Companies involved in the modified atmosphere packaging of foods can now perform quality control checks that are 100 per cent mobile, allowing quality controllers to be autonomous in their work.

The analyzer weighs 580 grams and, measuring 187 x 106 x 91 mm, is small enough to fit in a jacket pocket. The Oxybaby uses a needle to take random samples and measure the concentration of the industrial gases carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) in packages. The measurement results appear instantly on the illuminated graphics display and are stored in the circulating memory, which has a capacity of 500 measurements. Using the Bluetooth connection, the readings can be printed out on a compact label printer that can be worn on a belt. The adhesive printouts can then be attached to the test record or the outer packaging, or can be put in with the products right away.

Controllers can transfer the readings to a Windows PC for further processing via Bluetooth, either right away or at the end of their shift.

WITT has also incorporated a bar code reader into the analyzer’s casing, resulting in faster workflows. A controller can use it to assign his/her own name, a line of packaging or a product to a measurement, simply by scanning the relevant bar code.

The analyzer is able to distinguish between up to 25 users, 50 lines of packaging and 100 products. It takes six seconds to determine the gas concentration, which is then displayed in increments of 0.1 per cent. Measurements are taken in a range between 0 and 100 per cent. It can also recognize when the measuring needle is obstructed, thus ruling out any measuring errors.

The casing of the Oxybaby 6.0 is ergonomically shaped, hygienic and impact-resistant. The integrated software includes menu navigation in a number of languages. Bluetooth and the bar code reader are optional extras. In addition to wireless technology, every Oxybaby can be attached to a printer or a PC via its USB port, while bar code readings can be replaced by manual selection via the menu. WITT has also incorporated an SD card slot with future product updates in mind, allowing the user to install new firmware.

For more information, go to www.wittgas.com.