Key Technology introduces digital sorters for green beans

Key Technology has introduced the VERYX family of digital sorters for green beans. These chute- and belt-fed sorters identify and remove extraneous vegetable matter (EVM), including stalks, calyx, stems and several other types of unwanted vegetable materials often found with harvested green beans. The sorters can also remove blemished beans and foreign material (FM) such as sticks, wood, glass and more.

Key said that through improved sort accuracy, VERYX increases the removal of EVM, FM and defects to enhance product quality while reducing false rejects to maximize yield.

The new sorters can be set for whole or cut green beans as well as fresh or frozen, and can be used for fresh pack, frozen and canned product applications. Key said the sorter design is modular and can be configured with the different sensor types, sensor positions, lighting, ejection systems, product handling and software to meet the specific needs of each green bean processor. For multi-product lines that also process other vegetables such as cut corn, peas, carrots, beets and more, the sorter is designed to allow fast recipe-driven changeovers.

“We combine the most advanced green bean optical sorting with our mechanical grading and sizing systems and conveying solutions to help processors elevate their product quality and maximize yield,” said Marco Azzaretti, advanced inspection systems product manager at Key Technology. “We customize each system to the exact needs the processor, considering the nuances of specific green bean varietals and regional differences in customer needs.”

With chute- and belt-fed sorters available in a variety of widths for low- to high-capacity processing lines, VERYX can sort green beans before or after blanching and after freezing prior to packaging, depending on the products being produced and the processor’s objectives. Thanks to wide inspection zones, Key said, VERYX enables processors to increase their throughputs by up to 15 percent while conserving floor space. Depending on the VERYX model size, system capacities range from up to 5.5 metric tons (12,000 pounds) of green beans per hour for VERYX B70 to up to 19 metric tons (42,000 pounds) of green beans per hour for VERYX B210, the largest sorter in the VERYX product family. Capacities are dependent on incoming defect levels and actual varieties.