A pregrading line (or presorting line) is significantly more complex than a standard packing line. Its primary challenge lies in the dual requirement of high-speed assessment and gentle handling. You are moving fruit from a “harvest bin” back into a “storage bin” without compromising quality or shelf life.

1. Advanced water management and flume logistics

For crops like apples and pears, water is the primary transport medium.

• Complexity
  Systems must manage water flow, filtration and temperature. The goal is to guide fruit to the correct outlet or exit points without skin damage.

• Hygiene and protection
  Continuous water circulation requires advanced filtration and disinfection. This prevents a single infected fruit from contaminating the entire batch during post-harvest processing.

2. High-precision grading technology

At the heart of a GREEFA system is the grading machine or sorting robot. The complexity lies in the integration of hardware and software:

• Multi-spectral cameras
  These sensors analyze external and internal characteristics (such as brix levels, internal browning).
• AI algorithms
  The system assesses thousands of fruits per minute, making split-second decisions on which exit or discharge each item should be directed to.

3. Robotics and gentle bin filling technology

Re-binning is the most technically demanding phase. Once a grader identifies a piece of fruit as “Class I, Size 75,” it must be placed back into a wooden or plastic bin with zero impact.

• Wet bin fillers
  To ensure gentle handling, the bin is submerged in a water tank, allowing the fruit to float into place. See how this works with our submersion filler.
• Capacity balancing
  A complex line must handle surges in specific sizes without halting the entire automatic sorting process.

4. Data integration and traceability

A modern presorting line is a data hub.

• Full traceability
  Every bin exiting the line receives an RFID or barcode tag. Growers gain immediate insights into the yield quality of specific orchard blocks.
• System connectivity
  The sorting machine must communicate seamlessly with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS). This synergy between hardware and software is what defines a high-performance installation.

System components overview

Building such a line is a custom-made engineering task. It requires a partnership between the grower and the grading machine manufacturer to ensure the optimal flow of both fruit and data.

We rather enjoy the challenge of a complex grading line, ensuring every piece of fruit is handled with just the right amount of care.