Metal contamination in food products poses a serious threat to consumer safety and the reputation of the food industry. One of the key tools for detection validation is the Metal Test Piece; however, there is currently no specific method or device available to verify the eligibility of the Metal Test Piece itself. This research aims to develop a portable Metal Detector Comparator prototype as a solution for verifying Metal Test Pieces using a direct comparison method against a reference standard.
The research method used is an experimental engineering approach through the ADDIE development stages, which include needs analysis, system and verification method design, prototype development using Arduino and a coil sensor, implementation of testing, and performance evaluation. The developed prototype is equipped with control buttons, a konveyor motor, and a user interface via LCD. Testing was conducted on various aspects, including the function of components, measurement precision, detection accuracy compared to industrial metal detectors, and sensitivity to different metal placement positions.
The test results show that the prototype operates consistently and reliably. The precision of the device ranges from 1.3% to 1.9%, depending on the type of metal tested, while the detection accuracy compared to an industrial standard reaches 100%. Additionally, the metal placement position affects the sensor reading, with the most stable readings occurring at the center of the sensor. The
prototype is also capable of distinguishing signal values between standard and test Metal Test Pieces, enabling verification through correction value calculation. Therefore, this prototype is feasible as an initial verification tool for Metal Test Pieces and has the potential for further development to meet industrial needs.
Keywords: Metal Detector Comparator, verification, Metal Test Piece, precision, accuracy, direct comparison method.