Bühler provides optical sorting solutions for coffee processors to precisely sort coffee beans and remove defects. Their sorting machines use advanced technologies like LED lighting, cameras, and shape detection to identify and separate beans by color, size, and foreign material. This helps processors improve quality and yield while reducing costs through increased efficiency and productivity. Bühler invests in R&D to develop sorting machines that can remove even very subtle defects from various types of green and roasted coffee beans.

1. Optical Sorting.
Coffee.

2. Outstanding Performance.
Coffee sorting from Bühler.
Bühler provides optical sorting solutions for coffee
processors who demand the highest standards of
quality and safety. With a focus on precision sorting
and consistent yield, Bühler optical sorters meet the
requirements of small, medium and large processors.
Solutions are offered for all kind of coffee beans such
as roasted coffee, semi/fully washed, sun dried, green
Robusta and Arabica coffee.
Bühler's commitment to substantial investment in R&D
ensures that its advanced optical sorting technology of
the Bühler optical sorters produce excellent results in
removing even the most challenging coffee defects.
2 Coffee Optical Sorting
Sorting solutions
Bühler offers flexibility to coffee processors, for whom precision sorting will improve product quality and process
efficiencies, across a wide range of applications.
Key Benefits
� Setting exceptional standards of quality and safety
� Maximising the value and yield
� Consistent performance and stability
� Increased productivity and lower operational costs
� Multiple, configurative machine options
Colour sorting (Ordinary, Specialty, Sundried)
Optical sorting can remove colour defects providing a
cleaner product. Defects from Arabica coffee include
black, brown, vinegar, white, yellow, foxy bean (reddish)
and Broca. In Robusta coffee, light, black and greenish
defects, caused in the specialty process, are removed.
Foreign material sorting (Ordinary, Specialty, Sundried)
Optical sorting can remove FM which has been
missed, or not targeted by the mechanical cleaning
process, achieving optimum quality. Defects include
sticks, stones, glass, shell and others caused by the
fermentation process such as sour/vinegar beans.
Green Coffee
Yellow Immature
Arabica
Vinegar/Foxy Black Insect Damaged Light or Dark
Coffee Defects
Robusta

3. Coffee Optical Sorting 3
Colour sorting
Optical sorting can separate out under or over-roasted
beans, on the basis of colour. Targeting the under-
roasted beans (lighter or white), immature beans,
ensures a better taste and quality.
Foreign material sorting
Foreign material in roasted coffee can be the
same colour as the good product, especially
sticks, stones and glass. If undetected, it can
compromise the appearance of the final product
and can also damage mechanical equipment such
as grinders.
Roasted Coffee
Roasted
Under Roasted Over Roasted Stones Sticks Glass Shell
Foreign Material

4. Partner for solutions.
Increasing profitability.
4 Coffee Optical Sorting
Setting exceptional standards of product quality and
safety
� Bühler optical sorting solutions deliver high efficiency
in the removal of subtle colour defects, including
Broca (insect damaged), discoloured, immature,
under/over roasted beans, to achieve optimum roast
and ground quality
� Excellent results can be achieved in removing even
the most challenging defects such as sticks, stones,
metal, glass and other foreign material, to maximise
safety
Maximising the value and yield
� Precise optical sorting achieves uniform appearance
for a superior quality of yield
� A range of advanced custom-built technologies
ensure the selection of the highest quality of coffee
beans. These include LED and Broad Spectrum
Lighting, MultiVision/ColorVision, PROfile and InGaAs
(NIR/SWIR) technology
� Simultaneous resort option allows the recovery of
good product from the reject stream to maximise yield
Consistent performance and stability
� Consistent performance and reliable operation is
maintained by automatic tracking and calibration,
while automatic wiping helps maintain a clean optical
viewing area
� The optional Climate Control System offers maximum
stability, by maintaining a constant temperature in the
optical and control cabinets, in extremes of ambient
temperature
Increased productivity and lower operational costs
� Assisted by the Anyware remote connection, Bühler
engineers can respond quickly in support of SORTEX
sorters maximising up-time, further enhancing
productivity
� Lower power consumption and air requirements
reduce operational costs
Multiple, configurative machine options
� A range of products with modular design options are
available in up to 5 modules to suit processors with
capacity requirements ranging from 0.5-14 tons/hour
� The Graphical User Interface (GUI) enables fast
product changeovers and can store a wide range of
product modes

5. Safe Food.
Clean Food.

6. 6 Coffee Optical Sorting
Accept Reject
Green Coffee (colour sorting)
„„ Advanced MultiVision inspection system for subtle colour
detection and colour grading
„„ Offered with PROfile (shape) technology as a standard
feature to remove difficult-to-detect foreign material such as
sticks which are the same colour as the product
„„ A range of lighting options including LED, fluorescent and
Broad Spectrum lighting targeting a wide range of defects
for various types of green Arabica/Robusta and roasted
coffee
„„ State-of-the-art Enhanced InGaAs technology and lighting
maximises product safety targeting defects ranging from
NIR up to SWIR range
„„ Available in 3 to 5 modules offering the highest throughput
and flexibility in the sorting configuration
„„ Low voltage digital drive technology vibrators and enhanced
background for even feed and improved module to module
sorting consistency
„„ Climate Control System ensures a consistent performance
and stability for maximum up-time
„„ Improved dust management increase capacity and
reduces downtime by using self wiping windows and the
sealed optical boxes minimise maintenance even in dustier
environments
„„ CE marked with option to meet ATEX requirements
SORTEX A MultiVision.
Subtle colour detection and shape sorting.
Also available in visible monochromatic and ColorVision range
„„ MultiVision Inspection
„„ LED Lighting
„„ PROfile (shape)

7. Coffee Optical Sorting 7
SORTEX A MultiVision InGaAs.
Targeting sticks, stones and other foreign material.
All figures can vary in case of fragile handling and shape sorting applications.
Technical details
Typical Power consumption (kW)
Air requirements (200-240V; 50/60 Hz
72-102 psi (5-7 bar) single phase)
A3 25 l/sec@5 bar 3.2
A4 35 l/sec@5 bar 3.7
A5 45 l/sec@5 bar 4.0
Dimensions and weight
Weight Width Depth Height
(kg, lbs) (mm, in) (mm, in) (mm, in)
A3 850, 1874 2387, 94 1685, 66 2088, 82
A4 1000, 2205 2387, 94 1685, 66 2088, 82
A5 1150, 2535 2387, 94 1685, 66 2088, 82
Capacities (tonnes/hour)
Green Coffee Roasted Coffee
Per module 2 - 3 1 - 1.5
Compressed air consumption is approximate and varies depending on
throughput and input contamination level. Power consumption can vary
depending on machine configuration.
Weight can vary depending on machine configuration.
Accept Reject
Green Coffee (foreign material sort)
„„ MultiVision Inspection
„„ LED Lighting
„„ Enhanced InGaAs
„„ PROfile (shape)
„„ Broad Spectrum Lighting
„„ Climate Control

8. 8 Coffee Optical Sorting
SORTEX Z+.
Maximum flexibility for colour sorting.
Also available in visible monochromatic range
„„ Available in four sizes for monochromatic or bichromatic
ranges
„„ High resolution, visible monochromatic and bichromatic
cameras, combined with InGaAs technology, enable
efficient colour sorting and removal of challenging foreign
material
„„ PROfile technology enhances the detection of unwanted
objects using shape characteristics
„„ Climate Control System ensures a consistent
performance and stability
„„ Broad Spectrum Lighting enables viewing of a wide
range of defects
„„ Dust extraction system improves management of dusty
products
„„ Capable of performing different sorts simultaneously in
the same machine, including re-sort of the reject
„„ Reverse sorting capability for recovery of good product
Accept Reject
Roasted Coffee (colour sorting)

9. Coffee Optical Sorting 9
Capacities (tonnes/hour)
Green Coffee Roasted Coffee
Per module
SORTEX Z+R.
Targeting colour defects and foreign material.
Technical details
Typical Power consumption (kW)
Air requirements (200-240V; 50/60 Hz
72-102 psi (5-7 bar) single phase)
Z+1 8.6 l/sec 1.5 (2.2)*
Z+2 17.3 l/sec 2.5 (3.7)*
Z+3 26.0 l/sec 2.5 (3.7)*
Z+4 34.6 l/sec 3.0 (NA)
Dimensions and weight
Weight Width Depth Height
(kg, lbs) (mm, in) (mm, in) (mm, in)
Z+1 612,1349 850, 22.8 2198, 86.5 2031, 80.0
Z+2 800, 1764 1680, 66.14 2198, 86.5 2031, 80.0
Z+3 900, 1984 1680, 66.14 2198, 86.5 2031, 80.0
Z+4 1050, 2315 1980, 78.0 2198, 86.5 2031, 80.0
Compressed air consumption is approximate and varies depending on
throughput and input contamination level.
* For the SORTEX Z+R range
Climate Control System for the SORTEX Z+R range adds ~570mm to the width
and ~95kg
All figures can vary in case of fragile handling and shape sorting applications.
Capacities (tonnes/hour)
Green Coffee Roasted Coffee
Per module 2 - 3.5 1 - 1.5
Note: The SORTEX Z+R model is only available in three sizes
Accept Reject
Roasted Coffee (foreign material sort)

10. PROfile Technology
PROfile technology can intelligently detect and virtually
separate touching coffee beans, allowing for a higher
capacity shape sorting. Another added feature of the
PROfile technology is the capacity to use a combination
of multiple shape parameters to remove FM such as
same colour sticks and stones from both green and
roasted coffee.
LED Lighting
The SORTEX A MultiVision range offers a high intensity
solid state LED lighting system. Energy efficient and
durable, Bühler's LED system generates less thermal
heat but still produces more light, resulting in sorting
consistency over a longer period of time.
Visible Cameras
Bühler’s cameras are designed and built in-house to
meet customers' specific needs. High resolution optic
sensors deliver the colour registration needed to detect
the most subtle colour defects. When combined with
InGaAs technology these sensors allow SORTEX optical
sorters to detect many commonly found foreign materials
that compromise the appearance and cleanliness of the
end product.
InGaAs Technology
InGaAs (NIR - Near Infra-Red/SWIR - Short-Wave
Infra-Red) technology detects a wider range of
contaminants than previously possible and is particularly
effective in identifying the most challenging of coffee
defects. It provides much better separation of good
product from foreign material of the same colour, in
comparison with a visible camera.
Innovative technologies.
Removing discoloured coffee and foreign material.
PROfile technology removes same colour sticks
Visible camera frame capture InGaAs technology frame
capture
MultiVision and ColorVision cameras
10 Coffee Optical Sorting

11. Coffee Brochure 11
SORTEX Customer Care.
Secure tomorrow’s profits today.
Solutions and support to ensure that your optical
sorter is performing to maximum efficiency, delivering
maximum productivity and making a maximum return
on investment.
Bühler’s worldwide Customer Care organisation delivers
the highest quality local support by offering a variety of
services under SORTEX Total Care*.
* All contracts are available for different durations
SORTEX Total Care
SORTEX Total Care offers customers the opportunity
to create their own service package, composed of
individual service features, to best suit their needs.
Customers have the flexibility to create their most (cost)
effective programme - whether that covers just those
areas of prime concern, or a fully-comprehensive cover.
Comprehensive cover is suitable for customers who
require continuous operation of the optical sorter where
the processing line is of the utmost importance. This
way, customers can ensure that their investment is fully
protected.
Customers can tailor their individual package from the
following options.
• WearCare - Preventative Maintenance
A fixed number of visits per year. During the visit
an engineer will carry out checks, adjustments and
when necessary replace consumable or wear parts.
• RepairCare - Emergency Repair
In the unlikely event of the machine failing, an
engineer will visit and repair the optical sorter.
• EjectorCare - Ejector Service and Repair
When the ejectors reach their refurbish point an
engineer will visit to replace the ejectors with the
appropriate number of units for the whole machine.
• AnywareCare - Anyware Health Check
and Alerts
The Anyware system allows the performance of
optical sorters to be monitored remotely.
This diagnostic system facilitates a quicker
response to any issues that might emerge. It
automatically emails an alert message to the server,
if an optical sorter develops a fault, or begins to
operate outside normal working parameters.
An authorised engineer reviews the information
in the alert, and advises whether adjustment is
needed, or if the problem needs further attention.
SORTEX Spares Kits
For customers who require spare parts available on site, Büh-
ler’s technologists have created appropriate spares kits for the
different machinery available.
SORTEX Upgrade Kits
Customers seeking the latest technology available on their
optical sorter - whether software or extra functionality - benefit
from a range of upgrade kits available.

12. Buhler Sortex Ltd.
20 Atlantis Avenue
London E16 2BF
United Kingdom
T +44 (0)20 7055 7777
F +44 (0)20 7055 7700
www.buhlergroup.com/coffee-sorting
Buhler Sortex Inc.
2385 Arch-Airport Road, Suite 300
Stockton, CA 95206
USA
T 209 983 8400
F 209 983 4800
sortexsales@buhlergroup.com