Bem Brasil is Brazil\u2019s leading potato processor, producing around 500,000 metric tons of product each year. Founded in 2006, the company has grown rapidly by prioritizing quality and innovation, and it now supplies more than half of all french fries consumed in the country, in addition to serving international markets. To support this momentum and strengthen operational efficiencies while protecting product quality, Bem Brasil installed a new Key Technology processing line designed to run 30 metric tons of frozen potato strips per hour.<\/p>\r\n
\u201cWe reached a point where our existing lines couldn\u2019t keep up with demand for our products. On top of that, our incoming raw material can naturally vary several times in a single day, so we needed equipment that performed reliably even with those product shifts,\u201d said C\u00e9lio Zero, Director of Operations at Bem Brasil. \u201cWhen we compared suppliers, Key stood out because they offered a fully integrated solution complete with world-class optical sorters, graders and more. Full-surface inspection, quick changeovers and straightforward operation help us achieve both the high capacity we require and the quality our customers expect.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
To deliver consistent product quality, Bem Brasil relies on Key\u2019s VERYX\u2122<\/sup> optical sorters in both the wet and frozen areas. Upstream in the wet area, three VERYX B210 sorters equipped with off-axis cameras in a tilted-X configuration find and reject product defects without blind spots. By sorting product early in the process, these systems produce a cleaner, more uniform product stream that improves overall line performance downstream.<\/p>\r\n In the frozen area just before packaging, three VERYX B175 sorters equipped with cameras and lasers perform both three-way sorting and final inspection, separating short potato strips into a dedicated stream while simultaneously removing foreign material (FM) and product defects. Key\u2019s Sort-to-Grade (STG) software evaluates each strip\u2019s dimensions and quality profile to determine its impact on the final grade and make accept\/reject decisions that help maximize yield. Pixel Fusion\u2122<\/sup> technology further improves detection accuracy, identifying even the most difficult-to-find FM and defects immediately prior to packaging.<\/p>\r\n \u201cThe benefit of VERYX\u2019s full-surface inspection is huge. Since defects can appear on any side of a potato strip, a complete view improves the precision of the sort and helps us achieve the great product quality we\u2019re known for,\u201d Zero explained. \u201cVERYX is also easy for our team to operate. The interface is clear, the recipe changes are fast and the equipment responds to the setting adjustments as expected. That makes a meaningful difference when we\u2019re changing recipes several times a day.\u201d<\/p>\r\n The line also incorporates an ADR EXOS\u2122<\/sup> automatic defect removal system downstream of the wet-area sorters. Defective strips rejected by the VERYX sorters are routed to the ADR, where its mechanical cutting system removes only the blemished portion and returns good strips to the line. \u201cOur ADR adds significant value,\u201d said Zero. \u201cIt recovers good product that would otherwise be lost, and in the right conditions, has a substantial impact on our final yield.\u201d<\/p>\r\n Key\u2019s Iso-Flo\u2122<\/sup> vibratory conveyors support smooth, reliable product handling across the entire line. The shakers spread and distribute product, regulate flow between processing steps and feed downstream equipment, all of which contributes to more precise sorting and overall line performance. Three Sliver Sizer Removers upstream of the wet-area VERYX sorters reject small slivers and nubbins to deliver a cleaner product stream ahead of inspection.<\/p>\r\n \u201cBem Brasil has a lot of future in front of it. We\u2019re always looking for innovative equipment that enables us to push forward and maintain our position as an industry leader,\u201d Zero concluded. \u201cKey Technology helps us uphold the great product quality and consistency our customers expect. Since our new line reached full production in 2022, it has proven its effectiveness and reliability across every season. As we continue to grow, having Key as a trusted partner gives us a lot of confidence to tackle what\u2019s next.\u201d<\/p>\r\n About Key Technology, Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n Key Technology is a global leader in the design and manufacture of automation systems including optical sorters, conveyors and other processing equipment. Applying processing knowledge and application expertise, Key helps customers in the food processing and other industries improve quality, increase yield and reduce cost. Key manufactures its products in Walla Walla, Washington, USA; Redmond, Oregon, USA; and in Beusichem, the Netherlands. Key offers customer demonstration and testing services at five locations including Walla Walla and Beusichem as well as Hasselt, Belgium and Sacramento, California, USA. Key is a Duravant Company. For more information, visit www.key.net<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n About Duravant<\/strong><\/p>\r\n Duravant is a global leader in advanced automation solutions operating across the food processing, packaging and material handling industries. Founded on more than a century of expertise, Duravant delivers performance-driven technologies, integrated systems and full lifecycle services that drive productivity, efficiency and safety for the world\u2019s producers and movers of high demand goods. The company serves a broad range of essential end markets including food & beverage, agriculture, consumer and industrial goods, e-commerce and logistics. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, and serving customers in more than 190 countries, Duravant unites a portfolio of leading brands under a shared commitment to quality, innovation and customer success. For more information, visit www.duravant.com<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n Reader Inquiries<\/u>:<\/strong>
\r\nBuffy Hagerman
\r\nKey Technology
\r\n150 Avery Street
\r\nWalla\u00a0Walla,\u00a0WA\u00a099362\u00a0USA
\r\nTel: +1\u00a0509 540 7415
\r\nbhagerman@key.net<\/a>
\r\nwww.key.net<\/a>
\r\n
\r\nReader Inquiries:<\/u><\/strong>
\r\nLene Boes
\r\nKey Technology
\r\nBedrijfsstraat 6b
\r\nB-3500 Hasselt, Belgium
\r\nTel: +32 (0) 11 26 70 38
\r\nlboes@key.net<\/a>
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