A new generation of selecting machines for the food industry:
AspirX is the firstborn
Due to its ten-years old experience in the tomato-processing sector, which with the renowned Lince 9096 selecting machine saw the first applications
in the feld of diced and extruded foods selection, Protec, with the AspirX project comes as a leader in the selecbon of semiliquid fruit by-products. The new family of selecting machines results from the combination of different experiences in the field of electronics, mechanics and automation. AspirX is an optical selecting machine with camera with ejection and suction features recommended for the processing of fruit pulps, extruded products, compotes, jams and various types of sauces. The product is deposited on a high-speed conveyor belt, that is appropriately lit by special luminous sources to be examined by the videocamera vision system. Faults are eliminated by using an ejection mechanism composed of thin hollow cylinders, which suck in the fault. The faulty product is then conveyed by means of a vacuum generator to a reject collection tank. AspirX combines several technical innovations, developed by Protec research and development sector. The central processing unit, the 'brain' of the whole system, has been wholly designed by Protec project managers. It can manage up to 4 videocameras at the same time and, thanks to the combined use of DSP/FPGA architecture, a calculation power capable of detecting faults with minimum size (0.25 mm) is ensured. 0 25 mm is the typical size of a skin residue or a petiole, which can visually damage
the quality of a product, in particular if it must be bottled into glass containers The videocameras that are used are of the last generation and they ensure higher sensibveness along the whole bright spectrum, higher speed of data transfer and top mechanic sturdiness in critical environments. Illumination is got by means of a dedicated solid status and unique lighting system, in order to ensure a constant and uniform light diffusion on the product, high reliability and continuous time performance. The pleasant graphical look of the system control software allows to manage AspirX in a simple, ergonomic and intuitive way all supervision operations are managed by a colour touch-screen monitor The operator interface is mounted on a mobile arm which allows for its optimum positioning for a more comfortable access in all positioning conditions. To manage situations in which plants are with centralised control, it is possible to arrange the system within a company network and perform the monitoring via modem. Mechanically, the selecting machine features a reduced overall size which allows for an easy positioning within the existing processing lines.
A quick release system has been desiqned, to chanqe the conveyor belt in less than 10 minutes bv a single operator, dramatically minimising plant stop costs. Instead, the electro-valve cylinder system has been designed in order to ensure response times of a few tens of milliseconds. The suction cylinders have been designed after an accurate simulation study both on CAD and in the laboratory.
This way, a moulding which allows for a targeted extraction of the fault has been got, minimising the suction of the good product. The arrangement of
the ejectors has been designed in order to ensure the total covering of the belt width and minimising the machine's longitudinal size. Many continuous stress tests have also been made to ensure machine reliability, both as far as the preservation of time performances are concerned and as for their duration.
The materials used and the tests that have been made ensure the full and continuous operation of the whole system in different environmental conditions. Some customers of the preserves industry have already successfully tested the first AspirX F50 models in the fruit sector and AspirX T50 in the tomato-processinq sector.
Adaptability and quality in the vegetable/fruit production process"
In response to the needs of a market that is increasingly demanding when it comes to product quality, Protec, market leader in the design and construction of equipment for the food processing industry has created a new generation of high performance, high speed sorters, of which ASPIRX and DIXAIR are the first models.
With the benefit of more than a decade of experience in the tomato processing sector, AspirX and DiXair are also offered as leaders in the field of vegetable and semi-processed fruit sorting. The two new sorters are intended to provide the highest quality and capacity of production, ease of use, ease of installation and reduced maintenance costs.
This new class of sorter is the result of combining broad experience in the fields of electronics, mechanics and automation.
AspirX Fis a telecamera-based optical sorter with suction expulsion for working fruit pulp, purees, jams and various types of sauces.
AspirX Tis recommended for the puree or diced tomato sector. The ASPIRX family features compact size and attractive pricing. The reduced version (ASPIRX T50) is offered as a viable alternative to the Lince 9096 for companies with smaller production volumes of pulp and diced tomato, making installation possible even in restricted spaces.
ASPIRX features an exclusive suction system for product expulsion.
The identified defects are eliminated by means of an expulsion system made up of narrow hollow cylinders whose task is to suck out the sub-standard produce. This sub-standard produce is then transported by a vacuum pump to a reject collection tank.
The suction cylinders were designed only after careful study of both CAD-based and laboratory simulations. In this way it was possible to achieve a shape that enabled a focused extraction which minimised the removal of good produce.
The electrovalve cylinder system used to extract the defective produce, has been developed to guarantee response times in the order of a few tenths of a millisecond.
This remarkable speed combined with the reduced size of the suction tubes makes it possible to lower the vacuum level needed, thus reducing both energy costs, and the amount of good produce in the reject tank.
The configuration of the extractors has been designed in such a way as to guarantee complete coverage of the full width of the belt, and to minimise the length of the machine.
DIXAIR is an evolution of the acclaimed TecJet 2500, conceived to meet the most demanding market needs in the selection of leaf vegetables, fresh or dried, legumes, as well as diced fruit and the various forms of potato.
Thanks to the high transport rate, around 3m/sec, DIXAIR can process large quantities of produce.
Powerful and precise expulsion is carried out by a highly accurate jet of air.
DIXAIR was designed to operate either with visible or near infra-red light (NIR) in readiness for colour vision.
Shortly a double vision system will be released which can inspect the produce through 360°.
ASPIRXand DIZAIR contain numerous technical innovations developed by Protec's Research and Development department.
The central processing unit, the brains of the system, was researched and designed entirely by Protec's engineers. It is capable of running more telecameras simultaneously and as a result of the combined use of a DSP/FPGA architecture, can guarantee a processing power capable of identifying the slightest of defects as small as 0.25mm. This is the typical size of skin residue or of a stalk, which can reduce the visual quality of the product, particularly if it is intended for packaging in glass.
The telecameras used are latest generation: greater sensitivity throughout the entire light spectrum being used, higher speed of data transfer and greater mechanical tolerance of hostile environments.
Illumination is achieved by means of a dedicated solid state high intensity lighting system, unique in its field, such as will guarantee a uniform and constant distribution of light over the produce, high reliability and continuity of performance.
The tasteful graphics of the software controlling the whole system enable the sorter to be run very simply, ergonomically and intuitively.
All of the supervisory operations are carried out by the user through a Touch Screen colour monitor.
The operator interface which is both ergonomic and user-friendly, is mounted on a moveable arm which enables it to be positioned for the greatest ease of access in any situation.
To allow for situations where the plant is controlled centrally, the system can be attached to the company's network and monitored via modem.
A quick release system has been devised, which enables the conveyor belt to changed in less than 10 minutes by a single person, dramatically reducing the cost of down-time.
Numerous continuous stress tests have been carried out to ensure reliability both with regard to the continuity of performance as well as length of life.
The materials used and the tests carried out guarantee full and continuous operability of the entire system in the widest range of environmental conditions.
Some clients in the preserving industry have already successfully tested the first models of the AspirX F50 sorter for the fruit sector and the AspirX T50 for the tomato sector, as well as the DixAir.
When necessary Protec can handle a client's specific needs including personalised tailoring of the system.
Protec will be present at CIBUS-TEC 2003 with its technical team as well as commercial staff to answer the questions of companies operating in the sector.
For additional information contact Protec s.r.l. Via Nazionale est 19 43044 Collecchio (PR)
tel +39 0521 800800
fax +39 0521 802311
Leader in the development of technologies for the agro-food industry, Protec consolidates its success thanks to the constant renewal of its range, in which optical sorters of the last generation stand out.
Continuous development to meet the demand of a market which is increasingly careful about product quality. With its new and sophisticated technologies. Protec confirms itself as a leader in the engineering and production of machinery for the agro-food industry. A consolidated role. three years after the top management reshuffle, with Luigi Sandei appointed as Chairman and Giuseppe Triani as Technical Manager. "The 'ingredients' to be winning on an increasingly competitive scenario are: farsightedness, research and development, qualified human resources and a careful management ethics - asserts Sandei - This wealth, that I dare call 'collective' since it generates development, has reconfirmed us leaders in this field, with a rise of the turnover of 16% ". After introducing on the market the AspirX and Dixair high-performance and high-speed sorters, on the latest CibusTec in Parma, the company presented the double-vision sorter Duett. These machines go side by side with the traditional BI-CS (for tomato] and Pro-fruit (for whole fruits), thus extending the company's range. The company now aims at investing on the vegetables and fruit semi-finished produce markets. "We are leaders in the production of optical sorters for use in the tomato processing industry - says Trani - However in the future we aim at expanding in sectors we are not so renowned. One of these regards the sorting technology for fruit-based semi-liquid products: for pulps, extrusions, purees, jams and sauces we offer AspirX F, whose vision system can detect even very small foreign bodies to be ejected, from petiole to fruit seeds. Thanks to the Dixair and Duett sorters, we have also met with success on the vegetables and legume processing market : peas, beans, green beans, diced fruits and vegetables, fresh or dehydrated leaf vegetables, stick or chip potatoes". The new sorters developed by the company ensure top quality and output speed, user-friendliness and reduced maintenance costs: they result from the combination of different experiences in the fields of electronics, mechanics and automation. The novelty with Duett lies in its double camera vision system, capable of inspecting products on both the upper and the tow part. The conveying system consists of two conveyor belts with different speed, capable of controlling the product's trajectory, in order to limit any false rejects during the ejection phase. Like Dixair, the high conveying speed (over 3 meters per second} makes Duett capable of processing considerable amounts of product. The powerful and accurate ejection is got by means of a water jet. Dixair only inspects the product on the upper part whereas both of them work with both visible light and Nir infrared light, that is useful to detect foreign bodies. For the sorting of diced and pulped tomato Protec offers the new AspirX family of sorters derived from the Lince 9096 sorter, well known and widely held in high regard in the fruit and tomato processing sectors The model F is dedicated to fruit. while the model T is devoted tomato. Formats are different depending on production rates: from 3 up to 20 tons of product per hour. Duett, AspirX and Dixair offer many technical innovations developed by the RS.D department. Image analysis is earned out by an electronic board, which uses integrated and state of the art technology developed by Protec engineers, to guarantee the highest performance. The powerful image processing software is able to analyse defects down to a resolution of 0.25mm, the typical size of a skin or stalk residue that may deteriorate the product's visual quality, above all whenever it must be filled into a glass container.Video cameras are of the last generation: they are more sensitive, faster in data transfer, more shock resistant. The illumination is got through a solid state system ensuring a uniform and constant diffusion of the light, high reliability and continuous performances in time. The product which is identified as sub-standard is sucked out by a system of double effect cylinders. The extracted product ends up in a vacuum reject tank. The sucking cylinders have been designed after an accurate simulation study on Cad and in the laboratory. Protec has developed a system of reduced diameter aspirators, capable of noticeably reducing the amount of good product in the waste. The company can provide different diameters depending on the product's size. The electrovalve cylinder system sucking the fault ensures response times of a few tens of milliseconds. The high speed combined with the reduced size of the aspirators, contributes to reduce the amount of vacuum required, in order to reduce power consumption and the presence of good product in the waste.The arrangement and the shape of the ejectors are such to minimise the machine's longitudinal size. All the supervision operations are controlled by the user through a colour touch screen. The operator interface, mounted on a movable arm, is ergonomic and user-friendly. The pleasant graphical look of the control software allows to manage the sorters simply, ergonomically and intuitively. To manage the situations in which plants are with centralised control, it is possible to place the system in a company network and perform the monitoring via modem. "Launched in 2003 - explains Triani - AspirX is the new generation of the Lince machine. From this year, the range will be extended with the model 100, which is ready to come into operation in various parts of the world. The model 50 is very demanded in Italy and Spain. The other plants instead are sold in all of the Countries with a mild climate, from Americas to Australia from Israel to Turkey".
Where vanguard plants are installed
We have visited the facility of a renowned food industry, where the latest Protec's jewel is in the installation phase: a tomato sorter capable of rejecting the minimum fault and of performing huge work loads
A long collaboration in the name of high technology and product Quality. The cooperation between Protec and Greci Industria Alimentare might be summed up in this way. Greci is the renowned Parma-based food industry, leader in the production of tomato pulp and convenience specialties for the catering industry. Greci is getting ready to face in the best way the very busy tomato-processing period scheduled to start in July. This year the volume of 'red gold' coming into the huge processing department is really high: it is likely to achieve one million quintals. That is why the food company, that for many years has been employing huge resources in a constant technological renewal, needs plants which do not just limit themselves to guarantee a top product's quality, but also support really hard work loads. Production quality and speed are two key criteria for Greci. Above all in the crucial sorting phase. These needs have been excellently met by Protec sorters. And today, with the 2004 campaign, they are all ready for a new challenge. At Greci's. the latest Protec's novelty is about to be installed: AspirX mode 100, that can be customised on demand and will be working side by side with the two Lince 90-96 sorters, that have been in line for a long time. To get to know more about this key development, we visited the facility in Ravadese (Parma), welcomed by the Technical Manager Ernesto Marchetti and accompanied by the engineer Triani (Protec). "The collaboration between the two companies dates back to the mid Nineties - says Marchetti - to suit the requirements of our company which, in that period, was strengthening its technological and production potential. From tomato processing only, the company passed to the supply of convenience products for thousands of restaurants all over Italy and Europe". What about tomato? "This market is more difficult to be managed - explains Greci manager - above all due to the Chinese products boom. According to a few sources, the Italian consumption accounts for 150-200.000 tons. Close-cut prices and the growing, quality of the Eastern tomato is damaging the balance of the food preserve industry". Therefore? "Today the sorters play a key role. Tomato-processing, concentrates in forty days per year is a heavy-duty process in terms of logistics and production. Quality tomato pulp is our core product, after all. Since our selection is very refined, we are compelled to process huge amounts of product, since only a 30% of it turns into pulp. And our pulp is a little different from those available on the market, also due to its target: the catering industry. Our cooks follow the whole preserves path: at first they test the pulp at the facility, then they assist the customer remotely, trying to understand his needs and requirements. To get such an accurate, clean and thick pulp we need technologies up to our products. Protec sorters are an example of the technologies we are looking for". "Our machines - says Triani - are heavy duty machines with a top operational speed to meet large production requirements, as in the case of Greci. Our plants can also meet top accuracy requirements. Greci operators actually pretend to detect and eject even the smallest faults. Our technology perfectly suits their needs. The new AspirX 100 has been designed to suck the pulp and to be customised to meet customer's needs. For instance, for Greci, the ejection system has been realised with aspirators with a diameter much lower than the standard one, to remove any fault. They ensure a covering of 100% on the conveyor belt, for the purpose of minimising the amount of good product in the waste, ensuring at the same time a very high number of operations".
Experience and quality for the catering industry
Tomato-processing represents Greci's original core-business. The company was founded in 1923. During the Sixties, the first historical turning point: definitely overcoming the family-run organisation of the debut, the company changed its corporate name into 'Greci Industria Alimentare'. A new age began, based on the diversification and continuous renewal of the product range. A new line of food specialties for catering, called Prontofresco, was created. The company has always been interested in high technology and in the flexibility required for a range of 250 different products. Today Prontofresco is brand leader in professional catering. With six specialised production lines, the company produces a few millions packages per year. Greci's leading edge is the high quality, supported by the application of Haccp control methods and a careful selection of the ingredients. The tomato pulp has got the 'Controlled Quality' brand by the Emilia Romagna region.
Inspection and control systems applied to the food preserves industry aim at considering in a unitary way the safety and quality questions, safeguarding products from contamination^ yet without altering their characteristics
TIie inspection, control and sorting phases in the food presses industry require an fill round technological ap-proach. Constant monitoring should affect both process quality and packaging integrity. Today the market is very strict about the safety question. Safety is considered an ordinary and taken- far-granted requirement, though itu ensured by sophisticated technological systems only. The sector's suppliers de-
sign and develop technological solutions trying to combine tf/e security and quality concepts. From the tomato supply chain to thefruits&evgetables chain, the present control and sorting systems allow to detect ana eject contaminants or foreign bodies from the produce without altering its organoleptic properties. This is a way to ensure safety without lowering quality.
The best of sorting
Only those who constantly dedicate to technological innovation may still grow in the food preserves industry.
The case of a company that has always been in the van in the development of optical sorters In spice of the hard times on the interngtional economy scenario and the 'ripeness' of the tomato market, Protec looks with trust: and optimism at the future and is ready to launch other technological challenges. The company, run by the Chairman Luigi Sandei, was the first in Italy to wholly manufacture the tomato sorter (and other fruits and vegetablessorters) for industrial production lines. Since 1991, the year of foundation, the company has never lost its bent for openingthe way to new products. The latest trend is the double vision optical sorting, a brand new technology inftaly, developed with the Duett model. "Intime - explains Simona Castellani sales manager the company has diversified its product range, meeting the needs of three sectors: starting from tomato, we have made a name even in the fruit field and now we aim oil growing even in the vegetable sector". Protec is innovation-oriented, thanks to its powerful RSD office for the development of new technologies. The team of electronic engineers, physicians and mechanical engineers is coordinated by the engineer Giuseppe Triani. and represents a real company's vanguard. "We are achieving key results, which we'll show in detail on the next Cibustec (Parma] and on other international exhibitions" announces Simona Castellani For a long time a key player in tomato sorting, Protec in reality offers high-tech plants for fruit sorting, including ApirX F sorter for tomato pulps, extruded purees and dices. Thanks to a sophisticated vision system, the machine can eject even the most difficult foreign bodies, from fruit's seed to seed's stalks and leaves. This innovative sorting machine family in cludes a specific model for tomato-processing, the T mode). Formats are different depending on production capacities: from 3 up to 50 t/h of product.
AspirX can manage several cameras at the same time and, by using a sophisticated software architecture, it can detect defects with very low dimensions [0.55 mm), i.e. the size of a spot or an insect, which may deteriorate the product's visual quality, above all if it must be filled in a glass container. Cameras are sensitive along the luminous spectrum, fast in data transfer, mechanically resistant to hostile environments The illumination comes from a solid state high-intensity dec' Gated illumination system, that: enables an even and constant, light spreading on the product, high reliability and continuity of performance in time.
The detected defects are rejected through fast and effect ejection device composed of thin hollow cylinders. The unsuitable product is then conveyed to the reject tank. Another key market is the vegetable-processing market, i.e. the processing of legumes, green peas, beans, fruit and vegetables dice, fresh and dehydrated leaf vegetables, stick or
chip potatoes. Here come into play the sorters Dixair and Duets, which as well as AspirX offer many technical innovations developed by the R&D department. These machines actually feature high quality and output speed, user-friendliness and reduced maintenance costs. Dixair is is particularly effective, as well as colour sorting, in the separation of foreign bodies such as stones, insects, wood and other contaminants. The novelty with Duett lies in its double videocamera vision system,
capable of inspecting products on both the upper and the lower part. The conveying system consists of two conveyor belts with different speed, capable of controlling the product's trajectory, in order to limit any false rejects during the ejection phase.
Like Dixair the high conveying speed (over 3 meters per second) makes Duett capable of processing considerable amounts of product. The powerful and accurate ejection is got by means of an air jet. Dixair on^y inspects the product on the upper part, whereas both of them work with both visible light and Nir infrared light, that is useful to detect foreign bodies that has been used ay Pratec for several years.
As already explained by the President Luigi Sandel to FM,
Protec's winning recipe in an increasingly competitive
market consists of farsightedness, research and innovation,
qualified human capital and an attentive management ethics.
This way the company can be a key player on the market,
as confrmed by figures. 2004's turnover has actually achieved 6.3 million Eur, thus extending the growth trend and further increasing the investments on RSD. Over the fast few years, as against a generally stagnant market, the company's trend has been constantly on the up [2002's turnover accounted for 4.4 million eur, in 2003 it amounted to 5.1). Even 2005 will be a year of innovation and expansion for the company, which is developing various installations within food industries of international importance.
Novelties on which the company's top management., as pointed oue by Simon Castellans, prefer to maintain an absolute reserve for a few months, at least until the first great
Fail exhibitions. Meanwhile the research goes on.
I sistemi di ispezione e controllo applicati al conserviero puntano a considerare in modo unitario le questioni delia sicurezza e della qualità, salvaguardando il prodotto da contaminazioni, ma senza alterarne le caratteristiche. Le fasi di ispezione, controllo e selezione neil'ambito dell'imdustria conserviera richiedono un approccio tecnologico a 360°. il monitoraggio costante deve interessare sia la qualità del processo sia l'integrità della confezione. Oggi il mercato non consente distrazioni sulla, delicata questione della sicurezza, ritenuta ormai una richiesta ordinaria e pressochè scontata, sebbene sia garantita, in realtà, solo da sistemi tecnologici sofisticati. Le aziende tornitrici del settore progettano e realizzano soluzioni tecnologiche cercando di coniugare in una prospettiva unica i concetti di sicurezza e qualità. Dalla filiera del pomodoro quella delt'orto frutta in genere, gli attuali sistemi di controllo e selezione consentono di rilevare ed espellere elementi contaminanti o indesiderati con un intervento sempre più leggero sulle caratteristiche organolettiche del prodotto. E questo un modo di garantire sicurezza senza abbassare la qualità.
Il meglio della selezione
Solo chi si dedica cosiasten'ìeme all'innovazione tecnologica può crescere ancora nef conserviero.
Il caso di un'azienda da sempre in prima linea nella realizzazione di selezionatrici ottìche. Nonostante i tempi difficili dell'economia internazionale e la maturità del mercato del pomodoro, Protec guarda con fiducia e ottimismo al futuro e si appresta a lanciare altre sfide tecnologiche. L'azienda guidata dal presidente Luigi Sandei, è stata la prima in Italia a progettare e costruire interamente la selezionatrice per pomodoro (e in seguito di frutta e altri vegetali) per linee di produzione industriale. Dal 1991 anno di fondazione la società non ha mai perso la propensione ad aprire la strada verso inesplorate direzioni.
L'ultima è quella della selezione ottica a doppia visione, tecnologia inedita in Italia e messa a punto con il modello Duett. "Nel tempo Spiega Simona Castellani, sales manager l'azienda ha diversificato la gamma produttiva, soddisfacendo lerichieste di tré settori: partiti dal pomodoro, siamo diventati importanti anche nella frutta e ora puntiamo
a crescere nei vegetali".
Protec, costantemente proiettata verso l'innovazione, vanta un reparto ricerca e sviluppo che eccelle per tecnologie e risorse. Il team di ingegneri elettronici, fisici e ingegneri meccanici guidato da Giuseppe Tnani costituisce la vera avanguardia dell'azienda.
Stiamo raggiungendo risultanti importanti, che mostreremo dettagliatamente al prossimo CibusTec di Parma e in occasione di altre fiere internazionali annuncia Simona Castellani.
Da tempo protagonista affermata nella selezione del pomodoro. Protec offre in realtà tecnologie di alto livello anche per la selezione della frutta. Fra queste spicca la selezionatrice ottica a telecamera AspirX F per polpe, estrusi, compote. marmellate e salse varie. Grazie al sofisticato sistema di visione,la macchina riesce a espellere anche i corpi estranei più difficili da individuare, come semi. residui di buccia o foglie. Questa innovativa famiglia di selezionatrici include una versione specifica per la lavorazione del pomodoro. il modello T. I formati sono diversi a seconda delle capacità produttive: da 3 fino a 20 t/h di prodotto, con AspirX 150.
AspirX può gestire più telecamere contemporaneamente e, grazie a una sofisticata architettura software, può rilevare difetti di dimensioni minime: 0,25 mm cioè la dimensione di un minuscola insetto o di una macchia, che può deteriorare la qualità visiva del prodotto, soprattutto se destinato al confezionamento in vetro. Le telecamere sono sensibili lungo lo spettro luminoso, veloci nel trasferimento dei dati, resistenti meccanicamente agli ambienti ostili. L'illuminazione si ottiene con un sistema a stato solido che garantisce una diffusione uniforme e costante di luce, alta affidabilità e continuità di prestazioni nel tempo, li meccanismo di espulsione è composto da sottili cilindri cavi che hanno il compito di aspirare il difetto. Lo scarto viene poi convogliato con un generatore di vuoto a un serbatoio di raccolta. I cilindri di aspirazione sono stati progettati con una sagomatura tale da permettere un'estrazione mirata del difetto, minimizzando l'aspirazione di prodotto buono. I diametri possono essere diversi a seconda del formato del prodotto. Il sistema elettrovalvola cìlindro, che aspira il difetto, garantisce tempi di risposta nell'ordine di poche decine dì miltisecondi, L'altro mercato nel mirino dell'azienda è quello della lavorazione di vegetali come legumi, piselli, fagioli, fagiolini, cubettati di frutta o vegetali, vegetali in foglia freschi o disidratati, patate stick o chips.
Qui entrano in gioco le selezionatrici Dixair e Duett, che insieme ad AspirX rappresentano la sintesi delle innovazioni tecniche messe a punto negli ultimi anni dalla divisione ricerca e sviluppo. Dixair e Duett sono caratterizzate, infatti, da elevata capacità di produzione, facilità d'uso e ridotti costi di manutenzione.
La prima è particolarmente efficace, oltre che nella selezione di colore, nella separazione di corpi estranei come sassi, insetti, legno e altri contaminanti. Duett aggiunge la possibilità di esaminare il prodotto sia nella parte superiore sia nell'inferiore, garantendo un'ispezione del prodotto pressoché totale. Il sistema di visione si avvale di iliuminazione sia nel campo dell'infrarosso Nir (Near Infrared). tecnica utilizzata dall'azienda già da diversi anni. Il sistema di trasporto è costituito da due nastri trasportatori a differenti velocità, in grado di controllare la traiettoria del prodotto, in modo da limitare in fase di espulsione i falsi scarti. Come nel caso di Dixair, l'alta velocità di trasporto rende Duett capace di lavorare notevoli quantità di prodotto. L'espulsione a getto d'aria è potente e precisa, in grado di espellere lo scarto con minima perdita di buono.
Come aveva spiegato il presidente Luigi Sandei a FM, la ricetta vincente di Protec in un sistema sempre più competitivo è composta da lungimiranza, ricerca e innovazione. capitale umano qualificato e un'attenta etica gestionale. Così l'azienda ha saputo mantenere il ruolo di protagonista del settore, come confermano i numeri. Il fatturato del 2004 ha toccato, infatti, i 6,3 milioni di euro, allungando cosi il trend di crescita e consentendo di aumentare ancora gli investimenti in ricerca e sviluppo.
Negli ultimi anni, a fronte di un mercato generalmente stagnante. l'andamento dell'azienda è stato costantemente positivo (a 4,4 milioni di euro era ammontato il fatturato nel 2002, 5,1 nel 2003). Anche il 2005 sarà un anno di innovazione ed espansione per l'azienda. che sta mettendo a punto svariate installazioni all'interno di industrie alimentari di rilevanza internazionale. Novità sulle quali i vertici della società, come ha accennato Simona Castellani, preferiscono mantenere il riserbo ancora per qualche mese. almeno fino ai primi grandi appuntamenti fieristici dell'autunno. Intanto la ricerca continua.