Newtec has installed a newly designed optical grader for carrots at Huntapac's site in Tarleton.
Newtec has spent the last three years developing the methodology of the Newtec potato optical graders and has made significant changes to the process to allow the innovation to be used for carrots.
The vibrating in-feed system channels the product onto the vibrating rollers. Once on the vibrating rollers, the product is transported to the camera section, where the camera takes 35 separate pictures of the product, providing a full surface inspection.
The optical grader then processes the photographic imagery and, dependent on the thresholds set, will match the product to the specific grading standard and deliver the product into any one of the 13 grading outlets.
Warren Hunter, managing director of Huntapac Produce Ltd, said: “We have been assessing the optical grading market for a number of years. We have seen optical graders which have graded a significant amount of good product into the waste streams and have therefore purposely waited for the launch of the Newtec Optical grader.”
Ian Weatherstone, general manager of Newtec UK, said: “The amount of photographic imagery processed by the optical grader makes this machine the most accurate optical sorter for carrots on the market.”
The Newtec optical grader is capable of grading by diameter, length, a combination of quality defects and shape - these defect filters are adaptable and can be created to any customer specifications and can also be developed for any new grading requirements should a customer require them.
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