Farmers Review Africa Nov-Dec 2018 Farmers Review November-December 2018-6 | Page 24

FEATURE
©PETKUS GROUP
The synchronisation of the optical system as well as the design of the optical boxes and the ejection play an essential role when it comes to clear recognition of defects
(source: PETKUS Group).
were done in the ROEBER optical
test centre with impressively high
results. Inter alia, a client conducted
comparative tests with the OS f-class
and the client’s existing machine.
The results were analysed by the
client himself. Tested species had
a diameter of around 0.5 mm. The
proportion of defects in the accept
fraction was reduced by a factor
two by simultaneously doubling the
throughput related to sorting area.
Compared to what is possible with
existing machines in that area of
application “the precision is very
exciting”, concluded the trial team
around Vieth.
In the OS f-class, seeds are
transported from the feeder along
a stainless steel chute down to a
specially designed profile belt system
to be scanned at the end and ejected
nearly immediately behind the
inspection line. The belt aligns the
seeds to the ejector nozzles to ensure
precise positioning. Custom designed
22 |November - December 2018
by ROEBER, the OS f-class has got a
new ejector-nozzle technology with an
incredibly narrow pitch. support and by using built-in LAN, the
sorter has the capability of true remote
control due to real image analysis.
“You could put the nozzle block in
your pocket”, says Vieth. Because of
the special feeding system, the seeds
can be round and tumbling or leafy
or arbitrarily shaped. In addition, the
density of the product can be high
or very low. This makes the sorting
system applicable to an enormous
range of products and defects. “An important point is that we really
can give effective remote support and
help with product set-up because
we can see the real pictures of the
client’s product on the screen. Sorters
that don’t have the real imaging
have limited possibilities for remote
support”, says Vieth.
A high resolution full color camera
system based on latest high-tech
components detects tiny differences
to ensure purest seed lots. The
product is not only scanned by a high
resolution camera but also embedded
into an innovative light and optics
combination. The high contrast allows
to distinguish tiny differences.
Details of the small seeds are easy to
see and can be easily evaluated on the
large 19” touchscreen. Over internet
The complete TeachNSort software
can also be installed on customer’s
office PC. It has the advantage of just
taking the images of good seeds and if
necessary also bad objects at the OS
f-class or OS 901. The data are easily
exported to a USB stick and imported
at the office PC. Then the user can
perform the teach-in while enjoying a
cup of coffee and while the OS f-class
or OS 901 is working in production.
This makes the whole teach-in process
more comfortable and more efficient.