January 25, 2023 – Key Technology, a member of the Duravant family of operating companies, introduces their enhanced Herbert OCULUS optical sorter for whole potatoes at Fruit Logistica hall 6.1 stand A-60. Ideal for fresh market potatoes or whole potatoes prior to processing, this enhanced system improves performance to better find and remove potatoes with defects. Its superior sorting capabilities help ensure product quality while reducing labor requirements and achieving consistent line capacity despite fluctuations in incoming raw product quality.
“The value of Herbert OCULUS for the potato industry has never been greater. With extreme weather impacting the quality and quantity of harvested crops worldwide and labor availability at an all-time low, automating inspection with OCULUS helps customers achieve grade specifications while maximizing yield and profitability,” said Antoine van Bree, President, Key Technology – EMEA and Asia. “Driven by continuous improvement, we upgraded OCULUS to offer our customers a more innovative, effective and reliable solution for the changing market.”
The enhanced Herbert OCULUS features new cameras that offer twice the resolution of the previous generation cameras to identify smaller, harder-to-detect defects. A more advanced 64-bit operating system replaces the previous 32-bit system to achieve a more sophisticated analysis of each tuber. New longer-lasting air cylinders with better seals run at a lower pressure to minimize energy usage, reduce maintenance and lessen operating noise while maintaining high performance. Lighter reject fingers move faster to improve reject accuracy.
Herbert OCULUS conveys the potatoes over a series of rollers to present a complete 360-degree view of each tuber to the digital infrared color cameras. Compared to traditional cascade sorters, this unique method of sorting offers gentler handling and provides 20 percent more surface inspection to maximize defect removal.
Available in multiple sizes for a range of capacities up to 40 metric tons of product per hour (88,000 lbs / hr), Herbert OCULUS recognizes size, shape, color and texture. Its advanced detection capabilities enable the sorter to remove a wide range of color defects, diseases and surface abnormalities including skin discoloration, green and dark colors, bruising, mechanical damage, blackleg and silver scurf.
Key supports customers worldwide through their extensive sales and SupportPro service network.
For more information about Key’s Herbert OCULUS optical sorter, visit: https://www.key.net/en/products/oculus-whole-potato-optical-sorter/
About Key Technology, Inc.
Key Technology is a global leader in the design and manufacture of automation systems including digital sorters, conveyors and other processing equipment. Applying processing knowledge and application expertise, Key helps customers in the food processing and other industries improve quality, increase yield and reduce cost. Key manufactures its products in Walla Walla, Washington, USA; Redmond, Oregon, USA; and in Beusichem, the Netherlands. Key offers customer demonstration and testing services at five locations including Walla Walla and Beusichem as well as Hasselt, Belgium; Sacramento, California, USA; and Melbourne, Australia; and maintains a sales and service office in Santiago de Queretaro, Mexico. Key is a Duravant Company. For more information, visit www.key.net.
About Duravant
Headquartered in Downers Grove, IL, Duravant is a global engineered equipment company with manufacturing, sales and service facilities throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Through their portfolio of operating companies, Duravant delivers trusted end-to-end process solutions for customers and partners through engineering and integration expertise, project management and operational excellence. With worldwide sales distribution and service networks, they provide immediate and lifetime aftermarket support to all the markets they serve in the food processing, packaging and material handling sectors. Duravant’s market-leading brands are synonymous with innovation, durability and reliability. For more information, visit www.duravant.com.
Buffy Hagerman
Key Technology
150 Avery Street
Walla Walla, WA 99362 USA
Tel: +1 509 540 7415
bhagerman@key.net
www.key.net
Lene Boes
Key Technology
Bedrijfsstraat 6b
B-3500 Hasselt, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0) 11 26 70 38
lboes@key.net
www.key.net
Cat McBride
McBride Public Relations
527 27th Street
Richmond, CA 94804 USA
Tel: +1 650 384 5727
connect@mcbridepr.com
www.mcbridepr.com