Optical grading: 'It's the best way to grade potatoes'

The Smart Grader is an optical grader that uses advanced camera technology. It sorts by size, shape, and visible characteristics like cracks, green areas, bumps, and scab and wireworm damage.

Wouter Blok, Product Engineer of Gejo Grading Services:
 

"It's the best way to grade potatoes and onions."

  Camera technology with consistent precision

The Smart Grader EVO is built modularly with two or four sorting belts, allowing for an eight or 12 grading-belt setup. Most machines are delivered with eight outputs.

Wouter Blok:
 

"Users can use Ellipse software to specify the exact desired grading sizes and quality classes. For seed potatoes, size accuracy is vital. You can only sell the main size as seed potatoes; the larger and smaller ones go directly to consumption."

Wouter Blok:
 

"Very accurate size grading is thus immediately profitable. Another important feature is accurate quality grading. Visibly defective products are easily recognized and separated."

"That saves considerable labor and ensures improved sorting quality continuity. After all, the machine doesn't get tired; it's always sharp. So you get a better end product."

According to him, the machine product's friendliness and cold-sorting ability are other advantages.

Wouter Blok:
 

"Products are usually warmed up first. So, this saves energy. Several Smart Graders are already running at large seed potato growers in the Netherlands, Denmark, Scotland, and France. In Germany, arable farmers who sell ware potatoes and onions locally use the machines too."

"They use them every day to sort, pack, and deliver. And in Switzerland, we have a customer who grades sweet potatoes with it."

  Rapid, precise sampling

A few years ago, the Smart Grader gained a younger brother: the READER. This compact, mobile reading unit analyzes and records samples.

It measures length and diameter, calculates square measure, volume and weight, and counts the number of potatoes or onions.

This device needs only 20 seconds to sample ten kilograms. The final report appears directly on your smartphone or laptop.
  It can be delivered with the batch to the buyer too.

Wouter Blok:
 

"Seed potato growers can take this compact machine to their field for trial harvests. The samples then don't have to leave the field, which prevents contamination."

"Trading houses and research facilities often use the READER to check batches."