Compac has launched the Sizer Simulator, a unique simulation tool which enables fruit and vegetable packhouses to upskill operators and prepare for incoming fresh produce batches.
Sizer Simulator also enables users to optimize packing efficiency by extracting maximum performance from existing equipment.
This innovation means that Compac, part of TOMRA Food, is the first to offer packers a virtual environment for running produce.
Sizer Simulator makes it possible to experiment offline with the advanced functions of Sizer, the software at the heart of the company’s industry-leading sorting and packline equipment, without posing any risk to production.
Sizer Simulator creates a digital replica of the existing packhouse infrastructure allowing optimization of machine set-up and processes in a virtual environment. Known as a 'digital twin', this technology comes from the aerospace and energy industries.
Packhouses traditionally apply the same software parameters for each variety as they did in the previous season, fearing that if they alter any settings it may lead to inefficiencies for production. This prevents making continuous improvements whose cumulative value can be significant.
The Sizer Simulator tackles this challenge head-on, allowing operators to run no-risk trials of new setups to analyze opportunities for improving yield and packing efficiency.
For more information, see Tree Fruit Oct 2018
