TOMRA Sorting Solutions to show Whole Product capabilities at Agritechnica

Sensor-based sorting systems pioneer TOMRA Sorting Solutions will showcase its whole fruit and vegetable capabilities at the world’s leading international exhibition for agricultural machinery and equipment.

The company will demonstrate its Field Potato Sorter (FPS) and display its Halo optical sorter at Agritechnica, which takes place from November 12 - 16 at the Exhibition Grounds in Hanover, Germany. Preview days take place on November 10 and 11 and the TOMRA systems can be found in hall 21 at stand C18.

Jim Frost, market unit manager, whole products, TOMRA Sorting Solutions, will be attending the event. He said: “We’re looking forward greatly to being at Agritechnica and demonstrating our unrivalled whole product sorting capabilities for a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including potatoes, carrots and cucumbers.” TOMRA introduces the first successful high throughput optical sorting solution in the industry for unwashed potatoes. The FPS enables growers, processors and packer companies to lower labour and potato storage costs significantly while raising product quality and yield.
 

Utilising unique biometric signature identification (BSI) technology, the FPS provides a representation of the visible and near infrared (NIR) spectral zones, which allows it to analyse and identify organic characteristics and compositions of all objects. It can therefore distinguish clumps of dirt, stones, foreign material and rot from potatoes, even those with substantial soil covering.

The machine can be used for different varieties and sizes of unwashed potato while processors can use measurements the FPS makes and records, with its predictive analysis, to optimize procedures within their operations.

Mr Frost said: “The FPS is replacing hard-to-find manpower needed to clean the product stream going into and out of potato storage. The robust, waterproof and user-friendly machine is compact and available in various widths to fit all specific capacities up to 70,000 kilos an hour. The sorting machine is compatible with other potato grading equipment, but can also be used on its own to sort harvested potatoes, before or after storage.”

The Halo provides high-performance sorting and grading for quality, size and food safety. Mr Frost said: “Combining intelligence with advanced controls, the long-life, compact Halo sorter provides sort flexibility and accuracy. Using top and bottom sensor banks to view each object in-flight, the machine deploys a combination of pulsed VIS/NIR light-emitting diode, with high resolution detector cameras, to perform targeted spectroscopy with 1mm precision.
 “The highly advanced Halo system views and analyses visible features - such as colors, shapes, blemishes, foreign materials and difficult-to-see defects in product composition - to produce a highly accurate, flexible and controllable sort.”

Benefits of the Halo system include: significant labor cost reductions, averaging 80 per cent;yield increases of up to four per cent;low operational costs;and fast return on investment. Fresh pack Halo applications include: salad, small, main crop, large, sweet and russet potatoes;carrots;parsnips;onions;tomatoes;pickle cucumber;and Brussels sprouts. Processor applications include: peeled and unpeeled potatoes;carrots;peach and pear halves;tomatoes;green beans;onions;apricots;and citrus fruits, such as oranges and mandarins.

TOMRA Sorting Solutions creates sensor-based technologies for sorting, peeling and process analytics. The company unites four strong brands under one roof: TITECH for recycling, TOMRA Sorting Mining for mining, ODENBERG for food and BEST for food and specialty products.

This powerful alliance makes the company one of the most advanced providers of sensor-based sorting solutions worldwide.

The alliance provides many benefits and synergies including 15 test centers worldwide, access to a vast array of technologies and a large research and development department. TOMRA Sorting Solutions’ global reach also allows it to deliver an enhanced service offering, with a shared service network ensuring the company is always close to its customers. For more information visit www.tomrasorting.com

Organisations wanting more information about TOMRA’s food industry solutions or to arrange a demonstration with their own products should email food-sorting@tomra.com.