Eriez to launch X8-SF metal detector at interpack

Eriez will launch its X8-SF Metal Detector at interpack 2026, introducing a new inspection system for food processors handling variable products and demanding production environments.

The X8-SF expands the company’s PrecisionGuard X8 inspection line and will be presented at the Eriez stand in Düsseldorf. Visitors will be able to see live demonstrations of the system and discuss application-specific inspection requirements with the company’s technical team.

The system builds on the established X8 platform, which combines hygienic design, a touchscreen interface, quick setup and reporting, multiple communication ports, and high-pressure washdown capability. The X8-SF adds to Eriez’s metal detection range with a focus on inspection consistency, integrated data capture, traceability, and compliance support.

The system is designed to reduce disruption while maintaining product quality across changing line conditions. Metal detection performance can be affected by product temperature, moisture content, salt level, packaging format, product shape, and line speed. Those variables are especially demanding in mixed-product factories, frozen and chilled environments, bakery and snack applications, and sites running frequent changeovers.

Emmett Keim, global product manager – inspection systems at Eriez, said: “Different products can create very different inspection conditions, which is where performance consistency becomes critical. At interpack, we’re demonstrating how the X8-SF manages that variability in real time.”

The launch forms part of a wider inspection and material handling showcase from Eriez, which will also include X-ray inspection systems, magnetic separation equipment, and vibratory feeders. Together, those technologies cover several points in the production chain, from raw material handling to finished product inspection.

Metal detection remains one of the most widely used physical contaminant controls in food production, but the role of the equipment is changing. A detector has to identify ferrous, non-ferrous, and stainless steel contamination while generating usable records, supporting audits, integrating with line controls, reducing false rejects, and maintaining performance during live production.

Retailer and certification audits have tightened expectations around documented control, while labour constraints have made manual testing and record-keeping less attractive. At the same time, manufacturers are trying to reduce waste, recover throughput, and prevent unnecessary product rejection while raw material and energy costs remain sensitive.

False rejects carry a direct production cost. Every rejected pack or batch has to be investigated, documented, and either reworked or disposed of. On high-speed lines, a small instability in inspection performance can quickly become downtime, lost output, and wasted product. Stronger handling of product effect therefore supports productivity as well as food safety.

Product complexity is increasing the challenge. Manufacturers are running wider product portfolios on shared lines, with greater variation in formulations, formats, pack materials, and temperature profiles. A detector that performs well on one product may behave differently on a wet, conductive, metallised, frozen, or thawing product.

The X8-SF will enter a market where inspection equipment suppliers are increasingly blending hardware performance with software, connectivity, and compliance functions. The strongest systems detect contaminants, record events, guide operators, simplify validation, and provide audit evidence without adding unnecessary complexity to the line.

Full product details are due at interpack. The system is likely to draw attention from processors looking to upgrade contaminant detection while protecting throughput and reducing the administrative load on quality teams.