The Food Sorting and Handling Solutions business of Duravant, which includes Key Technology, presents optical sorters for processed protein goods like fish sticks, chicken tenders, frozen nuggets, and plant-based meat substitutes, among others.
Key’s optical sorters, such as COMPASS and VERYX, automatically eliminate foreign material (FM) and product faults to maximize product quality while increasing yield and decreasing labor.
The COMPASS and VERYX optical sorters from Key identify and eliminate a range of product flaws, such as product clumps, breading/batter clumps, and improperly formed, cooked, or coated food. These sorters recognize and remove each object based on its color, size, shape, and/or structural features. Additionally, any foreign material (FM) that might have unintentionally entered the production line—such as plastic, metal, glass, and paper—is eliminated. Optical sorting can be used upstream to check entering ingredients, although it is typically used right before packaging for final inspection in processed protein applications.
Key customizes each sorting system to the perfect size and design to meet the specific needs of the processor’s line and particular product characteristics. In order to move product softly and maintain its integrity while optimizing sort accuracy, key infeed and collection conveyors can be linked with the sorter. If necessary, conveyor screens can be added to eliminate fines before sorting.
“Processors of protein products worldwide have relied on Key’s vibratory conveyors for more than 25 years. However, when it comes to sorting, historically they’ve been satisfied with manual inspection. Now, with such a tight labor market and consumers’ product quality expectations higher than ever, automating inspection makes more sense,” said Jack Lee, Duravant Group president – Food Sorting and Handling Solutions. “Drawing on our application expertise in material handling, we’ve developed optical sorting systems that automate a process that previously required several workers per shift, while simultaneously achieving more consistent product quality.”
Find out more at: https://www.key.net/en/