Potato sorter aims to optimise TCO

By Jane Byrne

- Last updated on GMT

A modularly designed automated potato sorter that uses cameras to recognize colour, size and shape can maximize a food processor’s long-term return on investment, says Key Technology.

Tim Reardon, potato industry manager at Key, said its new Optyx WPS for whole potatoes achieves a three-way sort using a combination of air ejectors to remove foreign materials (FM) and a unique deflector system to separate potatoes for rework from good potatoes.

He said by using cameras, the equipment removes potatoes based on the presence of peel, scab, or gross defects, as well as potatoes that fail to meet user-defined standards for length, width, or shape.

“With the combination of laser and camera technologies, Optyx WPS also provides the most positive identification of foreign materials available, much different from the photocells and strobe lamps of others,”​ continued Reardon.

Quality assurance

Reardon told FoodProductionDaily.com that the problem with competitive systems is that potatoes and FM often drop off the end of the belt, creating an impact that bruises product, which is a huge quality problem:

“Furthermore, most other potato sorters use paddles to remove FM, which are less accurate than using air ejectors so materials do not all fall at the same speed or trajectory, and the differences can result in these systems failing to remove some materials.”

Reardon maintains that while most potato processors currently rely on hand sorting whole potatoes, automating the operation will increase the effectiveness of defect removal while reducing labour costs, decreasing cutter downtime and maintenance costs.

Product changeover

And processors producing multiple potato products can easily change Optyx WPS to achieve the ideal sort for each product run, he continued.

“KeyWare Application Packs translate data into action for each particular product, easing set-up and reducing the skill level required to operate at optimal performance.”

He added that Key designed its Optyx WPS to be easily integrated into an existing processing line.

“Processors simply need to connect the air, water, power and start sorting. The Optyx system has much less vertical product height change than alternative systems, which can often simplify installation,”​ claims Reardon.

Improving uptime

The equipment, he claims, was developed to meet the growing industry requirement for machinery that enhances product quality and saves money by improving system uptime and increasing raw material utilization:

“Key is seeing customers continue to invest in machinery that improves food safety and product quality while reducing operating costs. Food processors have always been interested in maximizing their return on investment and this focus is getting added attention in this economy.”

Reardon said that since 2004, all of Key's sorters have been based on its modular G6 electro-optical platform, which is designed to be easily upgraded to reduce the risk of obsolescence and to assure that equipment continues to perform at peak, even as technology advances.

“This forward compatibility strategy, which was borne simply as a good business practice, has proved popular with customers, especially now, in this economy,” ​he claims.

The Optyx WPS is available worldwide, according to the manufacturer.

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