The Color Sorting Machine is invented for Farmers and Grains Processors

Around 1930, the idea of a machine able to sort by color was introduced in the US. By 1937, the first color sorting machine was made in England. The first color sorting machine was introduced to Japan in 1966 and the usage of these machines has since spread worldwide. Put simply, color sorting machines can detect and remove materials based on colors and visual elements not previously possible with conventional sorting machines.

Discolored or damaged rice and foreign substances could now be sorted out by these machines, thus the product quality significantly improved.  Recently, due to traceability issues, farmers themselves have started to purchase rice color sorting machine due to the demand of consumers who prefer to purchase directly from farmers.

NIR Sensors Used with Identification Algorithms for Completing Tasks of Plastic Sorting Methods

Near-Infrared (NIR) sensor technology coupled with highly sensitive algorithms are likely the most efficient and consistent plastic sorting technologies due to their high sorting accuracy in separating desired plastics from mixed waste, as well as sorting plastics by color and resin types. Identification algorithms then rapidly categorize the different “signatures” of polymers from their infrared spectra.

While other sensor based sorting technologies, such as x-ray, laser, and light emitting device (LED), are capable of distinguishing between colors and densities, NIR with identification algorithms is likely to be the most consistent, accurate, and time-efficient of the various sensor based sorting options in terms of sorting plastics. Lasers and LED have the ability to detect color differences but cannot determine the different resin types of plastics. X-ray technology can decipher plastics from non-plastics but it cannot distinguish different colors and resin types, therefore lessening its overall efficiency in effective plastic sorting. NIR sensors used with identification algorithms are able to consistently complete all necessary tasks in the sorting of plastics.