Food processors are addressing the issue of foreign objects and inaccurate quality grading which affects their operations. Various methods have been employed to tackle these challenges, including X-ray detection, metal detection, and vision inspection systems, alongside the deployment of extensive human inspector teams. Despite these efforts, the desired outcomes have often remained out of reach. A new development in this area is the introduction of an AI-based vision inspection system by Smart Vision Works, a brand under KPM Analytics. This system is aimed at providing a solution to the aforementioned problems faced by food processors.
The SiftAI® Smart Table is trained with artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically detect and remove foreign objects and sort products in a single pass. The new vision inspection system employs advanced AI technology, enhancing accuracy in product inspection and foreign material removal, facilitating higher throughput levels. Beta users have observed an increase in produce profit, a reduction in missed contaminants, and a significant decrease in labor costs. The system is equipped with cameras, AI software, a conveyor, and automatic ejection mechanisms featuring dual drops for separating foreign material and culls, aiming to ensure that only potatoes meeting quality standards proceed to later stages of processing.
Improve profitability
The SiftAI Smart Table vision inspection system is offered at a competitive price point. It allows company managers to reallocate inspection workers to tasks requiring higher skill levels. Given the sharp increase in wages in recent years, the ability to move workers from low-skill activities is seen as advantageous. In addition, the system helps processors avoid customer fines for contaminants. For some processors, these fines may cost $50,000 per incident and total hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. Because of the speed of the advanced AI technology, conveyor speeds can be increased, giving operators more throughput per shift.
The system offers precise grading of produce by evaluating conditions such as bruises, rot, and greenness. Christopher Bryant, President of the Smart Vision Works AI Division within KPM Analytics, stated, "we estimate that up to 20% of potatoes are typically diverted to the wrong value stream, reducing profitability and causing customer satisfaction issues." An improvement in sorting accuracy means that less produce is misdirected to less profitable channels, allowing higher quality produce to be sold at higher prices.
All potato growers and processors will benefit
The AI-driven system addresses specific business and operational challenges potato processors face each day.
- Chip potatoes: Avoid penalties (charge backs) by immediately eliminating foreign materials from the process stream.
- Process potatoes: Also eliminate foreign materials while reliably sorting potatoes based on size, defect presence, and more.
- Fresh pack potatoes: Pre-sort to reduce potato volume through the facility, minimize foreign material risk, and deliver only the best potatoes to customers.
Advanced AI technology
The enhancements in the system's performance are attributed to its advanced AI technology, which diverges from the basic AI utilized in other vision inspection systems. This AI is the result of 12 years of development by AI scientists, coupled with a decade of experience in food sorting applications. Contrary to competitors that rely on optical scanners, this system captures a complete digital image and processes it through a neural network, providing users with comprehensive data for analysis.
Availability
The SiftAI Smart Table system is available for order now with a 14-16-week lead time. Contact the factory for lead times on custom configurations having more tilt trays or other features.
For more information:
Andy Dambeck
KPM Analytics
Tel: 774-399-0477
Email: [email protected]
www.kpmanalytics.com