Key Technology, a unit of Duravant’s Food Sorting and Handling Group, has introduced its latest advancement in automated food inspection with the launch of the belt-fed COMPASS optical sorter.
Unveiled at Pack Expo Las Vegas, the system builds on the foundation laid by the chute-fed version launched in 2023, offering manufacturers greater flexibility and enhanced precision in defect and foreign material detection.
Engineered specifically for handling wet, sticky and fragile products, the belt-fed COMPASS is designed to help processors improve food safety, ensure consistent product quality, and boost overall yield. The horizontal installation design eliminates the need for facility modifications typically required by chute-fed models, reducing installation costs and expanding the machine’s applicability across a wider range of production environments.
“This new system requires minimal training and delivers exceptional value to more types of food processors,” said Jack Lee, Duravant Group President – Food Sorting and Handling. “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. Now, after extensive development and testing, we’re launching the belt-fed COMPASS to serve additional markets.”
The system is tailored for delicate and irregularly shaped products, such as fresh produce and snacks, which benefit from the gentle handling enabled by belt conveyance. Beyond mechanical design, the COMPASS sorter emphasizes operational simplicity: a user interface modeled after mobile app navigation allows line workers to become proficient in under half an hour. Creating or modifying recipes requires less than ten minutes, and full product changeovers, including cleaning, can be completed in just 15 minutes.
Powered by Key’s proprietary NEXT sort engine, the system identifies a broad range of contaminants—ranging from plastic and glass to organic and inorganic debris—and can detect smaller, more nuanced defects than earlier technologies. The sorter’s multispectral sensing capabilities, expandable to eight channels, allow it to analyze color, size, shape, and internal structure without relying on costly hyperspectral or laser sensors.
Sanitation is a core design principle. The unit incorporates open architecture, sloped surfaces and minimal moving parts to reduce contamination risks and simplify cleaning. Sensor and lighting elements are strategically placed to stay clear of debris and splatter, ensuring performance over extended production runs. The belt itself is easily removable for washdown, and the system’s open design grants quick access for maintenance.
Each COMPASS unit comes equipped with Key Discovery, the company’s IIoT-connected analytics platform that transforms the sorter into a real-time data hub. The software provides actionable insights into both product quality and process efficiency, enabling customers to monitor trends, pinpoint issues, and optimize operations.
Available in a variety of sizes and configurations, the belt-fed COMPASS can be deployed across multiple stages of the processing line—from initial raw intake to final inspection—depending on operational needs. With a compact footprint and scalable capabilities, the system offers a tailored solution for modern food production challenges.
Key Technology supports its global customer base through a broad sales network and a dedicated international service team.
Find out more at: https://www.key.net/