Key Technology’s enhanced Rotary Sizing and Grading Systems is a family of equipment that enables fruit, vegetable and potato processors to size and grade product by diameter or length while conveying and removing field debris, slivers, small pieces, fines, seeds, juice and other targeted material.
Enhancements include a new fully welded framework, one piece block pan, improved water and product deflection and new motor mount with catch pan.
The fully welded framework features integral formed mounting flanges, integral welded one piece block pans and blind back standoff bosses for mounting the discharge shear.
This design creates a more rigid frame and enhances hygiene by reducing threaded fasteners and eliminating lamination points between surfaces to minimize areas where water can be trapped and bacteria can grow.
Improved water/product containment is the result of a higher infeed frame plate with an added deflection flange to help shed water off the plate, sloped deflectors on both sides and a deflector flange on the discharge shear.
These four new flanges reduce fasteners and laminations where microbes can grow while moving drip points to within the envelope of the equipment.
This makes it easier for processors to mount a drain pan under the system and better captures water and product spillage to minimize spillage to the floor, improving sanitation and worker safety.
New top and side bearing/sprocket covers and chain guards are made of punch plate material that enables visual inspection of the bearings, drive sprockets, wear strips and chain without removing the covers or guards, which eases maintenance.
The idle side cover hinges down without removal of the top cover to further ease maintenance.
Top surfaces are sloped to reduce product buildup and shed water. The covers and guards enhance sanitation by enabling the areas behind them to be cleaned with a high pressure washdown without removing the covers and guards.
Solid top covers are available as an option.
A new motor mount features a drip pan below the gearbox with integrated standoffs.
The single square tube support is positioned at a 45° angle to shed product and water.
Mounting fasteners are reduced and blind back standoffs are used to further reduce threads and laminations.
An updated spray bar system, available as an option, eliminates U-bolts and bracket mounting laminations.
The new brackets, which support both the infeed and side spray bars, utilize blind back standoffs and enable the top bearing/sprocket cover to be removed while the spray bars remain in place to enhance sanitation and ease maintenance.
Key redesigned the optional CE cover, which used to be mounted using side plate retainer bolts and had to be removed before the top bearing/sprocket covers could be removed.
The new CE cover is mounted to the spray bar brackets, allowing the top bearing/sprocket covers and side plates to be removed without removing the CE cover, which eases maintenance.
An optional CE bearing cover protects workers from an exposed shaft end and features perforations for visual inspection of the shaft/bearing and easy cleaning.
A new standard bearing/shaft guard exceeds OSHA standards to improve worker safety.
The systems that are adjusted manually now feature a hard stop mechanism that prevents an operator from over-tightening the adjustment blocks while closing the gap between the rolls, which prevents the blocks from being damaged.
The optional Auto Adjust has also been improved with the addition of electronic limit switches for full-open and full-closed positions and a mechanical fail safe detent clutch to prevent blocks from being damaged.
The new design is 100% metric, with metric fasteners, bearings, shafts and sprockets.
This simplifies maintenance since the crew now needs only one tool set.
Key Technology will continue to support its installed base with imperial dimensioned rolls and components.
All sanitation and maintenance enhancements are available on every new Rotary Sizing and Grading System, which includes Key’s Sliver Sizer Remover, Precision Size Grader and Rotary Size Grader.
Featuring on-the-fly tuning, no pinch points, self-cleaning stainless steel rollers, sealed corrosion resistant bearings for low maintenance and easy cleaning for quick product changeover, these systems help food processors enhance product quality while reducing maintenance and improving sanitation.
