Key Technology introduces whole potato sorting system

Published: 04 Aug 2009 22:37:44 PST

Key Technology has introduced its first optical sorting system for whole potatoes. Optyx® WPS for whole potatoes achieves a three-way sort using a combination of air ejectors to remove foreign material and a unique deflector system to separate potatoes for rework from good potatoes. Maximising the removal of foreign material and providing extremely gentle handling to avoid potato damage, Optyx WPS improves product quality and protects downstream equipment while reducing labour costs and increasing yields.
Combining Key's proprietary high-performance colour cameras with Raptor laser technology, Optyx WPS can sort peeled and peel-on product, differentiating peel from scab, bruise, rot, and green defects. Using cameras, Optyx WPS recognises colour, size and shape to remove potatoes needing rework 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. Using a combination of Raptor laser technology with high-resolution line scan cameras, Optyx WPS reliably detects and removes foreign material based on the structural properties of the material, as well as visible colour.