Optical systems, known better as colour sorters, using visible and non-visible wave lengths and once considered as almost ‘exotic’ equipment, have rapidly advanced to become a mainstream means for separating and grading many industrial and food products including, importantly, cereal grains.

1. Digital Re-print - November | December 2011
Optical sorting
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2. FEATURE
R-Biopharm Rhône Ltd.
R-Biopharm – an integrated
MADE IN HOLLAND approach to quality
mycotoxin analysis
Optical sorting Immunoaffinity Columns
AFLAPREP®
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FUMONIPREP®
DONPREP®
AFLAOCHRA PREP® DZT MS-PREP®
OCHRAPREP® EASI-EXTRACT® T-2 & HT-2
Optical sorting has come of age
Enzyme Immunoassays
and should be considered as a RIDA
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RIDASCREEN®FAST Citrinin RIDASCREEN®FAST Fumonisin
modern wheat cleaning plant RIDASCREEN®FAST Zearalenon
 AD System High capacity extruders Lateral Flow Tests
by Vanessa Emberson, Satake Europe, and expanders. RIDA®Q
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O
ptical systems, known better as seeds and even tomatoes and other non-free grain and seed sorter that matches each R-Biopharm Rhône Ltd.
Block 10 Todd Campus
colour sorters, using visible and flowing materials. Satake now have design individuals requirements to remove all discol- West of Scotland Science Park
non-visible wave lengths and once and testing centres in Japan, the United oured contaminants. This affordable sorter Almex b.v., Verlengde Ooyerhoekseweg 29, 7207 BJ Zutphen, The Netherlands Acre Road, Glasgow, Scotland. G20 0XA
www.r-biopharm.com
considered as almost ‘exotic’ equipment, States and Great Britain from which they will help you produce the cleanest possible Tel. +31 (0)575 572666, fax +31 (0)575 572727, e-mail info@almex.nl, www.almex.nl info@r-biopharmrhone.com
have rapidly advanced to become a offer their new sorting technology. product in a compact, small footprint, with
mainstream means for separating and In this report we will look at the area of high capacities & using high speed digital sig-
grading many industrial and food products most interest to our readers for which the nal processing technology and with capacities
including, importantly, cereal grains. new AlphaScan has been developed, while up to 35TPH these machines are suitable for
recognising that other sectors such as nuts, farms, mills and grain stores alike.
The low cost, reliability and speed of pulses, coffee beans and industrial applica- Maize (corn) can suffer from fungal infes-
on
it u s 7
modern components, as in so many con- tions provided the impetus for its develop- tation, particularly as a result of damp har-
sumer and industrial goods, has transformed ment. vest conditions. The affected kernels can
Vi s 12
and B
the design and building of optical processing be detected by optical means, and as a
equipment. Consideration can now be given
to include optical sorting machines in cereal
In the Cereal sectors:
Rice as a white and polished finished
result sorting equipment using high-speed bi-
chromatic sensors has been found to reduce
St
cleaning plants, whereas they were formerly product should have a pure and lustrous aflotoxin and fumonisin levels in yellow and
deemed too sophisticated, unreliable and of appearance which is easily marred if even white maize. Maize destined for breakfast
low capacity for such applications. small imperfections are visible to the con- corn flakes benefits from monitoring at the VIGAN manufactures bulk materials handling equipment: Latest references
In this feature the origins and products sumer. For such applications, machines are finished ‘grit’ stage to reject particles that DEKHEILA PORT
of one of the leading suppliers, Satake, are available which have very sensitive charge would produce discoloured flakes, mar- • Mobile pneumatic conveyors or vacuvators. in Egypt (Africa silos) :
outlined to show how the technology has coupled device (CCD) sensors to detect, ring the appearance of a wholesome food • Pneumatic continuous barge unloaders and mechanical barge loaders. 2 mobile machines
been developed and applied more widely for with greater discrimination, these small product. Seed corn is monitored by mono- • Mechanical and pneumatic continuous ship unloaders for vessels up to with conveyors
its cereal milling and other customers. imperfections to substantially reduce good chromatic sensors which also detect and post-Panamax. 2 x 250 tons/hour
Satake produced their first sorters in kernels in the rejects. remove broken kernels and thus improve
• Mechanical loaders for any size of ships.
Japan in 1979 during a period when a limit The RMGS type sorter which was germination levels.
on pesticide use imposed by the govern- designed specifically for such high quality rice Durum wheat used for production of as well as complete storage systems in ports and the agricultural industries. HAUTRAGE
ment had caused an increase in weed applications is equipped with CCD sensors high quality pasta or cous cous needs to be in Belgium :
1 pneumatic tower
contamination of harvested rice and greater with a resolution of 0.14mm and 2048 pixels free of discoloured kernels and black seeds From project design to complete turnkey bulk handling solutions 300 tons/hour
discolouration of kernels due to insect activ- and can be also fitted with near infra-red which would spoil the appearance and lower and port terminals with mechanical and/or pneumatic
ity. After the successful application of opti- (NIR) sensors to detect pieces of glass, stone the actual or perceived quality of the finished reliable and cost effective equipment.
cal sorting technology to or other inert contaminants not even visible products. Since durum is of higher value than
the domestic Japanese rice to the human eye. common wheats, colour sorting became
market, and having identi- Rye is often susceptible to ergot, a fungal well established in durum cleaning plants. PORT SUDAN
fied its potential for wider infestation that could constitute a health However due to the low capacity and high 1 ship unloader
exploitation, they acquired hazard. capital and supervision costs of early gen- 600 tons/hour
the leading US supplier, ESM International A sensor operating in the visible light eration equipment, the sorters were usually
Inc of Houston, Texas during 1992. ESM, spectrum is effective for detecting ergot used for small scale recovery of good broken An affiliate company of VAN DE WIELE group.
Established in 1931, were well known in that can then be ejected for safe disposal. kernels from the rejected seed stream. Now
North America and Europe for their versatile Satake have over 300 AlphaScan machines it is practical to use sorters for more general VIGAN Engineering s.a. • Rue de l’Industrie, 16 • B-1400 Nivelles (Belgium)
range of sorting equipment, not only for in Germany and Scandinavia operating on rejection of both discoloureds and seeds Phone : +32 67 89 50 41 • Fax : +32 67 89 50 60 • Web : www.vigan.com • E-mail : info@vigan.com
rice but also for grading nuts, beans, sesame this application. The AlphaScan is a dedicated from the main grain stream.
Ann A5 1111.indd 1 10/11/11 14:04:43
22 | november - december 2011 Grain &feed millinG technoloGy Grain &feed millinG technoloGy november - december 2011 | 23

3. FEATURE
for milling applications. In this application it
Brief history can form the core of the primary cleaning
stage when it would follow directly after
1931: ESM (Electric Sorting Machines) 1992: Satake Corporation, soon after the Milling Separator and its Aspirator and
began business in Lowell, Michigan where the purchase of the Robinson and Simon often replace a series of conventional con-
the first machines were designed to sort milling business acquire ESM, and with centrating and seed separating machines
the Michigan navy bean. (known else- their combined know-how began devel- prior to the first temper stage. It can be set
where as baked beans). opment of further sorter equipment for to remove black seeds and other foreign
this and other sectors. The ScanMaster grains, ergot, black tip, fusarium as well as
1951: new rice sorting equipment had was launched with its high-resolution
been developed and the company was burnt and other discoloured grains. Huge
cameras (CCD) followed in 1994 by savings in space, energy, and air exhaust
purchased by Mandrell Industries Inc
the Infra-red version, offering the only systems are possible.
and moved to Houston to be near the
true bichromatic and IR machine on the Alternatively, or additionally, it can form a
flourishing rice growing and processing
market. very effective cleaner after the temper stages
region.
2000s: the establishment of the Vision prior to first break where the flow rate of
1959: Ampex Corporation purchased Systems division of Satake USA Inc., saw the wheat stream is often steadier and a
Mandrell allowing ESM to share develop- little lower in capacity. Optical sorters with
the introduction of touch screen controls,
ment facilities with the Petty Company, a appropriate sensors can also be considered
increased light intensity and contrast.
sister organisation. Soon after this ESM to replace conventional ‘air hungry’ dry
introduced bichromatic sorting for raw ltra violet versions were also introduced
U de-stoners for removal of stones, glass and
coffee beans and peanuts. for sorting almonds and coffee beans. other mineral impurities.
1973: Geosource was formed from 2004: The AlphaScan was launched
ESM and a number of oil related busi- to bring a low cost, high capacity, digital Control
nesses. Rapid advances in optics and sorting option to the cereals sector for Most current sorters benefit from the
digital electronics were adopted for the use by farmers, grain elevators and flour use of reliable and robust solid-state digital
new sorter designs. mills. control technology. Touch screens, stored
‘preset’ programs and diagnostics all assist
1984: ODISTA created as a holding 2008: The AlphaScan II was launched the operation of the equipment.
company with Geosource operating in
2010: The Evolution RGB machine
the oil sector and ESM independently in
range was launched.
Maintenance
colour sorting. Careful attention to the design hoppers,
chutes and enclosures minimises build up
of dust and consequent need for cleaning.
Wheat of bread making types is now also ability to see true colour, precisely sort a Wipers keep the optical systems clean.
being subjected to more stringent clean- wide range of products, even those with Pneumatic ejector valves are robust and
ing procedures. This is particularly true of small shade differences. have lives of well over one billion cycles. The
wheats of organic origin, or destined for fluorescent and halogen light sources have a
whole grain products where the subsequent Operation typical life exceeding 3,000 hours the new
milling process does not act to scalp off Most manufacturers produce optical sort- LED light sources last for many years.
residual impurities. Organic cereals have ers that operate on similar principles, the
often been found to be prone to contamina- differences essentially being in the detailed Food purity
tion by seeds of an undergrown crop. design and applications. The retailer and his consumer public are
The granular material to be sorted, in our acutely aware of contamination scares and
Optical Sorters for cereal case cereal grain, is fed by gravity and spread the need for purity during and after process-
cleaning across multiple channels so that individual ing of food products and ingredients. The
Optical (colour) sorters of the new gen- kernels follow each other in rapid succes- application of leading edge technology to
eration are intrinsically suited to playing a sion down a series of parallel channels. The monitor and maintain the expected levels
major role in the cleaning of most cereal optical sensors are arranged to ‘look’ at each of purity is reassuring. Processors using such
grains. They are compact, robust, consume and every kernel. Once a defect has been equipment demonstrate a commitment to
very little energy and do not need elaborate detected, a subsequently placed compressed quality and are thereby also better protected
ancillary exhaust systems. They are suitable air ejector opens for as little as 0.5 millisec- against liability claims.
for a versatile role for not only removing for- onds at an input pressure of 3 bar (45psi) to
eign seeds and discoloured kernels but they remove the substandard particle and blow it Conclusion
can be considered for removing of stones, to the reject outlet. Optical sorting has come of age and
glass and other inert contaminants. Sorting machines can be configured to should be considered as a serious option
The latest range from Satake also now make an initial coarse separation at very high for inclusion in any modern wheat clean-
includes a full colour machine (RGB) capacities and then re-treat the rejects to ing plant. Satake has introduced the
which is a revolution in optical sorting. give an overall separation with an optimum AlphaScan as an easy to use and eco-
Both the human eye and the Evolution discrimination. nomical machine especially to meet the
detect colour through three wavelengths Optical sensors are positioned such that need for removal of foreign seeds and
(Red, Green Blue), allowing the sorter the product is inspected on both sides of its discoloured kernels from wheat, and it
to match the human eye’s ability to trajectory in order to detect any defects on has been well received for this purpose.
see true colour. This full colour sorting either side of the kernel. It has benefited from the technologies of
machine uses 16 million colours, high their ‘family’ of other sorter types which
resolution cameras long lasting LED Applications for wheat cleaning includes the well known ScanMaster and
lighting to detect and remove defects. The AlphaScan can be used in a mod- RMGS products designed for sorting UNORMAK DEG. MAK. IML. SAN. ve TIC. LTD. Sti
UNORMAK DEG. MAK. IML. SAN. ve TIC. LTD. Sti
The smallest colour deviations are identi- ern wheat cleaning plant is a new seeds, nuts, beans, industrial products Konya Organize Sanayi Bölgesi 7. Sokak No: 5/1
Konya Organize Sanayi Bölgesi 7. Sokak No: 5/1
fied and rejected. The Evolution has the generation of sorter developed especially and, of course, rice. Konya // TÜRKIYE
Konya TÜRKIYE
Tel: +90 332 2391016
Tel: +90 332 2391016
Fax: +90 332 2391348
Fax: +90 332 2391348
e-mail: unormak@unormak.com.tr
e-mail: unormak@unormak.com.tr
24 | november - december 2011 Grain feed millinG technoloGy WEB: www.unormak.com.tr
WEB: www.unormak.com.tr

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Optical sorting has come of
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