A Simple Upgrade Increases Blue Diamond Throughput
As the world's largest almond processor, Blue Diamond Growers has been leading the industry for more than 100 years. Producing snack almonds, almondmilk products, nut-based crackers and almond flour for retailers and food processors worldwide, this grower-owned cooperative built its reputation on quality, consistency and continuous improvement.
In 2023, Blue Diamond upgraded the main production line at its Salida, Calif., facility with the latest technology, increasing throughput by 35% while enhancing grading precision and minimizing product breakage. “This is one of Blue Diamond’s most important lines, processing a significant amount of our almonds,” says Adrian Bradshaw, senior site engineering manager at Blue Diamond Growers.
“Part of the old line had reached the end of its useful life, and we wanted more capacity and less mechanical damage to the product. After thoroughly evaluating several suppliers and their solutions, we decided to work with Key Technology because their equipment offered the best combination of performance, reliability and hygienic design, backed by great support.”
This production line is the Salida facility’s first sorting and grading step for almonds received from growers’ hulling and shelling operations. It removes foreign material like twigs and stones, and then grades the product by size.
First, three Key Technology Zephyr horizontal-motion conveyors feed almonds into several previously installed chute-fed optical sorters, creating an even distribution of product for optimal inspection.
“Optical sorters only perform as well as they're fed,” explains Bradshaw. “Almonds must be appropriately spaced by an infeed conveyor so the sorter’s cameras can clearly view each object in the product stream. Zephyr delivers that consistent presentation while its horizontal motion moves the almonds gently to reduce mechanical damage.”
After optical sorting, the almonds are transferred to 12 Key Technology Iso-Flo graders in a split-grade configuration. The graders separate product into multiple-size streams, ultimately producing eight final size grades at the end of the line. Key Technology Zephyr conveyors transfer product between the graders throughout the process.
“Almonds are sold by size—measured as count per ounce—so grading accuracy is essential for producing a consistent product that meets customer expectations,” Bradshaw explains. “At the same time, the new line’s gentle handling protects each almond’s integrity and reduces chipping, which means less product downgrade and more overall value.”
Blue Diamond changes over this line a few times each month to run different almond varieties and quality grades, while also accommodating the natural product differences that come with each harvest. “We needed a system flexible enough to handle large and small varieties across different seasons,” says Bradshaw. “Our last line was much more labor intensive to change over, and the screens were so heavy and hard to handle. Now, it’s an easy two-minute job and far more ergonomic.”
At the Salida facility, hygienic design and reliability go hand in hand to keep production running 24/7 during harvest season. As a dry-clean operation, dust control and equipment access are critical. The Key equipment features fully-welded stainless-steel construction, sloped self-draining surfaces and open, easy-to-clean frames. “In some areas we’ve cut cleaning time by half, which means more uptime,” says Bradshaw.
Blue Diamond worked with Key during design and installation to optimize product flow and minimize handling. The graders are mounted about 10 ft. (3 meters) above the floor, allowing gravity to move almonds from one stage to the next rather than relying on mechanical transfer equipment, which can introduce product damage.
“We installed the graders higher than is typical, so design considerations like structural supports and stability were important,” says Bradshaw. “Our close collaboration with Key’s team helped us achieve the smooth flow and gentle handling we needed.
“With two full seasons behind us, we’ve seen strong results across every major metric on the new line including capacity, grading precision, uptime and product integrity. That success has given us the confidence to add another grading system from Key Technology at our Turlock facility,” concludes Bradshaw. “Every improvement we make to our processes and technology strengthens our ability to deliver consistent quality and value for our growers, customers and consumers.”
For more information on Key Technology vibratory conveyors and other products, go to www.key.net.