Sorting specialist Compac has launched its new Size Simulator, a unique simulation tool which enables fruit and vegetable packhouses to upskill operators and prepare for incoming fresh produce batches in a first-of-its-kind virtual environment.
According to Compac, part of Tomra Food, the Size Simulator also enables users to optimise packing efficiency by extracting maximum performance from existing equipment.
Size Simulator creates a digital replica of the existing packhouse infrastructure, allowing optimisation of machine setup and processes, using real fresh produce data recorded from the sorter during previous runs.
Initial trials suggest the Size Simulator can also help predict bottlenecks in the sorting process, and can reduce overall downtime by enhancing knowledge of line speed management.
'Nothing like the Size Simulator currently exists in the fresh produce sorting industry,' said Gopi Ravi, product manager at Compac. 'The Size Simulator eliminates the risks of tweaking software on a live production run, empowering operators to experiment with settings until they've truly optimised equipment performance.
'In an industry where success depends on the ability to manage margins, this provides a unique competitive advantage,' Ravi added.
