FDBusiness.com

Bühler’s optical sorting solutions for the global food and non-food processing industry contain a wealth of configurable options, allowing customers to create extremely accurate sorting modes. For some, these multiple functions have been difficult to navigate and control. As part of an ongoing effort to improve its products, Bühler has conducted extensive usability tests with customers and, based on the feedback, made the operator’s interaction with the machine more intuitive. At the same time, the opportunity was taken to modernise the look and feel of the user interface. With SORTEX ProSortX, the market leader is now launching an enhanced, touchscreen-based user interface, which makes operating the sorter much easier than before. Thanks to simplified screens and new control elements like sensitivity sliders, operators, at all levels, can easily make necessary processing adjustments.

With over 25,000 installations in over 100 countries, Bühler is the world leader in optical sorting solutions, covering a wide spectrum of food and non-food applications, including – amongst others – rice, grains, pulses, spices, seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables and plastic. “Our optical sorters are not only designed to be best-in-class with regard to quality and performance, but they should also be easy to operate. As part of our ongoing effort to improve our products, we have conducted extensive usability tests with customers, in order to better understand how they are using their sorters and what features are among the most popular. As a result, we decided to modernise our software and have developed an enhanced, touchscreen-based user interface with new FingerTipControl™ technology”, explains Stephen Jacobs, Global Product Manager at Bühler. The redesigned software, ProSortX, offers an intuitive and user-friendly approach, simplifying and giving operators greater control over their sorting set-up.

SORTEX ProSortX enables operators and production managers to adjust a Bühler sorter, easily and effectively. “We have isolated certain key areas and created new, simplified screens that are much easier and more intuitive for operators to use,” is how Duncan Shepherd, Software Team Leader at Bühler, describes the concept behind the new interface. To achieve this, the software developers have integrated additional graphics such as pictograms and new control elements like sensitivity sliders.  As a result, operators can now easily identify the processing status at a single glance, and make any necessary adjustments easily and intuitively. More experienced and proficient operators, can still access the advanced set-up screens, which enable them to create more complex sorts.

Additionally, Bühler has improved the hardware with an all-new processor for powerful processing and faster navigation between screens. This helps to maximise productivity and ease of use.

SORTEX ProSortX is now available as standard on all new SORTEX A and SORTEX B sorters and on the SORTEX E and SORTEX K product ranges later this year. Upgrade kits are also available for exisiting customers.