Optical MOG Sorting for the Wine Industry

Our sorters remove MOG (Material Other than Grapes)—stems, jacks, shot berry and other types of foreign material including RAISINS.  Automated MOG sorting with WECO's optical sorting system will result in a higher through-put and reduced labor.

Better Quality and Higher Throughput

WECO's Wine Grape Sorter uses the latest ChromaxHD optical sorting technology and advanced algorithms to efficiently remove under- and over-ripe fruit and foreign material (MOG). This offers vastly improved quality with increased throughput at a fraction of the price of alternative methods. Our system is also designed to be easy to understand and operate, employing intuitive controls and a touch-screen interface refined over the last thirty years.

Automation through the WECO's Wine Grape Sorter can provide tremendous gains in productivity and labor efficiency.

 For more information click here! 

Come visit us at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium

January 26-28, 2016

Sacramento Convention Center

Booth #340

WECO's Optical Wine Grape Sorter uses the latest in optical sorting technology and advanced algorithms to efficiently remove under-ripe and foreign material (MOG) greatly reducing over sorting of good grapes.  Our system is also designed to be easy to understand and operate, employing intuitive controls and a touch-screen interface refined over the last 30 years.  The WECO sorter requires no active water cleaning and is very easy to santitize, requiring only 15 minutes or less.  Call Eric Horner for more information. (425) 802-3313

Sorting and Automation Solutions has donated a state-of-the-art optical wine grape sorter worth $71,500 to the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis.

After stems are removed from grapes, the sorter removes all material other than grapes (MOG). It uses advanced cameras, LEDs (light-emitting diodes) and software technology to identify remaining stems, insects, unripe, damaged fruit and raisins. Unwanted items are removed with precise blasts of air, increasing quality and throughput while reducing labor costs.

“We are so pleased to be in a position to donate our WineGrapeTek Optical MOG Sorter,” said Eric Horner, vice president of WECO (Woodside Electronics Corp.)  “We think the opportunity for students to be exposed to this technology during their education will provide a great understanding of the benefits.”

Students working with latest technology

When asked how having a WECO Optical Wine Grape Sorter was beneficial to his students, Charles ‘Chik’ Brenneman, Winemaker at UC Davis’s Department of Viticulture and Enology said, “The students benefit by being exposed to technologies that are being introduced in the wine industry. They gain practical experience in how to set up all the process equipment that surrounds the sorting unit and understand the mechanics of the process flow.  From a fruit quality standpoint, they learn the impact of removing bad fruit from the process stream as we ferment sorted, non-sorted and rejected fruit.  Because we are a teaching facility, the students actually get to taste the wines made from the rejected fruit.”

WECO started doing trials of the optical sorter in the wine industry in 2010 and has made a number of changes to the design and function. In 2014, the company introduced a new camera system that improved performance dramatically.

“We design our machines from the ground up, including the circuit boards and our own custom software, and all machines are built in Woodland, Calif.,” said Don Douglas, president of WECO. “We have been able to leverage our extensive experience in other industries to provide a machine to the wine industry that is compact, easy to use and easy to clean. We are excited about the opportunity to serve the wine industry.”

Sorting experiments benefit the wine industry

Winemaker Chik believes that how sorting experiments benefit the wine industry is the million 

dollar question. “Many wineries make excellent wines with fruit that is not sorted.  As a result there are believers and non-believers in sorting. But one thing is for sure, that for the believers in sorting, an automated sorting machine can work faster and more efficiently than a group on the sorting table.  We are currently using the WECO sorter to experimentally quantify the differences between sorted and non-sorted fruit.”

WECO's Wine Grape Sorter uses the latest ChromaxHD optical sorting technology and advanced algorithms to efficiently remove under- and over-ripe fruit and foreign material (MOG). This offers vastly improved quality with increased throughput at a fraction of the price of alternative methods. Our system is also designed to be easy to understand and operate, employing intuitive controls and a touch-screen interface refined over the last thirty years. Automation through the WECO's Wine Grape Sorter can provide tremendous gains in productivity and labor efficiency.

Lab space vs classroom work vs wine making facility

The campus at UC Davis offers three state of the art academic buildings, a LEED Platinum Teaching and Research Winery, a thirteen acre teaching vineyard and several off campus attributes such as an Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Napa and several other vineyards for student use.

When asked what his students are doing on a daily basis Chik commented, “We are a teaching and research facility.  Our students engage in classroom studies and are then able to work in the winery performing all tasks related to grape processing and wine.  With respect to research, we employ precision winemaking techniques in order to control for variables.  We are currently doing research projects on grapevine disease effects on finished wines, grape sorting (WECO), vineyard canopy light penetration and its effect on wine, and a multi-vineyard site with Pinot noir grapes.”

Based in California, WECO has been designing, manufacturing and servicing electronic sorters for over 30 years and has thousands of units deployed worldwide. The company serves several industries including tomato, walnut, blueberry, cranberry and wine grape. Learn more at www.wecotek.com.

Learn more about UC Davis wine-related research, education and industry partnerships at wineserver.ucdavis.edu

Contacts: 

Eric Horner, WECO Sorting and Automation Solutions, 425-802-3313, eric@wecotek.com

Join us this Thursday, December 1, 2016 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in booth #705 to learn more about our optical MOG sorter. Meet with President Don Douglas and Vice President Eric Horner for video demonstrations and to answer all of your MOG sorting needs. Read below for more information about the WIN Expo.

WIN Expo

The 5th Annual North Coast Wine Industry Expo has quickly become an integral event for the North Coast wine industry bringing Sonoma, Napa, Lake & Mendocino Counties together for an all-inclusive Trade Show & Conference experience. WIN Expo continues to draw the highest caliber exhibitors and over 3300 attendees making it the second largest wine industry trade show in North America. The event is held in two adjacent buildings, the Hall of Flowers and Grace Pavilion at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, CA on Thursday, December 1, 2016.

WIN Expo will feature seven educational conference sessions focusing on efficiencies in wine production, vineyard operations, financial forecasting, marketing technology, and government legislation. Industry experts will discuss current trends & issues facing the North Coast industry and how to better prepare for 2017.

Join 300 of the industry’s best suppliers and service professionals exhibiting their most current, innovative new products and services along with 3000+ attendees from across the country.

Don't have a ticket?

Today is the last day to to receive a free trade floor show pass on us! Click the link below to get your ticket.

winexpo.eventbrite.com/?discount=WEC705

Better Quality and Higher Throughput

WECO's Wine Grape Sorter uses the latest ChromaxHD optical sorting technology and advanced algorithms to efficiently remove under- and over-ripe fruit and foreign material (MOG). This offers vastly improved quality with increased throughput at a fraction of the price of alternative methods. Our system is also designed to be easy to understand and operate, employing intuitive controls and a touch-screen interface refined over the last thirty years.

Automation through the WECO's Wine Grape Sorter can provide tremendous gains in productivity and labor efficiency.

Optical MOG Sorting for the Wine Industry

Our sorters remove MOG (Material Other than Grapes)—stems, jacks, shot berry and other types of foreign material including RAISINS.  Automated MOG sorting with WECO's optical sorting system will result in a higher through-put and reduced labor.

Click here for more information. 

Better Quality and Higher Throughput

WECO's Wine Grape Sorter uses the latest ChromaxHD optical sorting technology and advanced algorithms to efficiently remove under- and over-ripe fruit and foreign material (MOG). This offers vastly improved quality with increased throughput at a fraction of the price of alternative methods. Our system is also designed to be easy to understand and operate, employing intuitive controls and a touch-screen interface refined over the last thirty years.

Automation through the WECO's Wine Grape Sorter can provide tremendous gains in productivity and labor efficiency.

Optical MOG Sorting for the Wine Industry

Our sorters remove MOG (Material Other than Grapes)—stems, jacks, shot berry and other types of foreign material including RAISINS.  Automated MOG sorting with WECO's optical sorting system will result in a higher through-put and reduced labor.

Click here for more information. 

The Woodside Electronics Corp (WECO) of Woodland, CA who for the last 35 years has manufactured agricultural optical sorting systems, is pleased to announce their continued expansion into the wine grape sorting arena.  

Woodside has focused on this segment of the market since 2010 and through extensive engineering and field work, has this year doubled the size of its WineGrapeTek fleet of optical sorters.  

Says Bryan Chambers, Director of Wine Grape Operations for WECO, “We’re very fortunate to have a fantastic team here at WECO and even more fortunate to have partnered with some very high profile customers in the wine making industry”.  

Chambers further credits the unmatched, on-site technical support that WECO provides its partners in the field. This support combined with a very flexible sorter rental option and an American made machine, make WECO’s WineGrapeTek an unbeatable sorter in the wine making industry.

Click here for more information. 

Watch interviews/testimonies from current customers using our WECO Wine Grapetek Sorter in Napa Valley, CA. 

"The biggest benefit of using the WECO Sorter has been flexibility. In the past we've used hand sorting..." says Jason Keever of Keever Vineyards. 

Watch the video to hear more advantages of using the WECO Optimal Sorter!

Click here to get more information about WECO!

WECO’s Wine Grape Sorter uses the latest ChromaxHD optical sorting technology and advanced algorithms to efficiently remove under- and over-ripe fruit and foreign material (MOG). This offers vastly improved quality with increased throughput at a fraction of the price of alternative methods. The system is also designed to be easy to understand and operate, employing intuitive controls and a touch-screen interface refined over the last thirty years.

Automation through the WECO’s Wine Grape Sorter can provide tremendous gains in productivity and labor efficiency.

Come see us at the North Coast Wine Industry Expo.

WECO The Science of Optical Sorting
WIN Expo Booth: 320

Use our promo code (WEC320) for free acess to the trade show floor. Register here.

WECO’s Wine Grape Sorter uses the latest ChromaxHD optical sorting technology and advanced algorithms to efficiently remove under- and over-ripe fruit and foreign material (MOG). This offers vastly improved quality with increased throughput at a fraction of the price of alternative methods.

Our system is also designed to be easy to understand and operate, employing intuitive controls and a touch-screen interface refined over the last thirty years. Automation through the WECO’s Wine Grape Sorter can provide tremendous gains in productivity and labor efficiency.

Come see us at Unified Wine & Grape Symposium at Booth 515!

Weco‘s manager of wine grape operations, Bryan Chambers, is helping customers get ready for the upcoming harvest, ensuring that new customer machines will be placed ahead of harvest as well as current machines receiving pre-season maintenance. WECO’s fleet of optical sorters is continuing to grow this harvest, in spite of the current pandemic. Current customers are reporting that things are starting to open up for them, as well as being allowed to open tasting rooms. One of WECO‘s new customers as of last season, Aperture Cellars, will be opening their new tasting room for the first time in July 2020 and will have tastings by reservation.

Aperture Cellars

Why WECO sorter? Quintessa shares their experience.

Contact Bryan Chambers to get your hands on one of our sorters! 

Visit WECO at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium Booth P2272. WECO’s Wine Grape Sorter uses the latest ChromaxHD optical sorting technology and advanced algorithms to efficiently remove under- and over-ripe fruit and foreign material (MOG). This offers vastly improved quality with increased throughput at a fraction of the price of alternative methods. Our system is also designed to be easy to understand and operate, employing intuitive controls and a touch-screen interface refined over the last thirty years.

Automation through the WECO’s Wine Grape Sorter can provide tremendous gains in productivity and labor efficiency.

WECO The Science of Optical Sorting
UWGS Booth: P2272

WECO (Woodside Electronics Corporation), based in California, has been designing, manufacturing, and servicing electronic sorters for over thirty years and has thousands of units deployed worldwide. WECO serves several industries: tomato sorting on the harvester; the walnut industry; and several small fruits including, blueberries, cranberries and wine grapes.

Duravant’s Food Sorting and Handling Group, including operating companies Key Technology, PPM Technologies and WECO, will showcase their world-class equipment at Pack Expo Las Vegas booth W-1044. Delivering high-performance optical sorters, conveyors and other processing solutions, Duravant helps customers maximize food safety and ensure product quality while increasing yield, reducing labor and improving operational efficiencies.

“Food growers, processors and packers are navigating significant hurdles right now, from workforce shortages to market uncertainty. With companies making very targeted investments, we're focused on providing technology that offers immediate value by automating manual tasks, minimizing training, simplifying sanitation and boosting overall productivity,” said Jack Lee, Duravant Group President – Food Sorting and Handling. “Our group’s comprehensive equipment portfolio and decades of experience enable us to deliver the ideal integrated systems for each customer's unique goals and application, backed by our best-in-class global service team.”

At Pack Expo Las Vegas, Key Technology is introducing their new COMPASS® belt-fed optical sorter, designed for wet, sticky and delicate products such as potato chips. With a strong return on investment, the belt-fed COMPASS achieves exceptional foreign material and defect removal while setting new standards for ease of use with simplified controls, sanitation and maintenance. Recipe-driven operation mimics smartphone app navigation, allowing workers without technical skills to learn to operate COMPASS in under 30 minutes.

New COMPASS belt-fed optical sorter from Key Technology 

Key will also present their reversible Zephyr™ horizontal-motion conveyor. Achieving higher capacities than other horizontal-motion conveyors on the market, Zephyr’s unique motion profile gently slides product without segregation or stratification to protect product quality and reduce noise. With the ability to flow in either direction, the reversible Zephyr maximizes line versatility while improving sanitation and minimizing maintenance.

WECO will showcase several processing systems from their modular Sortivator line for fresh-pack blueberries. The BerryTek color sorter combines gentle handling with sanitary design, while the Impulse2 sorter uses 50 dynamic sensors to detect soft, overripe and damaged berries. WECO's blower system for removing debris features adjustable product flow control and ultra-quiet operation, and the compact 360Tek sorter leverages SpinSort™ technology to inspect every berry with a 360-degree view. Together, these solutions deliver fast, gentle and effective blueberry sorting and cleaning.

Sortivator line for fresh-pack blueberries from WECO 

PPM Technologies will exhibit their FlavorWright All-in-One™ seasoning system, which integrates liquid and dry seasoning into a single standalone unit. Combining a vibratory in-feed conveyor, applicators and a removable drum with integrated liquid storage, pumping and filtration, FlavorWright All-in-One achieves consistent, versatile seasoning in a small footprint. A user-friendly touchscreen interface enables precise control of component flow rates and recipe management, making it simple to operate and adapt to production needs.

Also featured at the show will be PPM’s compact Mini VF electromagnetic vibratory motion conveyor. Powered by a universal low-frequency drive and PPM’s patented feedback sensor, the Mini VF delivers precise control of production flow rates. Ideal for a variety of products including snack foods, cereals, confectionaries and vegetables, this versatile and cost-efficient conveyor improves sanitation, reduces maintenance and maximizes reliability over long life cycles.

About Duravant

Headquartered in Downers Grove, IL, Duravant is a global automation solutions and engineered equipment company with manufacturing, sales and service facilities throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Through their portfolio of operating companies, Duravant delivers trusted end-to-end process solutions for customers and partners through engineering and integration expertise, project management and operational excellence. With worldwide sales distribution and service networks, they provide immediate and lifetime aftermarket support to all the markets they serve in the protein processing, food sorting and handling, packaging and material handling sectors. Duravant’s market-leading brands are synonymous with innovation, durability and reliability. For more information, visit www.duravant.com.

As the wine industry continues to evolve, efficiency and precision during harvest are crucial to maintaining the highest quality in every bottle. At WECO, along with our sister company Key Technology, we understand these challenges and have been providing innovative crush pad solutions that help wineries achieve excellence—from harvest to tank.

Join us today and tomorrow at the Portola Hotel in Monterey for more insight!

We’re excited to be part of Central California’s premier wine and viticulture symposium and trade show! Stop by our booth to see the Wine Grape Tek Sorter on display and learn from our experts about how WECO’s optical sorting system can deliver higher throughput and lower labor costs for your harvest.
Don’t settle for less—trust WECO to take your harvest to the next level!