Tomra shows off its latest potato sorter
The TOMRA 5A, a machine for the potato processing business, supports processors by combining a straightforward and brand-new graphical user interface with stable sorting performance, while increasing the level of food safety and quality with minimal product waste.
According to the company, the TOMRA 5A boasts the industry’s highest sort capacity, namely 55 tons of potatoes an hour. The peel control module, which can connect to multiple sorting machines, takes potato data from the TOMRA 5A sorter for dependable measurements of the peel removal levels. Using proven process control techniques to achieve the desired peel removal, the optimal steam time is then calculated and sent directly to the steam peeler. Consequently, the result is lower peel loss and less food waste, with no operator supervision required.
The TOMRA 5A also has food safety features including foreign material removal, effectively discarding items such as corn cobs, wood, stems, plastics, glass and even stray golf balls. This process minimizes the risk of food contamination further down the line and leads to improved product quality.
The sorter also has improved sanitation features which have been designed and developed in accordance with the latest food hygiene standards and specifications. This provides processors with the opportunity to recover product which is not good enough to accept, but at the same time not bad enough to send to waste. The leftover product can be sent to re-peel or trimming lines. It can even be made into alternative end products, such as potato flakes.
The machine also contains on-board 24 hours of sorting statistics, which makes it possible to review all data within an operator-specified time window. The on-screen display of potato quality data and size distribution is quick to access, with easy-to-read graphic displays of production for all or part of the day. Detailed product data is also available.
To help cut back labor costs the machine also features a self-monitoring capability; the system will alert the plant of detected issues affecting the sorter’s operation and performance.
Karel Strubbe concludes: “The TOMRA 5A sorter, equipped with TOMRA ACT, represents the latest innovation in whole product sorting systems technology. This sorter has improved performance and added functionality to help customers address the increasing demands on the processor for food safety assurance, improved yields and lower running costs.”
For more information:
Marijke Bellemans
TOMRA Sorting NV
Tel: +32 (0) 16 742 817 ext. 217
Mob: +32 (0) 476 741 918
marijke.bellemans@tomra.com
www.tomra.com/food