Bellamy’s Organic wants to ensure that children only get the best quality in their nutrition – and therefore produce only certified organic products. But besides that, they want to avoid foreign bodies in their products, and therefore apply a Wipotec SC-S 4000 X-ray inspection system in their filling line for milk powder cans.
Pioneer in safe, certified organic nutrition for children
Bellamy’s Organic was founded around 20 years ago in Tasmania. The purpose was to provide children organic nutrition. Today, Bellamy’s Organic products are available in numerous countries outside Australia, particularly in Asia.
Their product range includes milk powder-based nutrition and baby food, all specifically designed for children. The company uses certified organic ingredients and places a strong em - phasis on product safety, recognizing that their consumers are among the most vulnerable members of society. For instance, their milk powder cans feature QR codes, allowing customers to verify product authenticity with their mobile phones, ensuring they are purchasing a genuine, non-counterfeit product.
Our customer Bellamy’s Organic
- Founded: in the 2000’s
- Headquarter: Melbourne, Victoria
- Focus consumers: Infants & young children
- Products: Nutritional milk powder, pasta, cereals, fruit snacks and Ready to Eat pouches
- More information: www.bellamysorganic.com.au
Wipotec Sideview scanner for milk powder cans
In their production line for 800g cans in Braeside, Victoria, Bellamy’s Organic has been using a Wipotec X-ray inspection system from the SC-S 4000 model range for a long time. Some of their cans include a larger plastic cap enclosed with a plastic scoop. Bellamy’s Organic uses these X-ray inspection systems to ensure that their products remain safe and contaminate free.
To achieve optimal results, the X-ray inspection is conducted in the shortest path through the product. Unlike most X-ray systems, where the X-ray beam is oriented vertically, Bellamy’s Organic’s system uses a horizontal beam orientation. This setup is referred to as a Sideview scanner. Since milk powder cans typically lack a pronounced curvature at the bottom, a bottom-parallel beam can be used effectively.
Clever product handling and high quality components
The machine is equipped with a durable chain conveyor, designed to minimise maintenance requirements. Additionally, another conveyor of this type is used to remove rejected products from the main production line, ensuring smooth rejection with a reduced risk of damaged cans. In general, Wipotec manufactures many of the machine’s components in-house in Germany – ranging from circuit boards and servo drives to complete computers. Externally sourced components come from globally recognised, high-quality suppliers.
Separate HMI for easier operations
Space within Bellamy’s Organic’s facility is very limited. This presented a challenge in installing a machine that would be both functional and user-friendly for daily operations.
However, besides the compact design, some clever solutions were implemented to overcome these constraints. The machine’s front side was reversed, and the HMI – comprising the button panel and touchscreen – was mounted on a long cable.
This enabled the milk powder producer to position it in the most convenient and ergonomic location to make it user-friendly for the operators.
Service is a key
A good machine becomes even more valuable when supported by excellent service and support from the manufacturer. The machine was originally supplied in 2017 by a former partner of Wipotec. Since then, it has been operating and still runs at its best with no degradation in performance.
In 2022, Wipotec established their local subsidiary in Altona, Victoria, which is only about an hour’s drive from Bellamy’s Organic’s facility. The service engineers underwent comprehensive training in Germany. Additionally, Wipotec Australia follows a philosophy of sending its engineers to the Wipotec headquarters at least once a year to refresh their knowledge and stay updated with the latest developments.
Since joining the team, Melbourne-based Wipotec engineer Justin Wolf has been primarily responsible for the machine and serves as Bellamy’s Organic first point of contact for support. Furthermore, Wipotec Australia has quickly set up an extensive local warehouse, ensuring spare parts are readily available.
Wipotec machines are build to last!
In line with Wipotec’s commitment to building machines designed to last, the company will continue to support Bellamy’s Organic with their existing X-ray system. Bellamy’s Organic is pleased with the system’s performance so far, with QA Manager at Bellamy’s Organic, stating: “There are no issues so far.”
Additionally, discussions are underway about the potential implementation of Comscale, Wipotec’s software solution. This software automatically stores data from checkweighers and X-ray scanners, making it more easily accessible.
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