Gentle Tomato Packing Lines
Approach Buyers With Confidence With Our Gentle Tomato Grading Machine
Unlike other fruits, tomatoes require very special handling to prevent downgrading of product. Our tomato packing system is the industries’ first true automatic tomato grading system that is specifically designed for tomatoes. Unlike traditional systems, we have taken every precaution to virtually eliminate bruising and scarring of your tomatoes. With our system, the tomatoes never leave the surface of the equipment and all transfer points are equipped with brush rollers, or our other proprietary transitions.
Our gentle tomato packing system is ideal for packers of Roma tomatoes, ripe tomatoes and tomatoes that require repacking. It is also an ideal solution for packers that have to meet the increasingly demanding sizing requirements of the mainstream fast food chains. By combining our gentle tomato grading technology, with what is widely considered the best vision sorting technology in the world, you will have technology that maximizes the quality of your tomato pack, helping you maintain and improve your market position.
The Key Features That Make Our Tomato Grading System Different From Traditional Systems
Industry leading optical color and size sorting (with optional weight sorting)...
- Speed controlled brushes that are flexible and diabolic in shape regulate the frequency, direction and rotation speed of the tomatoes as they proceed through the vision field.
- Digital Color cameras, upon which a picture of the entire tomato becomes visible (due to the tomato rotating through the vision field), electronically scan the tomatoes.
- Color ranges (of 32,000 colors) can be selected as required. Color can be adjusted in increments of 1% based on two criteria: basic color and blush range. Color is measured by average color of the entire tomato, and blush is adjusted based on total surface percentages.
- The high resolution cameras of the Optical Measuring System (OMS), scan the tomatoes in multiple positions so that the system’s computer can determine the “true” diameter of the tomato. Size grades are adjustable in increments of .004" with a grading accuracy of .02".
- Our diameter-to-length ratio sorting parameters allows for the separation of long and short fruits of the same diameter.
- If required, same sized tomatoes can be distributed to several outlets or different sizes to the same outlet.
- After leaving the camera section, the tomatoes are gently transitioned into cups and are distributed over the selected exits. Unlike other systems, the tomatoes roll out of the exit cups on our proprietary exit belts rather than being dropped. This is a very important feature to prevent bruising
- Our systems are available in 2, 3, 4 and 6-lane versions with an undersize exit at the end of the grading lines.
A Washer, Dryer, Sanitation System and Quality Selection Table That Prevents Bruising And Adds Shelf Life
Unlike traditional systems, our quality selection table, brush washer and dryer all consist of rollers that rotate over their own axis while the entire assembly runs in a continuous loop. Since the tomatoes are transported rather than pushed over the rollers by adjacent tomatoes, bruising and scarring is virtually eliminated.
Positioned over the brush roller assembly are several spray bars. The first bars use recycled and filtered water to remove the dirt and debris from the tomatoes. The water is recycled in a tank below the brush rollers that is equipped with a filtration system to remove dirt and fine particles.
We recommend injecting our OMRI approved (meets organic standards) sanitizer in this recycling tank to help control human health pathogens, molds and rot on your tomatoes while adding shelf life to your product.
The spray bar at the end of the brush line contains potable, non-recycled water to rinse the tomatoes before they enter the sponge roller drying line. Since our sanitizer leaves no detectable residue, it can also be injected into this rinsing bar, to provide further sanitation.
After leaving the rinsing station, our bed of soft sponge rollers receives and conveys the tomatoes. The conveying action of the sponge bed ensures that the tomatoes stay within their own row of sponges, keeping them separated during the entire dewatering process. Quiet, OSHA regulated air blowers are situated at the in feed end of the sponge bed to facilitate the drying process.
Boxing lines and tables
The numbers of exits, as well how they are equipped, are determined by the customer's requirements.
Our most popular packing option are packing belts with the automated boxing systems. During the filling process the boxes are tilted in order to reduce bruising. Counterweights coupled with hydraulic cylinders control the tilting process.
A highly accurate electronic weigher controls this operation and stops the packing belt from running once the desired weight is in the box.
Other options include packing tables or computer controlled indexing belts for tray packing.
Stepped belt corner
To meet limited space requirements a stepped belt corner can be added to your line. This unit allows for a very gentle transition around a 90° corner and ensures an even distribution of the tomatoes before they enter the camera section.
If your buyers’ sizing accuracy demands are forcing you to look for alternative tomato sorting methods, or your just not happy with the final product quality of your current tomato packing system, please give us a call to discuss a gentle high speed grading solution specifically sized and specified to meet your production demands and market requirements. We will look forward to hearing from you!
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