Increase Metal Detection Productivity at PPMA 2026

On Stand E36, Fortress Technology will present a compact, productive and compliant food production microcosm. See four interconnected, high performance food metal detectors working together, rejecting contaminated products, sharing data and weighing packages in total synergy.

For dairy processors balancing rigorous food safety requirements with productivity and waste reduction, these technologies demonstrate how inspection processes can be streamlined and connected across increasingly diverse product ranges.

Showcased for the first time at a UK exhibition, the Raptor Tritek is a 3-in-1 combination system featuring metal detection, checkweighing and label inspection vision technologies in a single easy-clean frame. Designed to improve TCO and OEE, it ensures dairy and other food manufacturers maintain rigorous food safety compliance all-day-long, prioritising metal detection on every pack. All in the smallest possible inspection footprint.

Demonstrating large format applications weighing up to 25kg is the Fortress Technology Big Bag Combination System. Integrating metal detection and case weighing in one unit, this ergonomic system handles bulky products without slowing production lines. The system measures less than 1.7 metres without its heavy-duty reject conveyor (approx. 2.5 metres with).

Rather than requiring separate machines for each inspection stage, these intelligent Metal Detector/Checkweighing Combination systems work side by side, communicating through Industry 4.0 connectivity and automated data reporting. This streamlines quality control, improves user safety and minimises human errors. For dairy processors operating multiple product lines, this connectivity also supports greater standardisation and inspection consistency.

A standalone Stealth Metal Detector will demonstrate how manufacturers can improve inspection efficiency and productivity at the final packaging stage. Connecting seamlessly to upstream and downstream equipment, including cheese slicing, shredding and grating lines and VFFS bagging machines, the Stealth Metal Detector can be built to match specific line heights, widths and plant configurations.

“The industry is rapidly moving away from fragmented machinery toward cohesive equipment that prioritises productivity and supports operator free running,” explains Fortress Technology’s European commercial manager Jodie Curry.

Additionally, many processors optimise floor layouts by expanding vertically. Positioning gravity detectors on mezzanine floors increases production profitability per square metre and protects processing equipment from costly damage. This supports processors by reducing total downtime, highlights metal detection expert and industry consultant Mike Bradley.