Bühler unveils SPARK Pro optical sorter to enhance wheat quality, yield in flour mills

ASIA – Bühler has launched the SPARK Pro optical sorter, a new technological innovation designed to address the challenges faced by wheat millers in Southeast Asia.

As wheat consumption in the region has increased by more than 30% over the past decade, spurred by the growing demand for products like bread and noodles, the need for consistent wheat quality has never been more critical.

The SPARK Pro aims to help millers combat issues related to fluctuating wheat quality, which are exacerbated by unpredictable weather conditions and grain supply chain volatility.

The rise in wheat consumption across Southeast Asia presents both opportunities and challenges. On one hand, growing demand for staple foods has driven market expansion.

On the other, the region’s wheat quality has been subjected to significant fluctuations due to factors such as droughts, extreme rainfall, and irregular harvests. These fluctuations, combined with disruptions in the global wheat supply chain, have left millers grappling with inconsistent grain quality, which ultimately impacts flour production and yields.

To address these issues, Bühler’s SPARK Pro sorter employs state-of-the-art technology that ensures a reliable and efficient wheat cleaning process.

The machine uses advanced high-definition cameras and full-spectrum LED lighting to detect subtle colour variations in the grain, allowing it to identify and remove defects such as damaged grains, ergot, and foreign materials.

The application of the Hue Saturation Value (HSV) colour model enables the sorter to detect imperfections as small as 0.0025mm², ensuring a high level of accuracy in sorting.

One of the key innovations of the SPARK Pro is its use of DynamoAI algorithms, which optimize sorting accuracy and speed. These algorithms allow the sorter to adapt quickly to changing conditions, making the setup process much easier than traditional optical sorters.

Bühler’s testing at customer sites has demonstrated the machine’s exceptional performance, achieving over 98% primary accept quality and a reject concentration of more than 95%. This makes the SPARK Pro one of the most efficient and reliable sorters on the market today.

Moreover, the SPARK Pro sorter is available in a range of sizes, from 1 to 10 chutes, which allows it to cater to various milling capacities. This versatility makes it suitable for a broad spectrum of mill sizes, from smaller operations to large-scale facilities, ensuring that even as the milling industry evolves, Bühler’s technology can scale accordingly.

In addition to its advanced technology, Bühler’s commitment to sustainability is evident in the SPARK Pro’s design. The sorter not only improves yields by ensuring the highest-quality wheat is processed, but it also reduces waste by efficiently separating defects from the grain stream.

This has the dual benefit of lowering operating costs and minimizing the environmental impact of wheat milling.

By offering a solution that combines cutting-edge technology with ease of use and scalability, Bühler is helping millers enhance productivity, reduce waste, and ultimately, meet the growing demand for high-quality flour in a region that is becoming increasingly important to the global wheat market.

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