“How can you sort nuts with maximum precision and minimal waste?” If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the years, it’s that nut sorting requires a tailored approach; and it comes with its fair share of challenges. Fortunately, technology never stands still. Today’s advanced sorting systems empower producers to boost efficiency, maximize yield, and significantly reduce food waste. And that’s not just good for business — it’s good for the planet too. In this article, we introduce you to 5 cutting-edge technologies that will help you sort nuts more accurately than ever before. Ready for a smarter approach? Let’s dive in.

Which optical nut sorter is best suited for your challenges?

For those who need to sort large quantities of nuts on a daily basis, our Ventus laser sorter often represents the preferred choice. Thanks to its unique design, it excels at handling the specific challenges associated with processing various types of nuts, including almonds, pistachios, and hazelnuts. Let’s explore some of the standout features of this all-round optical nut sorter:

1. High capacity: the Ventus stands out as the widest laser sorter in its category, boasting a width of up to 1800 mm (71 in). This makes it possible to handle a large volume of nuts with just a single machine.
2. Superior resolution: the laser beams standardly integrated into a Ventus ensure an exceptionally high resolution of just 0.3 mm (0.012 in), the highest of any laser sorter on the market. This allows for the detection of even the smallest impurities.
3. Double-sided inspection: the free-fall mechanism allows the nuts to be inspected from both sides, giving you an instant, complete overview of your entire product.
4. Flexibility: Due to its clever design and user interface, a single Ventus machine can handle sorting numerous types of nuts – like cashews, walnuts, almonds, and pistachios. The machine easily adjusts to the desired sorting criteria, perfectly suited to your nut variety.
5. Precision ejection system: the ejection system with air pressure valves removes defects with exceptional precision, outperforming competitors and ensuring even better elimination of impurities.

The laser technology of our Ventus is capable of many things… but not everything. Thankfully, the Novus belt sorter can fill in those gaps. This optical nut sorter mainly relies on camera technology, making it ideal for sorting based on the shape and color of your nuts. This is especially useful for sorting walnuts or almonds. Only those with an intact shape or the desired color are sorted out.

Five smart innovations for superior nut sorting

The camera and laser technology in our optical nut sorters is continually being refined to achieve even greater precision and effectiveness. In recent years, this has led to several groundbreaking innovations. Read on to discover how you can benefit from these advancements..

1. Topological Data Analysis (TDA)

Conventional optical nut sorters can analyze a maximum of 3 laser signals at once. Thanks to the technology called “TDA”, we can bring this analysis a step further by using up to 6 laser signals at the same time. This provides a highly detailed representation of each object with submillimeter resolution (in 6D rather than 3D). Combining more data allows for better identification of specific defects and a more complete overview of the sorted batch. TDA uses Topological Data Analysis, a technique based on the mathematical study of shapes and patterns.

Thanks to TDA, the contrasts in your product are displayed much more accurately, making it easier for the sorting machine to detect defects. By enhancing contrast, TDA can identify even the smallest irregularities and helps minimize the rejection of good products. The result? Less waste, greater efficiency, and increased profitability.

Where traditional systems fall short, TDA steps in with unmatched precision. Webbing and pinholes in almonds? Twigs and sticks hiding among pistachios? TDA sees what others miss. And when it comes to walnuts? That’s where TDA turns good into exceptional. Detection of butterballs rises from 75% to 85%—a leap forward that truly makes a difference.

2. AflaSort

AflaSort uses laser technology to identify traces of harmful aflatoxin in batches of nuts. Using Deep Blue laser light, aflatoxin residues will fluoresce in various colors. Products free from aflatoxin contamination remain undetected by AflaSort.

Due to the high sensitivity of our laser technology, AflaSort can detect even the tiniest amounts of aflatoxin residue. By identifying and removing fluorescent nuts, AflaSort drastically reduces the amount of aflatoxin in your sorted batch. This results in higher quality and a safer product for consumption.

3. H-TEC hyperspectral imaging

The technology behind H-TEC advances beyond TDA and AflaSort, fully harnessing the power of hyperspectral imaging. H-TEC uses light across the full range of wavelengths, from the visible (VIS) to the near-infrared (NIR) (350-1700 nm). In total, H-TEC examines up to 16 wavelengths – providing incredibly detailed imaging that essentially turns your product inside out. Thanks to its unique technology, H-TEC has a resolution that is up to 25% higher than most other players in the market. In contrast to ‘regular’ RGB imaging, which show only color, shape, and size, hyperspectral imaging offers detailed insights into the deeper composition and characteristics of objects.

Each material absorbs and reflects light differently, creating a unique spectral signature or ‘fingerprint.’ With this technology, you can accurately identify and differentiate products, even objects that appear similar to the naked eye, such as almonds and their shells. Thanks to the power of H-TEC, you can greatly enhance your sorting performance.

4. Defect Return System (DRS)

The principle behind a Defect Return System (DRS) is simple: you run your nuts through the sorting process more than once, possibly several times. Why does this matter? Real-world experience shows there’s always a risk that a good product was mistakenly rejected, for example, because its scan was obstructed by another product.

By sending the rejected products (or some of them) back to the start of the sorting belt, the sorting process can be repeated. This technology allows for a significant reduction in false rejections, thus preventing waste. DRS is a solution often applied to pecans and walnuts.

5. S-TEC bottom-view cameras

To conclude our series of innovations, we focus on S-TEC. This technology focuses on the use of cameras and is therefore only applicable to the Novus belt sorter from Optimum Sorting. When sorting nuts by color or shape, camera sorting has proven to be the most effective. The nuts placed on a sorting belt can be inspected from all sides… except the bottom, as the camera’s view cannot reach throughout the belt. Optimum Sorting has naturally come up with a solution to tackle this final challenge: the S-TEC module.

S-TEC consists of an additional camera, placed in such a way so it can allow the sorting software to inspect the bottom side of nuts. The ‘S’ refers to ‘sixth side’, as S-TEC allows inspection of all six sides of a cube. These include the five visible sides from the top and the sixth side from the bottom. The S-TEC technology has already proven to be very useful in sorting almonds, walnuts, and cashews, among others.

Which defects can our optical nut sorters detect?

Thanks to these technological innovations, our optical nut sorters can now identify the widest possible range of defects. This makes sure that only the finest products will end up in the hands of your end customers.

What’s our machine’s processing capacity?

In this comparison, we have considered the capacity of a 1200 mm (47 in) wide Ventus with a standard configuration.

Interested in a free demo?

Get in touch with the sales team of Optimum Sorting and have your nuts tested at one of our demo centers around the globe.
Experience firsthand the benefits our machines can bring to your business!