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Newsletter
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This issue of "Compac
Innovations" will provide you with great information on our
Compac Display Modules, an introduction to the Compac design team, a
profile on Status Produce, some useful industry information, very
helpful cleaning suggestions for your Compac sorter and links to
various news stories and press releases on Compac.
If you'd like to
contribute any information or have any comments please forward them to newsletter@compacsort.com
Enjoy!!
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New Innovations
- CDMs
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Compac Display
Modules
These new weigh display modules from Compac offer state of the art
electronics and user friendliness for accurate weighing of fruit from
the sorter.
 Fruit exits from the sorter onto the cross conveyor (Top
Belt) and is taken to the outlet point where there is an automatic
chute baffle. When the correct weight of fruit is delivered into the
carton, the baffle springs up and stops the fruit flow. The operator
adds or subtracts fruit to make up the carton weight exactly and the
carton is ejected backwards to an awaiting conveyor belt.
For more information visit www.compacsort.co.nz
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Product Features
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Compac's Carrier
& Chain Lubrication System can extend the life of your main carrier chain and
help keep the carriers tipping freely.
The lubricator
consists of a pumping system and spray applicator mounted over the
return carrier return guides and requires an air supply for operation.
The sizer is operated at approximately 100 carriers per minute while a
metered amount of food grade silicone lubricant is applied.
The optional chain and carrier lubrication system is
being installed on most machines that have been manufactured over the
past year and can be fitted to existing machines as well. Contact your
Compac salesman or e-mail us at sales@compacsort.com
for a quotation.
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Software News
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Compac's sizer software team
is working on Version 10 that has a 2nd quarter 2003 target
release date. Version 10 will be revolutionary in its application for
fruit sorting. It entirely re-vamps the user interface to include many
more graphical displays and includes many new features that customers
have been suggesting and asking for.
We believe Version 10 will provide Compac users with the most
flexible and easy to use sizer software available from any
manufacturer.
Some of the new software features will include increased optimiser
options for bagging and increased flexibility to create pack types,
sizes and grades.
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Press Releases
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Dominating
space in Compac Sorting Equipment's Onehunga, Auckland factory are two $US1
million machines destined to sort apples in Washington State. Visit www.unlimited.co.nz.
Fresno is the new American based home for Compac Sorting Equipment, which
has established a base to service its increasing fruit and vegetable
pack house customers in the US. Read more www.compacsort.co.nz/.
The new SLS tomato repack system is a clever and practical
improvement on the traditional color sorting technology that has been
used for years. See www.compacsort.co.nz.
Compac Sorting Equipment has just secured its biggest order ever, beating
out large French, Dutch and American companies, with the sale of more
than half an acre of fruit sizing and packing equipment...Visit www.compacsort.co.nz.
Fruit and vegetable sorting technology from Compac Sorting Equipment
is being called the best grading equipment in the World. The smart
technology is also about to set another record....read more at www.compacsort.co.nz.
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Back to Top
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Our Team
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The mechanical
design department, a team of eight professional engineers, is
involved from the initial customer enquiry to the ongoing technical
support of the installed Compac sorter.
For more
information click here.
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Industry Info
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Nobody’s arguing that — since its
inception 66 years ago — the Washington Apple Commission
hasn’t helped propel the U.S. market share of the
state’s producers from 15% to about 70%.
Visit www.thepacker.com.
Onion prices shot up by as much as 100% in mid-February,
shippers say, thanks in large part to higher-than-usual call from
export markets. Higher markets are likely to continue for several
weeks, they say.
Read more at www.thepacker.com.
By the start of this week, the industry was awash with news that global
retail and distribution powerhouse Royal Ahold NV had revealed significant
accounting irregularities at its U.S. Foodservice subsidiary. The result was
an income overstatement that may have inflated operating profits by
over $500 million in the past two fiscal years.
See www.thepacker.com.
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Customer Profile
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'Adding Value' could well be the catch cry
of Auckland tomato grower and packer Status Produce, which sees
the industry going from strength to strength, despite grower numbers
dropping by 75% in the past 10 years.
For full story click here.
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Service News
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Compac’s
service technicians have been presenting training sessions
about Compac software and sorter technology. We have had sessions in the
Bay of Plenty and in Auckland. Later this year, we will
be presenting
sessions in Australia and other areas. More
information will be sent to you as the time gets closer. In addition,
our new Technical Writer is working with our service and design staff
to create more and better documentation, starting with a complete
Mechanical Manual. Look for the Mechanical Manual to be available in
early May.
The following Service maintenance help for the month answers common
questions about cleaning Compac sorters.
Maintenance Help: Unless you're using the Compac Carrier Washer
system, do not perform any cleaning procedures on the sorter whilst it
is running.
How often do you need to clean your sorters? This depends on the
requirements for your packhouse and the type of produce you pack. If
your produce is dusty, or is processed with heavy drenching or wax, you
will need to clean your sorter frequently. If you use labels, do not
let
misplaced labels build up, especially on carriers. Clean them off
frequently.
Carriers – Clean carriers as needed, or on a weekly basis. Do
not let
dirt, stickers or fruit wax build up on carriers. It is easier to
remove small
amounts of dirt than large amounts of ground-in dirt. The Compac
Carrier
Washer is the most convenient way to clean carriers. If you don't have
a washer and would like a quotation, contact
us.
Belts – Clean belts as often as necessary. If you can see
that the belt
is dirty, it needs to be cleaned! Scrub belts with a solution of warm
water and food-safe detergent.
Weigh Section – Remove a
section of carriers from the chain to get
access to this area. Then, brush the area with a soft brush or lightly
blow it with an air gun or vacuum it. To clean between metal plate
joins, use unwaxed dental floss to clean the crevices gently. Make sure
there is no residue or debris between the plates. Do NOT use wet
cloths, sharp objects or pressure directly onto the load cells in this
area – you may damage fragile components! Clean this area often
to prevent ground-in dirt or debris. To replace the carriers, move the
chain forward out of the weigh area.
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