23/08/2016: Sorting the chaff from the grain - 70 years of grain sorting innovation

Bühler Sortex designs and manufactures a vast range of optical sorting equipment for a variety of products, such as grains, beans, pulses, spices, nuts, rice, vegetables and fruits, and plastics, as well as manufacturing complete processing lines for the rice, spice, sesame and pulses industry.

Optical sorting uses advanced camera technology, combined with sophisticated software, to detect anomalies in colour, size and shape, as well as non-visible optical properties, to enable the separation of bad product from good, as well as the removal of foreign materials that often pose a safety hazard.
  

www.buhlergroup.com

During our visit, we were treated to jam-packed sessions, replete with eye-opening discussions about the recent technological advances and innovations in optical sorting, customer care, and how Buhler Sortex continually manage to stay ahead of the game, rounded off with a look into the future of optical sorting and a tour of the Buhler Sortex factory.

Bühler Sortex: A History
On the approach to the Buhler Sortex offices and factory little, did we know that it was in the very same month in 1947 that ‘Sortex’ first began. Almost 70 years ago ‘Beno Balint and Sons (Great Britain) Limited’ was established by the Balint Brothers – owners of Gunson’s Seeds - with the vision of eliminating the drudgery of handpicking seeds, by technological means, aided by Hungarian scientist Dr. Okolicsanyi and his assistant Herbert Fraenkel.

Later that same year saw the first demonstration of actual sorting through a combination of optical inspection and electrostatic deflection of discoloured particles, which lead to the development of the first sorter – the G1 – Gunson’s “SORTEX” Electronic Separator. 

Intelligent SORTEX S UltraVision optical sorter

Achieving great success in the global market, through sales of this and subsequent machines, the manufacturing of sorting machines soon became a major activity for Gunson’s Seeds, and so a separate ‘Sortex’ division was established in 1955. The Sortex division was purchased by Bühler in 1994.

The shared ‘family company’ ethos, and a shared drive towards innovation and, perhaps most importantly, customer satisfaction is perchance what facilitated such a simple integration of the two companies. This shared culture and commitment to Bühler values is why Sortex had by then established itself as the worldwide leader in all markets.

What is next?
It is now over 20 years since Sortex was acquired by the Bühler Group - a worldwide engineering solutions provider for the food, mobility and communications industries - and since then, has gone from strength to strength.
  
Now fully integrated into the Bühler family, how has this branch of Bühler progressed, and what is next? Still recognised as one of the most trusted brands in optical sorting, Buhler Sortex remains a key contributor to Bühler’s success. 

It has an optical install base of over 25,000 machines and with factories located worldwide - London, Brazil, China – to develop regional specific customer solutions, ensuring they are the leading global supplier of optical sorting solutions. 

 Read the full article HERE.

 

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