Key Technology introduces Optyx® with three-way sorting

Key Technology introduces its three-way sorting capability on Optyx®, a new advancement that makes this camera/laser sorter ideal for walnuts, raisins, dates, cherries, and other small-sized products. Featuring two ejector systems and three outfeed streams, processors can automatically remove foreign material and waste in one stream while assigning the other two sort streams to separate good product of different grades. Optyx with three-way sorting can improve yields, increase throughput, reduce labor, and/or minimize capital equipment while maximizing product quality and food safety.

Key designed Optyx with three-way sorting for processors that want to separate good product into distinct grades or isolate product that can be reworked and recovered separately from foreign material and waste.

Three-way sorting is available on Optyx 3000, which handles up to 6 metric tons (13,000 lbs) of product per hour, and on Optyx 6000, which handles up to 12 metric tons (26,500 lbs) per hour. For higher volume lines, Key’s Manta® sorter, which can also be equipped with three-way sorting, handles up to 20 metric tons (44,000 lbs) per hour.

Optyx with three-way sorting utilizes Key Technology’s unique built-in sorting intelligence to separate product into three streams based on a combination of product-specific attributes. The sorter’s proprietary color cameras recognize each object’s size, shape, and millions of color differences. Key’s laser technology is used to inspect the distinctive structural properties of each object to identify additional product attributes and reliably detect foreign material.

For example, a walnut processor might program Optyx to remove shells, fibers, membrane, and other FM to the first stream while separating darker nuts to the second stream and higher value light-colored nuts to the third stream. Compared to traditional two-way sorters that often require a walnut processor to run product through one sorter multiple times or leverage two or more sorters in sequence, three-way sorting reduces the number of passes through a sorter, limiting product degradation and either doubling throughput or reducing capital equipment.

Optyx with three-way sorting is also ideal for removing foreign material and separating valuable off-grade product that can be reworked from the primary product. For these applications, three-way sorting can improve the quality of the pass stream, increase yields, reduce labor costs, and minimize total capital equipment investment. If needed, Optyx with three-way sorting can quickly be configured to run in a two-way sort mode.

Optyx sorters feature an intuitive, easy-to-use touchscreen user interface. The interface can be accessed remotely via a local network or the Internet, enhancing flexibility in the operating environment and easing access for remote factory troubleshooting and application assistance. Intelligent real-time and on-demand diagnostics help prevent costly downtime by proactively detecting conditions that could compromise inspection performance.

For more information:
Anita Funk
Key Technology, Inc.
Tel: +1 509 529 2161
Fax: +1 509 527 1331
afunk@key.net
www.key.net