Platforms

The considerations that determine the ideal platform for a specific application
include the nature of the product � large or small, wet or dry, fragile or
unbreakable, round or easy to stabilize � and the user's objectives. In general,
products smaller than a grain of rice and as large as whole potatoes can be sorted.
Throughputs range from less than 2 metric tons of product per hour on low-capacity
sorters to more than 35 metric tons of product per hour on high-capacity sorters.
Channel sorters

The simplest optical sorters are channel sorters, a type of color sorter that can
be effective for products that are small, hard and dry with a consistent size and
shape such as rice and seeds. For these products, channel sorters offer an
affordable solution and ease of use with a small footprint. Channel sorters feature
monochromatic or color cameras and remove defects and foreign material based only
on differences in color.

For products that are soft or wet or non-homogenous, which cannot be handled by a
channel sorter, and for processors that want more control over the quality of their
product, freefall sorters (also called waterfall or gravity-fed sorters), chute-fed
sorters or belt sorters are ideal. These more sophisticated sorters often feature
advanced cameras and/or lasers that, when complemented by capable software
intelligence, detect objects' size, shape, color, structural properties and
chemical composition.