Detectable Signage Using Magnetic Additives for Metal Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plastic injection molded signage in the food manufacturing and meat processing industries is not detectable by automated metal detectors, leading to a high risk of contamination and increased processing time and costs due to the lack of metallic materials.
Innovation Solution
The development of signage with a plastic plate portion containing a magnetically detectable additive, combined with a flexible tongue and locking tip, allowing for easy detection by metal detectors, and manufactured through an injection molding process that includes a magnetically detectable material to ensure visibility and security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional plastic injection molded signage is used, then the signage can adequately inform personnel of relevant information, but the signage cannot be detected by automated metal detectors, leading to high contamination risk and increased processing time
Solution Approach 1:
The signage is made from a composite material consisting of plastic filler material combined with magnetically detectable additive particles. This composite structure allows the signage to maintain its original information-carrying function while gaining magnetic detectability, enabling automated detection without complicating the manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic properties of the signage are changed by incorporating magnetically detectable additives into the plastic material. This parameter change enables the signage to interact with metal detectors, transforming it from undetectable to detectable while maintaining the existing injection molding manufacturing process
2Productivity
If conventional plastic injection molded signage is used, then the signage can be manufactured through standard injection molding, but additional manual inspection steps are required, increasing processing time and costs
Solution Approach 1:
Manual inspection is replaced by automated metal detection systems. The magnetically detectable additive enables the signage to be detected by automated detectors, substituting the need for manual visual inspection and significantly reducing processing time and labor costs
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If magnetically detectable additive is incorporated into the plastic material, then the signage can be easily detected by metal detectors, but the material composition becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic properties of the plastic material are modified by adding magnetically detectable particles. This parameter change enables detection by metal detectors while using a straightforward composite material approach that does not significantly complicate the manufacturing process
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a detectable signage that reduces contamination risks and processing time by being easily identifiable by metal detectors, while maintaining the physical properties of the signage and ensuring secure attachment and tamper-proof indicia.
Implementation Method 1
The plastic plate portion is made of a filler material and a detectable additive such that the signage is easily detected by a metal detecting machine
Data Source
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AI summary
Signage is presented comprising an in-mold plastic plate portion having a slot. The signage has a flexible tongue having a neck portion that extends outwardly from the plate portion and has a locking tip extending from the neck portion and the locking tip is formed to be received by the slot. The plastic plate portion is made of a filler material and a detectable additive such that the signage is easily detected by a metal detecting machine.