KPM Analytics - SiftAI® Multi-Lane Potato Sorting, Sizing, & Grading System

The SiftAI® Multi-Lane Potato Sorting, Sizing, & Grading System by KPM Analytics is an advanced AI-powered solution designed to optimize potato processing. It automates the sorting, sizing, and grading of potatoes across multiple lanes, enhancing throughput and accuracy. 

Key features include real-time data analysis, high accuracy in defect detection, and scalability to fit various processing needs. This system improves efficiency, ensures consistent quality, and reduces labor costs, making it ideal for large-scale potato processing operations.

How it works

The SiftAI® system works by leveraging advanced optical technology and AI to automate the sorting and grading of potatoes. The system captures detailed images of each potato, processes these images using AI to detect defects and categorize the potatoes, and then sorts them accordingly. The entire process is monitored in real-time, allowing for continuous adjustments and improvements. This technology results in highly efficient, accurate, and consistent potato processing.

Automated Optical Inspection & Sorting

Regardless of the product, SiftAI® can provide tools to inspect and sort it. Capturing reliable information on quality, foreign material, size, texture, color or whatever else is needed, can be automated. Control systems can use this information to make decisions on how to handle the product. While many competitors look to uniformity, KPM prides itself on the ability to handle the organic variation in the natural world.

SiftAI® for Potatoes

The SiftAI® system, coupled with existing carriers, reliably scans potatoes for defects while assessing size and grade. The state-of-the art hardware and AI software allows the shed operator to specify what percentage of each defect is acceptable. When defects are identified, SiftAI ejects them with precision. This system also gathers accurate size and grade estimates, sending potatoes into the designated drop.

Common Potato Defects Detected by SiftAI®

The SiftAI® system is designed to detect a wide range of common defects in potatoes to ensure that only high-quality produce progresses through the processing line. Some of the key defects it can identify include:

• Blemishes and Scarring: Surface imperfections like scabs, scars, or blemishes that may affect the appearance of the potato. 
• Rot and Decay: Areas of the potato that are affected by rot or decay, which can compromise the quality and safety of the produce. 
• Mechanical Damage: Bruises, cuts, or other physical damage that might occur during harvesting or handling. 
• Green Spots: Areas of the potato that have turned green due to exposure to light, indicating the presence of solanine, which can be toxic. 
• Sprouting: The presence of sprouts on the potato, which can indicate aging and a decline in quality. 
• Deformities: Misshapen or irregularly formed potatoes that do not meet standard size or shape criteria.

Features

• Automated sorting and grading 
• Unrivalled precision & accuracy 
• Advanced technology accommodates natural variations 
• Based on AI and Machine Learning technology 
• Best model performance - regular model updating 
• Outstanding data accessibility 
• Small footprint 
• Highly versatile and customizable 
• User friendly interface 
• Web-based management tools

Benefits

• Improved throughput times & waste reduction allow for maximized yield 
• Grade consistency through technology 
• Decreased labor costs and time constraints 
• Full operator visibility Improved efficiencies and best practices 
• Handles products with mass variation while accommodating products with natural variations with industry-leading precision 
• SiftAI’s software is updated frequently by a team of engineers to ensure the highest standard of accuracy is being maintained 
• The system provides continually-updated data about the products that are evaluated by SiftAI's cameras (such as foreign objects logs, defect logs, throughput metrics, and size distributions) 
• The SiftAI® technology is small and is easily installed above your existing conveyor or rejection system

Applications

• Sorting, Grading, and Sizing for Potatoes

The SiftAI® system, coupled with existing carriers, reliably scans potatoes for defects while assessing size and grade. Our state-of-the art hardware and AI software allows the shed operator to specify what percentage of each defect is acceptable. When defects are identified, SiftAI ejects them with precision. This system also gathers accurate size and grade estimates, sending potatoes into the designated drop. SiftAI is faster and more reliable than human inspection and other sorting systems while being a fraction of the cost.

• Grading and Foreign Object Detection for Potatoes

A roller table carries potatoes beneath the SiftAI® vision system, giving the cameras a 360 view of each potato. When the system finds any defects or foreign objects, SiftAI quickly and precisely removes them from the product stream using our custom rejection equipment, minimizing good product waste. Our custom rejection equipment is capable of separating the rejects into different streams: defective potatoes from FM.

This modern system efficiently handles large quantities of potatoes, boosting your facility’s productivity. It establishes a new industry benchmark for accuracy and quality by efficiently detecting and removing defects and foreign materials.