Key Takeaways
- Key Technology is launching the COMPASS belt-fed optical sorter at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, enhancing food safety and product quality.
- The sorter offers user-friendly operation and quick adaptability for various food processing applications.
- Equipped with advanced data analytics, the COMPASS optimizes sorting performance while simplifying maintenance and sanitation.
New Innovations in Food Sorting Technology
Key Technology, part of Duravant’s food sorting and handling group, is set to unveil its COMPASS belt-fed optical sorter at PACK EXPO Las Vegas. Building on the success of its chute-fed counterpart launched in 2023, the belt-fed system focuses on enhancing food safety and quality while being easy to operate with streamlined controls.
Designed for use with wet, sticky, and delicate products, the belt-fed COMPASS helps food processors maximize yield and return on investment. “We launched our COMPASS family of optical sorters two years ago with the chute-fed system, which is achieving great results in production facilities worldwide,” stated Jack Lee, president of Duravant Group’s food sorting and handling division. “Now, after extensive development and testing, we’re launching the belt-fed COMPASS to serve additional markets.”
This new system caters to a range of products, including produce and snack foods, and is particularly suited for items that require gentle handling. The horizontal installation of the belt-fed configuration minimizes the need for facility modifications, thus reducing installation costs.
The COMPASS offers a recipe-driven operation that ensures effective sorting for every product run. Its user-friendly interface is designed to be intuitive, allowing operators without technical backgrounds to learn its functions in under 30 minutes. Recipes can be set up quickly, with product changeovers taking less than a minute, while complete washdowns can be conducted in approximately 15 minutes. Intelligent belt control technology maintains belt tracking, eliminating the manual adjustments typical of traditional sorting systems.
Powered by Key’s NEXT sort engine, the COMPASS effectively identifies and rejects foreign materials such as plastic, glass, and wood while also detecting product defects. The sorter boasts customizable camera options and provides multi-spectral sensor data, enhancing its ability to detect smaller defects compared to conventional three-channel systems.
Key Technology has designed the COMPASS with sanitation in mind, featuring open architecture and sloped surfaces to facilitate cleaning. Its construction minimizes product splatter on sensitive components, ensuring consistent performance over extended production runs.
Each unit is equipped with Key’s Discovery, a data analytics software that transforms the sorter into an IIoT-connected information hub. This integration provides insights into line operations and product quality trends.
The COMPASS is available in various configurations to meet customer needs, ensuring a compact design that minimizes floor space requirements. It can be installed at different points in the processing line, catering to diverse operational requirements from raw material intake to final inspection.
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