Optical Sorting: Efficient, Smart, and Cost-Effective!

Due to its advantages in efficiency, sorting quality, and cost savings, optical sorting of seed potatoes is growing in popularity among farmers and packaging companies. Growers’ excitement has only grown because of cutting-edge technologies like Tolsma-Grisnich’s Optica CS and Q.
These devices enable organizations to improve significantly by combining cutting-edge image technology with intuitive software.
Using optical sorting, farmers may drastically cut labor and maintenance expenses. The Optica Q has virtually eliminated the requirement for outside labor to sort potatoes. One person may now oversee the entire sorting process in places where businesses traditionally used outside workers on the sorting belt.
“Previously I needed several people at the belt, but thanks to the Optica Q, that’s a thing of the past: External workers for sorting are no longer necessary. On an annual basis, we sort about 5.000 tons of potatoes, and the investment in optical sorting machines has made this process not only more efficient but also cheaper,” Antoine Eising, a farmer in Lelystad, the Netherlands, confirmed the change.
Two distinct machines are used for size sorting and quality sorting. The Optica Q reads for quality, and the Optica CS is an electronic size sorter. Because size sorting and quality sorting don’t usually happen at the same time during the season, this division is helpful. In this manner, if a batch needs to be rechecked, it is not necessarily necessary to pass through both machines. The great sorting capacity and precise optical reading of an Optica Q can also be combined with other devices, such as a conventional shaking sorting machine.
Improved Reading Quality
Another major advantage of optical sorting is the high and consistent reading quality. The Optica Q uses advanced imaging techniques and AI models to analyze pixel-level potatoes. Each potato is photographed from five different angles, allowing defects such as Rhizoctonia, scab, damage, and clumps to be detected.
“The machine recognizes various defects and sorts the potatoes into three categories: clumps, feed, and good product. This allows us to guarantee a consistent product quality. This approach ensures that there is almost no work left in the reading room. “One person still checks the sorting work afterward, and that’s enough. We can now provide constant sorting work throughout the day,” Eising emphasized the importance of this accuracy.
The system’s adaptability is a further advantage. It is simple to modify the settings to meet the unique needs of various batches or types. For instance, Optica Q’s setup assistance, a special tool, offers information on the previous 2,000 images of unusual potatoes. This enables users to rapidly and independently change the sensitivity of the system. Photos taken on your farm can be used to teach the system in instances when it needs to learn. Deep learning is the term for this process, which gradually increases the machine’s intelligence.
Labor Savings
One of the most immediate benefits of optical sorting is the enormous labor savings. Traditional sorting techniques often require several people to perform both the sorting and the reading tasks. With the Optica Q, one person is sufficient to monitor the sorting work.
“Finding good staff is becoming increasingly difficult, especially in the winter. Thanks to the Optica Q, sorting is now less labor-intensive,” Eising also mentioned.
The Optica Q can save up to three people in the reading room. Even when a batch of 28/35 with many clumps needs to be read, it can sort this at a capacity of up to ten tons per hour.
Conclusion
Optical sorting of seed potatoes offers significant benefits in terms of cost savings, quality improvement, and labor savings. Innovative systems like the Optica CS and Q use advanced technologies that not only increase efficiency but also guarantee uniform product quality.
For farmers sorting large quantities of potatoes, this is a valuable investment.
“If you’re sorting enough tons, optical sorting is the future. It increases your capacity, and you need fewer people,” Eising concluded.
Although the initial investment can be significant, the benefits far outweigh the costs. Companies save not only on labor but also on time and energy.