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Key Technology, a member of the Duravant group, has introduced a series of enhancements to its Compass belt-fed optical sorter, including advanced backlight technology, three-way sorting capabilities and a new high-capacity model.
The upgrades are designed to improve the detection and removal of foreign materials and product defects, while increasing production efficiency across applications including snacks, vegetables and other food products.
One of the key additions is a pulsed LED backlight system, developed to improve optical inspection in challenging applications such as kettle chips, where shadows and belt staining can interfere with defect detection.
Available in both visible and near-infrared wavelengths, the technology transmits light through the sorting belt rather than illuminating products solely from above. According to Key, this approach improves product segmentation, reduces the impact of shadows and minimises interference from belt staining, enabling more consistent sorting under varying operating conditions.
The company has also introduced an optional three-way sorting configuration, which incorporates a second ejection manifold to separate products into three independently configurable streams in a single pass.
This functionality allows processors to recover products for rework, separate different categories of defects or create multiple product grades. By carrying out several sorting decisions simultaneously, the system can reduce the need for additional sorting equipment or manual inspection, potentially lowering labour requirements and improving product recovery.
To accommodate higher-throughput production lines, Key has expanded the Compass range with the B200 model, featuring a two-metre-wide sorting belt.
The larger model is designed to help processors maintain sorting accuracy at increased production volumes, while potentially replacing multiple smaller sorting systems with a single unit.
Gina Maria Bonini, president of Key Technology, said: “Every one of these enhancements started with a real operational need our customers brought to us. That’s how Compass has evolved since we introduced it, not by adding features for their own sake, but by listening closely to processors and translating what we learn in the field into engineering that delivers practical solutions.”
She added: “These new enhancements help processors address more inspection requirements without adding complexity for operators”.
The Compass range combines advanced sensing technologies with recipe-driven operation and a hygienic, open design intended to simplify cleaning and maintenance.
All models also feature Key Discovery, the company's analytics and reporting software, which provides production data to help processors monitor performance and identify opportunities for operational improvements.
