Colour sorter machine: how it works, types and makers
A colour sorter machine sends product past cameras and blows out the pieces of the wrong colour with air ejectors. Its size is counted in chutes (each 63 or 64 channels wide) for grain machines, or belt width for belt sorters; a 1-chute machine handles about 0.5–1.5 t/hr of rice or dal, and big mills run 7 to 13 chutes.
Many mills use the name SORTEX for any colour sorter; SORTEX is in fact Bühler's brand. What the name means.
Chute colour sorters
| Model | Capacity | Maker | What it checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMD DT Series Tea Sorter (DT5C6) | 2 outputs (rotation and return) | AMD (Anhui Zhongke Optic-electronic Color Sorter Machinery Co., Ltd) | colour and shape of tea leaf |
| AMD Jumbo 13 Chutes Rice Color Sorter | 13 chutes | AMD (Anhui Zhongke Optic-electronic Color Sorter Machinery Co., Ltd) | rice colour sorting |
| AMD LQ Four-view Cashew Colour Sorter | Not stated | AMD (Anhui Zhongke Optic-electronic Color Sorter Machinery Co., Ltd) | four-view 360-degree detection; optional deep learning |
| AMD RC12-E | 6–12 t/hr | AMD (Anhui Zhongke Optic-electronic Color Sorter Machinery Co., Ltd) | visible-light colour sorting; 3-lens structure; accuracy 99.9% or better |
| AMD RC2-E | 1–2.5 t/hr | AMD (Anhui Zhongke Optic-electronic Color Sorter Machinery Co., Ltd) | visible-light colour sorting; 3-lens structure; accuracy 99.9% or better |
| AMD RC5-E | 3–5 t/hr | AMD (Anhui Zhongke Optic-electronic Color Sorter Machinery Co., Ltd) | visible-light colour sorting; 3-lens structure; accuracy 99.9% or better |
| AMD RG-E Classic Rice Color Sorter | Not stated | AMD (Anhui Zhongke Optic-electronic Color Sorter Machinery Co., Ltd) | visible-light sorting; removes yellow and chalky rice |
| SC12 PRO | 13–42 t/hr | ANYSORT (Anhui Jiexun Optoelectronic Technology) | Largest chute-type AI rice quality sorter in the SC PRO series. ANYSORT gives 13-42 t/h. |
| SC2 PRO | 2–7 t/hr | ANYSORT (Anhui Jiexun Optoelectronic Technology) | Chute-type AI rice quality sorter for paddy and brown rice separation and for yellow, chalky and broken rice. ANYSORT gives 2-7 t/h. |
| SORTEX A (A1 to A5) | 40 t/hr | Bühler Group | Chute sorter range for grains, pulses, seeds, coffee and nuts, in five sizes, rated up to IP5X and ATEX compliant. Bühler gives up to 40 t/h. |
| SORTEX F PolarVision (FA1, FA2) | 20 t/hr | Bühler Group | Free-fall chute sorter for frozen and IQF fruit and vegetables, including frozen french fries, with PolarCam and InGaAs cameras. Bühler gives throughputs of up to 20 t/h. |
| SORTEX F BioVision (FB1, FB2) | 12 t/hr | Bühler Group | Chute sorter for nuts and dried fruit that detects defects as small as 2 mm. Bühler gives throughputs of up to 12 tonnes an hour. |
| SORTEX J SpectraVision (J1 to J7) | up to 7 modules (J1 to J7) | Bühler Group | Chute sorter for grains and seeds with full-colour RGB and InGaAs cameras, built with one to seven modules. |
| COMPASS C120 | Not stated | Key Technology | Chute-fed optical sorter with a 1200 mm inspection width, for IQF fruit and vegetables, nuts, dried fruit, confectionery and pet food. |
| COMPASS C60 | Not stated | Key Technology | Chute-fed optical sorter with a 600 mm inspection width, for IQF fruit and vegetables, nuts, dried fruit, confectionery and pet food. |
| MEYER CG Food 120CG.A (6SXZ-120CG2) | Not stated | Meyer (Hefei Meyer Optoelectronic Technology Inc) | 50,000 scans per second; AI defect classes down to 1-2 pixels; multispectral (visible, IR, UV, X-ray options); maglev ejectors over 1200 Hz |
| MEYER CG Food 780CG.A (6SXZ-780CG2) | Not stated | Meyer (Hefei Meyer Optoelectronic Technology Inc) | 50,000 scans per second; AI defect classes down to 1-2 pixels; multispectral (visible, IR, UV, X-ray options); maglev ejectors over 1200 Hz |
| MEYER M2 Compact (MSXC-120M) | Not stated | Meyer (Hefei Meyer Optoelectronic Technology Inc) | 50,000 scans per second; AI; multispectral options; maglev 3.0 ejectors |
| PIKASEN FMS2000-F | 1.8 t/hr | Satake Corporation | Compact chute sorter with a 240 mm chute and two full-colour cameras for coffee, corn, sesame, beans and chickpeas. Satake gives up to 4,000 lbs an hour. |
| Taiho 6SXM-1080V+Pro | Not stated | Taiho (Hefei Taiho Intelligent Technology Group Co., Ltd) | multispectral, four-view CMOS imaging; Pro uses hundreds of colour/shape algorithms |
| Taiho 6SXM-630V+IR | Not stated | Taiho (Hefei Taiho Intelligent Technology Group Co., Ltd) | multispectral, four-view CMOS imaging; Pro uses hundreds of colour/shape algorithms; infrared |
| Taiho 6SXM-630V+Pro | Not stated | Taiho (Hefei Taiho Intelligent Technology Group Co., Ltd) | multispectral, four-view CMOS imaging; Pro uses hundreds of colour/shape algorithms |
| Taiho 6SXZ-1080V+Pro | Not stated | Taiho (Hefei Taiho Intelligent Technology Group Co., Ltd) | 350 million pixel imaging |
| TOMRA 5C | Not stated | TOMRA Food | Free-fall chute sorter that scans product with lasers, cameras or both and rejects with a burst of air, for nuts, dried fruit and frozen vegetables. Built in 800 and 1200 sizes. |
| TOMRA Blizzard | Not stated | TOMRA Food | Free-fall pulsed-LED camera sorter for frozen fruit and vegetables after the IQF tunnel, rejecting with a burst of air. Built in 640 and 1200 sizes. |
Belt sorters
| Model | Capacity | Maker | What it checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMD LM Slow-speed Belt AI Sorter | Not stated | AMD (Anhui Zhongke Optic-electronic Color Sorter Machinery Co., Ltd) | shape, colour, texture; UHD and deep learning |
| A422C16D-256SV6 | Not stated | Hefei Angelon Electronics Co., Ltd. | Chilli colour sorting machine for dry and fresh whole chillies and chilli flakes, with 16 cameras and 256 nozzles. |
| T422C16D-512SV6 | Not stated | Hefei Angelon Electronics Co., Ltd. | Automatic chilli colour sorting machine with 16 cameras and 512 nozzles. |
| T622C24D-768SV6 | Not stated | Hefei Angelon Electronics Co., Ltd. | Automatic chilli colour sorting machine with 24 cameras and 768 nozzles. |
| MK384 | 2–10 t/hr | ANYSORT (Anhui Jiexun Optoelectronic Technology) | Largest belt-type AI quality sorter in the MK series, for the same nuts, beans, frozen and dried produce, french fries and seafood. ANYSORT gives 2.0-10 t/h. |
| MK64 | 0.5–2 t/hr | ANYSORT (Anhui Jiexun Optoelectronic Technology) | Belt-type AI quality sorter in 304 stainless steel for roasted and fried peanuts, coffee cherries, frozen and dried fruit and vegetables, beans, french fries and frozen seafood. ANYSORT gives 0.5-2.0 t/h. |
| COMPASS B120 | Not stated | Key Technology | Belt-fed optical sorter with a 1200 mm inspection width, for products such as potato chips, green beans and leafy greens. |
| COMPASS B60 | Not stated | Key Technology | Belt-fed optical sorter with a 600 mm inspection width, for products such as potato chips, green beans and leafy greens. |
| ADR X (Automatic Defect Removal) | Not stated | Key Technology | Defect-removal system for cut potato strips (fries) that finds green discolouration and visual defects with multi-spectral sensing and trims them out, peeled or peel-on. |
| MEYER KS 240KS5 (6SXZ-240KS5) | Not stated | Meyer (Hefei Meyer Optoelectronic Technology Inc) | double-layer belt; discolour, mould, insect damage, some glass and plastic; 50,000 scans per second |
| MEYER KS 480KS5 (6SXZ-480KS5) | Not stated | Meyer (Hefei Meyer Optoelectronic Technology Inc) | double-layer belt; discolour, mould, insect damage, some glass and plastic; 50,000 scans per second |
| Ingenuity (IY-2060, IY-2100) | Sorting channels 60 (IY-2060), 100 (IY-2100) | Raytec Vision S.p.A. | Belt sorter with visible colour and near-infrared vision and mechanical fingers, in two- or three-way versions, for unwashed and washed potatoes, carrots, apples, onions and beetroot. |
| Opportunity (OY-600 to OY-1800) | 10–30 t/hr | Raytec Vision S.p.A. | Spin-belt sorter with pulsed-light matrix cameras and deep learning for whole fruit and vegetables such as oranges, potatoes, tomatoes, apples and onions. Raytec gives up to 10, 20 or 30 t/h by size. |
| Raynbow (R-230 to R-270) | Sorting channels 30 40 50 50 70 | Raytec Vision S.p.A. | Belt sorter with hexa-chromatic visible and near-infrared vision, rejecting with mechanical fingers or air jets, for potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, onions, green beans, peppers and fruit. |
| Spiryt SY-1200 | 18–20 t/hr | Raytec Vision S.p.A. | Roller belt sorter for potatoes and seed potatoes with six matrix cameras and AI, rejecting with single or double ejectors. Raytec gives 18-20 t/h on 60 mm potatoes. |
| BELTUZA (CSV600BM) | 11.3 t/hr | Satake Corporation | Belt optical sorter with full-colour and near-infrared cameras for dry beans, tree nuts, soybeans, peanuts, coffee, pasta and snacks. Satake gives up to 25,000 lbs an hour on soybeans. |
| Taiho 6SXZ-1800KS2Y Belt Type | Not stated | Taiho (Hefei Taiho Intelligent Technology Group Co., Ltd) | belt-type grain/nut sorting |
| TOMRA 3A | 100 t/hr | TOMRA Food | Sorter for unwashed potatoes at the farm, at harvest and out of storage, with near-infrared multi-spectral and colour sensors and finger ejectors that take out stones, clods and green potatoes. TOMRA gives up to 100 tonnes an hour. |
| TOMRA 5A | Not stated | TOMRA Food | Belt-fed sorter that inspects product in the air off the end of the belt, with top and bottom sensor banks combining pulsed LED, camera and near-infrared, and finger ejectors. TOMRA lists it for potatoes, carrots, onions and stone fruit. |
| TOMRA 5B | Not stated | TOMRA Food | Belt sorter with lasers and surround-view cameras for 360° inspection, for french fries, potato chips and other potato products, vegetables and leafy greens. It removes bad product and foreign material in one or two reject streams. |
| TOMRA Sentinel II | 20–200 t/hr | TOMRA Food | Belt sorter with finger ejectors for potatoes, tomatoes and peaches, built in 1000, 1600 and 2000 sizes. TOMRA gives a capacity range of 20-200 tonnes an hour across the range. |
Questions people ask
What are channels and chutes?
A chute is one sliding lane of product; a channel is one ejector valve and its strip of camera view. Indian grain sorters typically have 63 or 64 channels per chute, so a 3-chute machine has about 189–192. More chutes means more capacity.
What can a colour sorter remove?
Discoloured, chalky, yellow or burnt grains, husk, paddy in rice, stones, glass and other foreign material that looks different. AI and infrared models also find shape defects, mould and insect damage.
Which crops can one machine sort?
Most chute sorters can switch between rice, wheat, dal, seeds and spices with new settings. Nuts, dried fruit and frozen vegetables usually need a belt sorter.
How accurate are colour sorters?
Makers commonly claim 99% or more. Real accuracy depends on how dirty the input is and how much good product you accept in the reject (carry-over). Ask for a trial with your own sample.
Do tea leaves need a different sorter?
Yes, tea sorters handle light, irregular leaf and stalk. AMD's DT series is built for it, and Indian makers build triple-deck tea sorters.
Checked on Sat Oct 24 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time). How we check