Key Technology Introduces COMPASS Optical Sorters

For processed, frozen, and preprocessed vegetables, confections, and more

Published: Monday, September 11, 2023 - 11:01

(Duravant Group: Downers Grove, IL) -- Key Technology, a member of the Duravant family of companies, introduces the COMPASS family of food optical sorters. Powered by next-generation inspection technology as well as a new sort engine and ergonomic user interface, COMPASS is the easiest-to-use optical sorter on the market, achieving consistently accurate foreign material (FM) and product defect removal and simplifying system operation, sanitation, and maintenance. COMPASS helps processors automate and improve quality management of their food products while maximizing yield and increasing profitability.

“Optical sorting technology has developed significantly over the last decade. Until now, more advanced sorting capabilities meant a system that was also more complex to operate and costly to maintain. COMPASS is the first sorter that breaks that paradigm—it offers consistently high sort accuracy, a compelling ROI, and significantly simpler and more intuitive operation than any other food sorting system,” says Jack Lee, Duravant Group president, food-sorting and handling solutions. “Available alongside our industry-leading VERYX and ADR food inspection systems, COMPASS expands our product portfolio and ability to help each customer find the solution that is truly best for their needs.”

COMPASS is ideal for sorting processed, frozen, and preprocessed vegetables and fruits, nuts, leafy greens, potato chips, confections, and other food products. Thanks to its advanced sensors and lighting technology, as well as Key’s powerful new NEXT sort engine, COMPASS accurately identifies and separates plastic, glass, paper, and other organic and inorganic FM from the line, in addition to sorting the specific product defects each processor wants to manage.

Key designed COMPASS for ease of use. Its intuitive user interface mimics smart-device navigation apps and enables nontechnical operators to quickly become proficient in using the sorter. Operators can create and edit COMPASS sort recipes to ensure consistent performance on every product run.

COMPASS features Key Discovery, a powerful data analytics and reporting software that turns the sorter into an IIoT-connected device, delivering a wealth of product quality and sort-process information that gives food processors valuable insights into the operation of their line.

COMPASS is offered in a configurable range of system types and sizes to meet individual customer application and capacity requirements. Key is first introducing chute-fed COMPASS models, to be followed by belt-fed variants of the sorter. COMPASS can be installed in-line at the start of the process to sort incoming product, after critical transformational processes on the line, or at the end of the food processing line to ensure final product quality and safety prior to packaging.

Key supports its customers worldwide through an extensive sales network and its global SupportPro service team. For more information, visit www.key.net.

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