serena wang
@serena-wang
@serena-wang
Fruit and Vegetable Sorting Machines
With the increasing consumption of fresh produce, consumers are increasingly demanding the appearance, taste, and safety of fruits and vegetables. For growers and processors, the ability to quickly and accurately grade harvested fruits and vegetables by size, color, and defects directly impacts product premiums and market competitiveness. Traditional manual sorting is not only inefficient (less than one ton per person per day) but also difficult to ensure consistent standards. Fruit and vegetable sorting machines, leveraging automation and intelligent recognition, are key equipment to address this pain point, ensuring that every fruit and vegetable reaches market in optimal condition.
The core of the fruit and vegetable sorting machine is the synergy between multi-dimensional inspection and automated sorting, simulating the judgment logic of manual sorting and achieving industrial scale-up. Its technical core is embodied in three major systems:
1. Visual Recognition System: Equipped with 3-5 sets of high-definition industrial cameras (with a resolution of up to 20 megapixels) and multispectral sensors, it captures surface color variations (e.g., redness in apples, yellowness in tangerines), defects (spots, wormholes, mechanical damage), and shape contours of fruits and vegetables. Using AI algorithms, it compares against preset standards (e.g., export-grade tangerines must be free of spots larger than 3mm in diameter), achieving recognition accuracy of 0.1mm, far exceeding the 0.5mm error of the human eye.
2. Weight and Dimension Inspection System: During transport, a dynamic weighing sensor (with an accuracy of ±1g) and a laser diameter gauge work synchronously to rapidly record individual fruit weight, diameter, length, and other data. Taking potatoes as an example, they can be sorted by weight, such as 50-100g and 100-150g, or by diameter, such as 3-5cm and 5-7cm, to meet the packaging needs of different distribution channels.
3. Pneumatic Sorting System: Based on the pre-processing inspection results, the PLC control system triggers high-speed pneumatic pushers (response time <0.1 second) at the corresponding positions, pushing the fruits and vegetables into different grading channels. The pusher force is adjustable (5N for soft fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, 8N for hard fruits and vegetables like potatoes) to avoid damaging the peel.
II. Standardized Process: Fully Automated Control from Intake to Grading
A complete fruit and vegetable sorting machine consists of four core steps, requiring no human intervention:
1. Buffered Intake: Harvested fruits and vegetables are conveyed via an elevator to a vibrating screen. Vibration removes surface dirt and impurities, while simultaneously separating stacked fruits into single layers to prevent obstruction during subsequent inspection.
2. Multi-Dimensional Inspection: Fruits and vegetables travel along a conveyor belt through a visual inspection zone, a weight inspection zone, and a size inspection zone. Over 10 indicators are analyzed within 300 milliseconds to generate a grading result.
3. Intelligent Sorting: Based on pre-set grading standards, pneumatic pushers precisely push fruits and vegetables into the corresponding discharge channel. Defective fruit is automatically diverted to a waste area, reducing manual removal costs.
4. Graded Output: Fruits and vegetables of different grades fall into corresponding collection bins or conveyor lines, which can be directly connected to packaging equipment for integrated sorting and packaging.
III. Four core advantages improve both sorting efficiency and quality.
1. 10-fold increase in efficiency, 70% reduction in labor costs. Manual sorting processes 200-300 kg per person per hour, while a single fruit sorting machine can process 2-5 tons/hour (multiple machines can be linked together to increase the capacity to 10 tons/hour).
2. 99% grading accuracy, 15% reduction in waste. Through standardized testing, the error in fruit and vegetable grading has been reduced from ±15% for manual sorting to ±1%. For example, when sorting citrus, it can accurately distinguish between "special grade" and "first grade" (slightly spotted) fruit, preventing high-quality fruit from being mistakenly classified as inferior.
3. Compatible with over 200 fruits and vegetables, flexible to meet diverse needs. By changing detection parameters and adjusting the push rod force, it can sort over 200 fruits and vegetables, including apples, citrus, potatoes, tomatoes, and mangoes. When switching varieties, simply call up the corresponding program on the touchscreen, and debugging is completed in 5 minutes, meeting the needs of sorting small batches and multiple varieties.
4. Food-grade design, meeting global safety standards. Components that come into contact with fruits and vegetables are made of 304 stainless steel and food-grade silicone. The conveyor belt has a gap of less than 0.5mm to prevent fruit from getting stuck. It supports CIP cleaning in place and complies with standards.
IV. Scenario-Specific Configuration: A Full-Lifecycle Solution from Farm to Factory
Small Farms: 1-2 ton/hour fruit beverage production line ，need sorting machine (occupies 15 square meters), supports 2-3 grading standards, and manual loading. Suitable for farmers with a daily processing capacity of less than 10 tons, with a return on investment of approximately 8 months.
Medium-Sized Processing Enterprises: 3-5 ton/hour standard fruit juice production line , equipped with automatic feeding, five-stage sorting, and automatic waste collection. It can be integrated with washing and waxing machines, processing 30-50 tons per day, meeting the needs of regional fresh produce distribution centers.
Large Export Enterprises: 8-10 ton/hour customized beverage production line , integrated with AI deep learning modules (capable of autonomously optimizing sorting standards), a data traceability system, and integrated cold chain logistics, with an annual processing capacity exceeding 10,000 tons, meeting the stringent requirements of export-grade fruits and vegetables.
Precise grading not only ensures uniform appearance but also maximizes the value of each fruit and vegetable. Premium fruit commands a 30% premium in high-end supermarkets, processed fruit is directly supplied to juice plants to minimize losses, and substandard fruit is promptly diverted to reduce waste. Contact us now to receive a personalized sorting plan.