The Sortex Z+ machine from Buhler holds out the promise of improving coffee quality on the line.
Buhler said the new shape sorting technology allows coffee processors to classify beans simultaneously by shape as well as colour.
Until now it was only possible to distinguish defects in coffee beans by optical colour sorting, the company stated.
The removal of foreign material the same colour as the accept product, such as brown sticks in roasted coffee, could previously only be done by a mechanical or hand sorting process.
Sortex Z+ uses the company's PROfile shape sorting technology to simultaneously identify reject material by shape as well as colour.
"This unique facility dramatically increases productivity and operational efficiency, within the same operating footprint," the company stated.
The machine can also connect by phone to Buhler's Z-Anyware service, which allows engineers to evaluate performance remotely.
