X-Ray Inspection Systems
X-ray inspection systems that find glass, stone, bone, dense plastic and metal in packaged food, and check fill level and missing items in the same pass.
X-ray inspection finds the contaminants a metal detector can't — glass, stone, bone, and dense plastics — and checks fill level and missing items in the same pass.
What an X-ray inspection system detects
An X-ray inspection system passes each product through a low-dose X-ray beam and builds an image from how much of the beam the product absorbs. Anything denser than the product around it stands out, so the system can reject packs containing metal (including stainless steel), glass, stone, calcified bone, and dense plastics.
Because the image shows density rather than conductivity, the same pass can check what is missing or out of place: an underfilled container, a missing item in a multipack, or product trapped in a seal. Every PSG X-Ray model checks fill level and missing or miscounted items alongside contaminant detection.
X-ray has limits. Low-density materials such as wood, paper, hair, and thin soft plastics absorb about as much of the beam as the food itself, so they are hard for any X-ray system to see. Those risks are controlled upstream, through supplier programs and good manufacturing practice.
X-ray or metal detection?
Metal detectors cost less and are very good at finding metal. What they can't see is everything else, and a standard detector reads foil or metalized packaging as metal. X-ray covers more contaminant types, works with most foil and metalized packaging, and adds the quality checks above.
Plants with bone, glass, or stone risks usually choose X-ray, and retailer programs push the same way: Costco's food safety addendum long required finished-product X-ray for most suppliers, and its 2025 update asks suppliers to justify the most effective detection method with evidence. Many lines run a metal detector early in the process and an X-ray system on the finished pack.
Choosing between the four PSG X-Ray models
The 2500PH is the compact model for small and medium packs, built in stainless steel with a hygienic design that fits into existing lines. The 4280D adds dual-energy imaging, which separates materials by how they absorb two energy levels and picks up low-density contaminants a single-energy system can miss. It also archives full inspection images.
The 4500DP images every product from two angles, removing the blind spots a single view leaves when a contaminant is hidden behind or overlapping the product. It is the choice for high-risk products. The 6500D is the large-format model for bulk products, large bags, multipacks, and whole cases checked before shipping. All four are rated IP65.
Where X-ray fits on the line
Most plants inspect primary packs after sealing and before case packing, where a reject costs one unit rather than a full case. A large-format system at the end of the line adds a final check on finished cases before they leave the building. Either way, plan the reject device and a procedure for reviewing and recording rejects along with the machine.
Inspection records support HACCP plans and the documentation GFSI audits and retailer programs expect. PPi Technologies Group is the exclusive North American partner for XAVIS and supports the PSG X-Ray range locally.
Featured machines
- PSG X-Ray 2500PH — Compact X-ray inspection system for small to medium products — high-resolution imaging for
- PSG X-Ray 4280D — Dual-energy X-ray inspection system for enhanced material discrimination — detects glass,
- PSG X-Ray 4500DP — High-performance dual-perspective X-ray inspection — two viewing angles eliminate blind sp
- PSG X-Ray 6500D — Large-format X-ray inspection system for bulk products, large packages, and case-level ins