in the food production sector."

The eSIGN is a shining example of a signal tower with visibly more performance: more colours, more effects, more flexibility and more individuality! Thanks to electrical modularity combined with the latest LED technology, various signalling modes with multiple colours, brightness levels and illuminated images can be implemented - from the classic traffic light display to completely customer-specific settings.

Sesotec uses the version with nine segments, which display the current status in the colours red, yellow, green and blue over the entire surface. If the red signal lights up, the X-rays are on, green means the food is being inspected, yellow indicates a fault in the system and the blue signal indicates an audit check. In addition, this visual display is reinforced by an audible alarm, which uses an insistent, loud tone to indicate that there is a fault condition, for example the inspection is interrupted or the conveyor belt is at a standstill.

"We at Sesotec are delighted with the elegant design, the excellent workmanship and the simple installation and easy integration into our systems," says Johann. "What's more, the eSIGN has all the necessary approvals and the required high degree of protection - simply perfect.

"The bright and loud signal tower shows the current status of our RAYCON D X-ray scanners safely and reliably. Our customers are happy and so are we, of course."

When asked whether the eSIGN LED signal tower was able to meet expectations, Johann replies with a smile: "One hundred percent. The eSIGN is by far the best product for our application."