Scotts Precision Manufacturing Ltd has launched the next generation of its Evolution Separator stone and clod remover.

The Lincolnshire vegetable handling equipment manufacturer has added programmable memory roller settings, self-cleaning and gentle salad rollers to the latest version of its market-leading vegetable, alliums and fruit cleaner.

By having the ability to store and then remotely adjust the spacing of the spiral and clod rollers to saved positions will enable users to quickly and easily set up the Evolution Separator to suit either the conditions or the crop being handled.

Making changes to the Evolution’s configuration was possible before the upgrade but required manual adjustments. Now, modifications can be made via push buttons or an optional HMI system, which is simpler and quicker than before. The enhancements will also deskill the process and reduce the machine’s downtime.

A second improvement sees the introduction of self-cleaning. When activated, the Evolution’s spiral rollers spin at high speed to throw off any attached dirt.

Finally, Scotts has also developed rollers specifically for salad crops. The new salad rollers feature softer and wider spaced ribs which handle the produce in a more gentle manner.

“We have listened to our customers and introduced the features that have been most frequently requested,” says Derek Scott, managing director of Scotts Precision Manufacturing. “The Evolution Separator is designed to make the cleaning of a wide range of produce as easy and quick as possible. By introducing programmable settings for the rollers and self-cleaning we’ve made operating and looking after the Evolution even easier.

“We’ve also increased the Evolution’s versatility by developing new rollers which are incredibly gentle making them perfect for salad crops.”

Introduced by Scotts in 2005 the Evolution gently separates clod, stones, haulm and loose soil from a wide range of vegetables, fruit and alliums, including potatoes, gourmet potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions and bell peppers amongst others.

At the heart of the Evolution is the patented roller design. The two contract rotating rollers work together to gently move the produce across the table. The movement of the rollers loosens the dirt, which is worked into a valley, where, if soft enough, the debris is crushed and ejected down below the separator.

Over 500 Evolution Separators have been sold around the world. As well as featuring in the majority of grading lines offered by leading grading line manufacturers, the Evolution Table is also available directly from Scotts.

Established in 1994, Scotts Precision Manufacturing specialises in the design and manufacturing of highly efficient vegetable handling equipment. Its products, such as the Evolution Separator, often feature in full handling line solutions supplied by leading manufacturers but can also be retrofitted by farmers looking to upgrade.