TOMRA Sorting Solutions is highlighting the breadth of its market-leading sensor-based food systems at this year’s Process Expo, taking place until November 6 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
The company is showcasing its Nimbus free-fall sorter, Halo optical food sorter, and Qvision 500 meat fat analyzer at Booth 5149.
TOMRA’s Nimbus multiple laser and high-resolution camera system allows sorting by color, structure, size and shape in free-fall and can sort based on material type, using near infra-red (NIR) spectroscopy.
The ejection system uses an optimal pitch for enhanced defect removal and the machine can be equipped with a front sorting or rear ejection system, for greater flexibility and reduced false reject rates.
Jim Frost, market unit manager, TOMRA Sorting Food, said: “The Nimbus Smart Sort module helps operators set parameters by analyzing incoming products and provides program set up simply and quickly. The revolutionary digital Flex Sort technology eliminates the need to select and change the optimal reference drum for each product, improving the contrast between good and defective items. “Quality control and feedback are secured via the intuitive graphical user interface and touch screen, with customers and TOMRA engineers being able to access the system’s settings from anywhere in the world.”
Benefits of the Nimbus system include its user-friendliness and low maintenance, plus its modularity and upgradeability.
Representing the latest advance in sensor-based optical sorting and grading, the Halo delivers high-performance across of a wide variety of foods. It views and analyzes attributes - such as colors, shapes, blemishes, foreign materials and difficult-to-see defects in product composition - to produce a highly accurate sort.
Mr Frost explained: “Using top and bottom sensor banks to view each object in-flight, the Halo uses a combination of light-emitting diodes, in the visible and near infrared (NIR) spectrum, to perform targeted spectroscopy with 1mm precision.
“Offering high capacity, low maintenance, flexibility, gentle handling and consistent, long-life accuracy, the machine provides quality control and feedback via an intuitive touch screen.” TOMRA says the Halo system’s benefits for customers include: significant labor cost reductions, averaging 80 per cent upwards;yield increases of up to four per cent;low operational costs;up to 25 per cent faster throughput;improved product quality;a faster pack;and speedy return on investment.
Odenberg Halo sorter
The Qvision fat analyzer measures fat, protein, moisture and weight in fresh or frozen meat, at any grind size, across the full width of its conveyor belt, with analysis penetrating far into the meat.
Mr Frost said: “With its accuracy, price point, ease of integration and ability to simplify production control, QVision could make in-line fat analysis mainstream. The machine’s capacity is unrivalled, as it can easily handle 30 tons per hour, and through reduced lean giveaway, it helps to improve raw material yield, while ensuring consistent product quality. It’s also less operator-dependent than other systems and eliminates the risk of ‘out of spec’ fat claims.
“In addition, utilizing QVision for raw material traceability and quality control drives smarter purchasing and reduces time spent on correction and overworking, meaning better product line utilization and improved quality. Customers are also finding great value in the monitoring and benchmarking the machine permits.”
TOMRA Sorting Solutions creates sensor-based technologies for sorting, peeling and process analytics, uniting four strong brands under one roof: TITECH for recycling, TOMRA Sorting Mining for mining, ODENBERG for food and BEST for food and raw materials. 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 and demo 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.
