WECO has introduced the new 360Tek optical sorter for blueberries. Separating product with fine defects, extraneous vegetable matter (EVM), and jumbo berries, the small, high-capacity sorter can inspect up to 8,000 pounds (3,600 kilograms) of berries per hour. Located at the end of WECO’s modular Sortivator fresh-pack line for blueberry cleaning and sorting, the affordable 360Tek maximizes product quality while reducing labor requirements.

With its unique roller design, the 360Tek is half the size of similar fine defect sorters on the market while achieving twice the throughput, maintaining consistently high performance and offering a superior return-on-investment (ROI).

WECO’s 360Tek removes products with a wide range of defects including scars, splits, and rubs, as well as EVM like stems and flowers. It can also separate large and jumbo berries into a separate stream.

To present a complete 360-degree view of each piece of fruit for inspection, the 360Tek conveys berries over a series of hourglass-shaped rollers. Digital color cameras take up to 16 photos of each berry as it rotates, and advanced machine learning (ML) algorithms analyze the color, size, and shape of every object to make sophisticated sort decisions. Air nozzles positioned between the rollers gently deflect objects identified for separation.

The 360Tek sorter separates incoming product into three customizable streams. The “accept” stream sends good berries to packaging. The second sort stream is dedicated to collecting blueberries with defects and EVM, while the third sort stream collects jumbo berries. However, if the packer has no need to separate jumbo berries, the second and third streams can each be programmed to collect berries with specific types of defects or EVM.

Each of WECO’s Sortivator fresh-pack lines is tailored for the customer’s application, incorporating systems for eliminating debris, removing soft fruit, and sorting by color and size. The 360Tek can be installed at the end of new or existing Sortivator lines. Controlled from a single touchscreen control panel, Sortivator provides fast, gentle, and effective blueberry sorting for big and small operations, whether the fruit is harvested mechanically or by hand.

The 360Tek sorter, other Sortivator equipment modules, and WECO’s other sorting and moisture monitoring solutions are available for sale or lease. WECO’s industry-leading customer service organization provides installation and start-up services, preventive maintenance, technology upgrades and 24/7 emergency assistance.

WECO: www.wecotek.com.