Laser technology in automatic classifi cation systems. A horticultural industry application

Abstract

Automatic classifi cation systems represent a signifi cant

advance in the handling of products, likely to avoid many

of the diffi culties, troublesomes and costs of current

industrial procedures. Horticultural industry requires

automatic systems to guarantee an exhaustive all-units

product classifi cation, due to an increasingly-higher

consumer-demanded quality level, which exceeds usual

sampling control achievements.

Computer vision, ultrasonic techniques and visible and

near infrared spectroscopy are becoming the most

widespread among non-destructive techniques used for

quality control in the food industry. Laser illumination

as a source with its characteristics of bright, coherent,

directional and monochromatic, overcomes many

conventional spectroscopy disadvantages, allowing new

measurement confi gurations. Correlations between

detected radiation that has passed through the sample

and its internal and external properties result in new

procedures which allow prediction without damage.

This article summarizes the followed steps which resulted

in a pilot line execution for automatic handling of fruits

and vegetables at industrial level, where laser illumination

and mathematical models arising from research were

combined allowing individual piece classifi cation, at

usual conveyor rates, according to their internal and

external properties. Prototype results on tomatoes allow

technology transference.