Key Technology, a member of the Duravant family of operating companies, introduces Key Discovery, a suite of software solutions that transforms Key’s digital sorting systems into IIoT-connected devices that collect, analyze, and share data while sorting product.

By harnessing data about the sort process and about every object flowing through the sorter, Key Discovery can reveal patterns and trends that improve sorting and help control upstream and downstream processes. Key Discovery provides actionable information that enables processors to optimize product quality, maximize yield, reduce downtime and minimize labor to increase profitability.

“The industrial internet of things is a reality in the food processing industry,” said Dave Crewe, senior vice president of AIS Engineering at Key Technology. Key Discovery represents the next generation of our information analytics software solutions. With it, food processors can turn their digital sorters into advanced product and process information centers. We’re known for our powerful food sorting systems, which generate a greater volume of more accurate data about the customer’s product than other sorting devices. Key Discovery leverages that data and helps processors identify actionable opportunities to enhance operations.”

Key Discovery is available for all Key Technology sorting equipment including Veryx digital sorters and ADR Exos automatic defect removal systems, as well as other sorting platforms. It offers flexible connectivity to a processor’s enterprise, whether to an MES or SCADA system, shop floor management software, or PLC network, via a secure infrastructure.

Food processors can use the data provided by Key Discovery for a wide variety of process monitoring and line control purposes, depending on their needs. It audits the sorter’s wellness, validates sort performance, and helps better manage output. Key Discovery can also monitor upstream processes to help identify issues and opportunities for improvement, and it can connect the sorter with other equipment and devices upstream and downstream on the line. These capabilities help maximize raw product utilization, improve line performance and reduce the need for human monitoring of the sort process.

Key Discovery’s configurable reporting enables processors to understand product batches in terms of their quality profile, measuring defect rates and the presence of foreign material, as well as the color, size, shape, structural property, and/or chemical composition of the product, whether the data is used to make sort decisions or not. These quality reports can be used to manage payment plans for growers or to better understand how different field practices and raw product sources affect final product quality. Key Discovery can also perform quality control measurements and reporting in-line, eliminating the need for time-consuming tests to be conducted on small samples of the product population off of the production line.

Key Discovery is available on new Key digital sorting systems and as a field upgrade on installed Key sorters.

Key Technology Inc., Walla Walla, WA 509-876-9428 www.key.net