Page 16 - AWA Vol.41-No.9 issue

FOOD PROCESSING

Key Technology Introduces COMPASS® Optical

Sorter for Leafy Greens

Key Technology (Key), a mem- phone app navigation. Operators can Key designed COMPASS for max-
ber of Duravant’s Food Sorting learn to run the system in less than 30 imum sanitation and easy cleaning
and Handling Group, introduces minutes, easily create new recipes with an open frame, sloped surfaces
its COMPASS® optical sorter for and quickly changeover between and quick-release belt removal for
leafy greens. Designed to inspect different products or salad blends. fast washdowns. A clean-in-place
fresh-cut product straight from the Intelligent belt control automatically system with spray bars and brushes
field, this belt-fed system combines maintains proper belt tracking, min- beneath the belt maintains hygiene
high-performance foreign materi- imizing downtime and eliminating throughout production. High-mount-
al (FM) detection and removal with the need for manual adjustments. ed camera windows stay clean and
gentle, hygienic product handling. COMPASS is equipped with cus- are easily accessed for wiping. The
Featuring intuitive controls and an tomizable camera options including dry-air boost system prevents con-
open, easy-to-clean design, COM- up to eight channels of multispectral densation from collecting inside the
PASS helps processors protect food sensor data to deliver advanced per- enclosure, protecting sensors even
safety, reduce labor requirements formance at a lower cost of owner- in humid or refrigerated environ-
and achieve a fast return on invest- ship than laser-based sorters. When ments.
ment.
configured with Key’s Pixel Fusion™ The open architecture provides
“Foreign material is one of the big- detection technology, COMPASS clear visibility into the product zone.
gest challenges at this early stage of combines visible, infrared and short- An optional counter-rotating roll-
leafy greens processing, but many wave infrared data at the pixel level er prevents product buildup at the
processors can’t justify the expense to produce optimal contrasts for find- divider between accept and reject
or complexity of traditional optical ing even the most difficult-to-detect streams, keeping the discharge area
sorting systems. COMPASS changes FM and product defects. An option- clean and maintaining consistent
that,” said Jack Lee, Duravant Group al chlorophyll-sensitive detection product flow. With its cantilevered
President – Food Sorting and Han- channel further enhances contrast frame and open discharge area,
dling. “It delivers accurate and reli- between leafy greens and FM. COMPASS offers ample space for in-
able FM removal in a user-friendly, Fresh-cut leafy greens are light- tegration with collection conveyors,
cost-effective solution engineered to weight and often moist, which can water flumes or other downstream
withstand the dirt and debris com- cause them to clump, overlap or stick equipment. For processors upgrad-
mon at the front end of leafy greens to surfaces during sorting if not prop- ing from Key’s legacy Optyx optical
lines.”
erly handled. Key combines COM- sorter, COMPASS shares the same
Ideal for sorting spinach, arugu- PASS with the ideal infeed conveying height and length, allowing it to be
la and other unwashed, fresh-cut systems to effectively present prod- seamlessly installed within existing
leafy greens including salad mix- uct to the sorter’s inspection zone, lines.
es, COMPASS identifies and rejects maximizing sort accuracy. Optional Every COMPASS is equipped with
a wide variety of FM including dirt air-assist systems create a controlled Key Discovery™, a powerful data
clods, rocks, sticks, insects and ani- curtain of air that improves the tran- analytics and reporting software
mal parts, as well as product defects sition from the infeed conveyor to that transforms the sorter into an
when running single varieties. the belt for gentle product flow. Air IIoT-connected device and infor-
To simplify operation and reduce knives at discharge help carry leaves mation center, giving processors
training requirements, COMPASS is through the pass stream, minimizing real-time insights into line perfor-
recipe driven and features a touch- the chance of good product falling mance and product quality trends.
screen interface that mimics smart- short or sticking. Circle 17 on enquiry card
14 Vol. 41 No. 9