Alstef | B2A Technology: renowned expert in standard 3 screening machines integration

After check-in, hold baggage is inspected for explosives. European regulations (which has been applicable since September 1, 2014 and mandatory from September 1, 2020), provide that standard 3 must be applied to all EDS installed in France.

This decision has a direct impact on baggage handling process and on the installation itself. Indeed, standard 3 machines are much larger and heavier than the previous standard 2 machines. Thus, such an equipment integration into existing installations often requires reinforcement work on the structure, increased sorting area, modifications of the baggage conveyance tracks, etc.

The time of image analysis by operators is also affected, being longer than on standard 2 machines and requiring to change the conveying time downstream the machines.

As soon as this regulation was announced, Alstef | B2A Technology actively cooperated with airports, the Service Technique de l’Aviation Civile Française (STAC – i.e. civil aviation technical center of the French civil aviation authority) and suppliers of tomographs in order to define the best operating modes for Standard 3 machines and their integration. The main objectives were to reduce tracking losses, optimize machine redundancy and scale the conveyor network, in order to enable airports to refine their technical choices and guarantee optimal operation without additional costs and processing times.

In 2014, Alstef | B2A Technology worked with Aéroports de Paris on the integration of standard 3 control devices at Terminal 3 in Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport, in order to qualify the different types of machines available on the market. The machines from 5 main suppliers were tested under real conditions. This project was carried out in close collaboration with Aéroports de Paris with the support of the Service Technique de l’Aviation Civile Française (STAC).

In parallel, in 2014, Alstef | B2A Technology commissioned the first baggage handling system equipped with standard 3 screening devices at Terminal 1 of Nice Côte d’Azur Airport. The installation comprised 4 Smiths Detection CTX9800 machines being serviced by a DCV (Destination Coded Vehicle) network, which increases operators’ decision time without disrupting the luggage flow.

Since then, Alstef | B2A Technology has equipped many airports in Europe, Russia, Africa and North America, integrating machines from the world’s leading suppliers (Smiths Detection, Rapiscan, L3COM…). Many projects are currently in progress in the main French airports, namely Paris CDG, Nice, Basel Mulhouse, Lyon, Marseille and Fort de France.