Key Technology Introduces New ADR X for Potato Strips

WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Key Technology, a member of Duravant’s Food Sorting and Handling Group, announced that it introduced its new automatic defect removal system for potato strips, ADR X, at Interpack.

ADR systems identify defects on wet potato strips and trim only the affected areas so more usable product can be recovered. ADR X now features enhanced multi-spectral sensing, an updated mechanical architecture and more. 

“Potato quality isn’t consistent, but processors still need consistent results. Meanwhile, the gap between variability in raw material and customer expectations for the finished product keeps widening. At the same time, hygiene requirements are greater, skilled labor is harder to find and facilities are running longer production cycles,” said Jack Lee, Duravant group president — Food Sorting and Handling. “As the long-time leader in automatic defect removal technology, Key redesigned its popular ADR system from the ground up with the new ADR X to address these mounting pressures.”

Building upon the technology of Key’s previous-generation ADR systems, ADR X aligns, inspects and trims both peeled and peel-on wet potato strips of various cut sizes.

ADR X introduces a series of new capabilities including multi-channel sensing with advanced LED lighting and strobing for accurate identification of challenging product defects such as green discoloration, according to Key Technology. Multiple images of each strip are captured under different wavelengths and combined to create clear separation between the product and background.

The newly developed ADR X design aims to maximize hygienic operation in wet processing environments, Key Technology said. The system architecture can eliminate activity above the product stream, reduce flat surfaces and integrate clean-in-place functionality. Bearings and other key components are positioned for easy access to speed maintenance, the company reported. 

ADR X features recipe-driven conveying and alignment mechanics that automatically adjust based on the selected cut size, said Key Technology. Lane profiles and strip positioning are set via the user interface, allowing the system to respond to different strip dimensions without manual tuning and supporting repeatable performance across product changeovers. New endless, reinforced belts can reduce belt stretch over time, eliminate the need for in-field welding and allow belt replacement to be completed up to five times faster, the company said. 

The conveyor belt and cutter-wheel operate with independent drives. The cutter-wheel also automatically repositions itself based on the selected cut size, Key Technology said. 

Setup and maintenance tasks are simplified through single-point adjustment mechanisms for brushes and finger rack, the company reported. 

ADR X is available as a plug-and-play system that fits within a standard shipping container. For processors operating existing potato strip lines, ADR X can be installed as a direct replacement for previous-generation ADR 5 systems without requiring significant layout changes, Key Technology said. 

For more information on Key’s ADR X automatic defect removal system and its optical sorters, visit www.key.net/en/our-products/sorting/.