Archive News Story
(Products mentioned in this Archive News Story may or may not be available from the manufacturer.)
High-Volume Laser Sorter suits food industry applications.
August 14, 2006 -
Optyx® 6000 Series uses Raptor Laser Technology to sort fresh, frozen, and dried fruits and vegetables at production rates to 40,000 lb/hr. It has 48 in. wide scanning area in which to detect small defects and foreign material to optimize product quality and maximize food safety. All-digital architecture and color cameras analyze objects for size and shape as well as color difference to remove defects based on user-defined accept/reject standards.
Archive Press Release
(Products mentioned in this Archive Press Release may or may not be available from the manufacturer.)
Release date: July 11, 2006
Key Technology Introduces New High-Volume Laser Sorter at ProcessExpo 2006: Optyx® 6000 with Raptor Laser Technology Sets a New Standard
ProcessExpo Booth #6713 (ProcessExpo is the new name for the Food Processing Suppliers Association show that is co-located with PackExpo in Chicago from October 29 to November 2, 2006)
Applications: processing and packaging fresh, frozen and dried fruits and vegetables, including frozen potato products, tree nuts, raisins and other food products
Key Technology Introduces New High-Volume Laser Sorter at ProcessExpo 2006:
Optyx® 6000 with Raptor Laser Technology Sets a New Standard
July 11, 2006 - Key Technology introduces the new high-volume Optyx® 6000 Series Sorter with Raptor Laser Technology at ProcessExpo, the food processing show co-located with PackExpo. Featuring a doublewide platform that harnesses the horsepower of Key's G6 engine, Optyx 6000 Raptor detects the smallest defects and foreign material to optimize product quality and maximize food safety at double the throughput. As the first wide-belt laser sorter to maintain the high resolution of the finest narrow-belt laser sorters, Optyx 6000 Raptor sets a new standard.
Optyx 6000 Raptor can sort fresh, frozen and dried fruits and vegetables, including frozen potato products, tree nuts, raisins and other food products at production rates of up to 40,000 pounds (~18 metric tons) per hour, depending on the application.
Further, Optyx 6000 Raptor harnesses the power, precision, and performance of Key's successful Optyx 3000 Raptor, the 24-inch (610 mm) wide sorter that was introduced in 2005 with great success, especially in the raisin and nut markets. Optyx 6000 Raptor features a 48-inch (1220 mm) wide scan area that doubles production capacity and all-digital state-of-the-art electronics that deliver the same ultra-high resolution as Optyx 3000 Raptor. Unlike traditional analog laser systems, Raptor's all-digital architecture delivers uncompromised data that drives the most advanced algorithms for complex sort decisions.
Optyx with Raptor combines Key's proprietary color cameras with laser technology to provide the most comprehensive sort available today. Optyx analyzes size and shape as well as millions of subtle color difference and removes defects based on user-defined accept/reject standards. Adding Raptor Laser expands the sorter's inspection capabilities by reliably detecting foreign matter based on differences in the structural properties of the product and any foreign material. Combining the industry's most sophisticated color sorting with the highest resolution laser technology maximizes the removal of defects and foreign matter in the product stream while improving recovery rates.
Based on Key's advanced G6 electro-optical platform, which features a powerful new controller, modular vision engine, and high-resolution cameras that combine more pixels and faster scan rates, Optyx 6000 Raptor achieves the most complex and robust inspections. The flexible architecture assures forward compatibility - the modular design and use of industry-wide connectivity standards ease future upgrades to keep Optyx up to date and performing at peak as technology advances.
The Optyx 6000 Series Sorters employ multiple cameras and sensors in a variety of configurations to best match the needs of each application. Optyx 6000 Raptor can be configured for either single-side or two-side laser scanning, depending on the product and the customers' inspection objectives. As the only Class I laser sorter in the food industry, Optyx with Raptor sets a new standard in both performance and worker safety.
The icon-based graphical user interface (GUI) is easy to learn and use, reducing operator training and simplifying operation. The user interface displays Raptor information, allowing the operator to see what the laser is "seeing." This patented feature delivers more intuitive machine feedback to the operator, which allows for more accurate adjustment of accept/reject thresholds. Product settings can be stored and retrieved for fast product changeover.
The GUI can reside locally on the sorter and can be accessed remotely via its OPC-compliant infrastructure, enhancing the flexibility in the operating environment and easing access for remote factory troubleshooting and application assistance. Sophisticated real-time and on-demand diagnostics help minimize and avoid costly downtime, and detect conditions that could compromise inspection.
About Key Technology, Inc.
Key Technology, an ISO-9001 certified company, is a leading designer and manufacturer of process automation systems, integrated electro-optical inspection and sorting systems, and processing systems. Key® systems help processors to improve quality, increase yield, and reduce cost. With worldwide sales representation, the company maintains demonstration and testing facilities at its headquarters and manufacturing divisions in Walla Walla, Washington, USA, and at Key Technology BV in Beusichem, the Netherlands. The company's common stock trades on the Nasdaq National Market tier of The NASDAQ Stock MarketSM under the symbol: KTEC.
Reader Inquiries To:
Anita Funk, Corporate Communications Manager
Key Technology, Inc.
150 Avery Street
Walla Walla, WA 99362 USA
Tel: 509 529 2161
Fax: 509 527 1331
Email: afunk@key.net
URL: www.key.net
Contacts:
Marketing:
Anita Funk Corporate Communications Manager
USA
Phone: 509-529-2161
FAX: 509-527-1331 E-mail this person Company Information: Name: Key Technology, Inc. Address: 150 Avery St. City: Walla Walla State: WA ZIP: 99362 Country: USA Phone: 509-529-2161 FAX: 509-527-1331 http://www.key.net
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