Key Technology, a member of the Duravant family of operating companies, offers food processors virtual equipment demonstrations, application tests and employee training from their Innovation and Solutions Centers in Walla Walla, Washington, USA and Hasselt, Belgium. These remote sessions, done via a live video interface, provide a rich and convenient customer experience while showcasing Key’s sorting, conveying and other processing solutions.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has made virtual demos more important now than ever. In addition to protecting workers, these interactive sessions are cost effective, productive and scale well. Some processors may not have the funds or time to fly several team members to our facility – with virtual demos, up to 15 different participants across multiple facilities can join the demonstration, test or training,” said Bob Rhodes, director of global applications engineering at Key Technology. “Compared to in-person visits, the live video interface allows food processors to watch multiple views of a system simultaneously and develop a more holistic understanding of the solution.

Virtual demos enable customers joining from anywhere in the world to collaborate with Key’s applications team and make observations, ask questions and, if needed, immediately effect a change in the process in real time. The live video interface includes a screen share of the system’s software and images from four or more cameras, with each one showing a different view of the system. On a digital sorter, one camera might be pointed at the whole system, one at the infeed, one at the accept stream, one at the reject stream and one at a table with accumulation samples from the different streams. The equipment is typically set up to run the customer’s product to accurately illustrate how the system will perform given their application. Virtual demos/tests/training can be recorded for later review.

Demos are available for Key’s line of sorters, including VERYX (both belt-fed and chute-fed) and Optyx,  as well as their vibratory conveyors, including Iso-Flo and Impulse, and material handling systems like their Sliver Sizer Remover (SSR). Sorters may be equipped with three-way sorting, multi-sensor Pixel Fusion, Information Analytics software and more.