New laser sorter for nut makers eliminates contaminants smartly, Visys

09-Jun-2010 - Last updated on 13-Mar-2017 at 09:16 GMT

A new ‘self-learning’ optical laser sorter system combines shape, colour and structure functionality to aid improved defect efficiency and minimise false rejects for manufacturers of treenuts, peas, French beans and berries initially, says Visys.

Laser sorters are used in the food industry to ensure no visible contaminants or misshapen products – halves instead of whole pieces - get included in their packaged products.

Sticks, earth clots, wood and stones are typical erroneous matter found in nut and vegetable processing.

Frank Zwerts, CEO of the Belgian based technology developer told FoodProductionDaily.com that its Python Smart Optical Laser Sorter is the first sensor-based tooling system to provide shape and colour analysis with foreign matter detection based on cell structure.

He claims that the new equipment represents fourth generation digital sorting technology, following on from the initial mechanical approach which evolved into analogue and subsequently digital based laser detection systems.

According to Zwerts, its optical laser sorter employs Apollys Neural Network Technology for advanced shape recognition and “unlike tooling with a standard calibration for all product sorting, the Python becomes self-learning in that it adapts its settings to the quality of the product it is sorting, and lowers the amount of false rejects in doing so.”

“If products such as peanuts are highly contaminated with foreign matter or are suddenly longer or bigger in shape, the Python will adjust accordingly,” he explained.

Zwerts said that the Python can be placed in the middle or the end of the line. But he stressed that if manufacturers only eliminate foreign matter and products with defects at the end of the line, potentially this can result in bottlenecks on equipment in addition to energy wastage, particularly if blanching occurs, so that sorting in mid-process can ensure efficiency gains.

The CEO said that the equipment has been trialled with the supplier’s leading customers and Visys has now decided to release the Python technology to the wider market on a global basis.

The aflatoxin detection sorting option available on its Spyder and Lynx digital laser sorters is also possible with the Python, added Zwerts.