The Mocon Pac Check Model 450 EC analyses packages where oxygen has been displaced by nitrogen or other gases in modified atmosphere packing situations to detect how much residual oxygen remains.
A simple menu system allows companies to go from set-up to testing in less than a minute. Oxygen concentration levels between 0 – 100 percent can be measured in packaging ranging from small blisters to large pouches.
Paul Lippke Handels was previously a distributor of Mocon equipment, but was acquired by the company in 2004.
A spokesman for Paul Lippke Handels said the price point was a crucial strength of the testing machine, as the cost of previous systems had priced some companies out of the market: “People are used to paying fairly hefty prices, so this has opened up the market more.”
The unit’s uses
Ideal applications include gas-flushed products such as case-ready meats, cheese, prepared foods and snacks, in addition to other uses for medical devices and certain pharmaceuticals.
The unit is suited for form-fill-seal packaging equipment designers for both vertical bags and pouches and horizontal trays and flow-wraps. It is also aimed at manufacturers marketing modified atmosphere gas flushing systems and gas inerting equipment designers and manufacturers.
The kit can be easily incorporated into existing operations because of its compact size and allows automatic and manual gas sampling. It also includes patented Mocon Flo Smart technology, assuring proper gas flow to the testing line, and Cal-Smart single button automatic instrument calibration.
Ambient air and advanced electronic controls are used to perform a two-point calibration in contrast to more time consuming certified gas calibrations. The machine is also designed to assure test consistency through temperature and pressure compensation.
Servicing strengths and summary of benefits
The Model 450 is the first offering in Mocon’s EC class of products, which are based on an electrochemical sensor design. The sensor can be replaced by plant personnel in less than 10 minutes without the cost of a service call-out or significant downtime.
“The Pak Check Model 450 EC is an ergonomic, performance-rich instrument at an entry-level price, and its ‘show and go’ attributes enable a new user to be up and running with five minutes of training,” said Christoph Zerwas, product manager of Paul Lippke Handels.
“The unit’s simplicity and speed of use are very important in today’s fast moving quality assurance environments, where it is vital for packers to ensure that oxygen levels do not degrade contents and negatively affect shelf life.”