--- title: Optical sorting gives precise results and saves costs - Ellips | Next Level Grading description: “In a lot of sectors - onions, apples, oranges, etc. - optical sorting was introduced successfully years ago,” says Mitchel Bakker of Ellips. image: https://insights.ellips.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_2079-1.jpg --- [![Ellips](https://insights.ellips.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Ellips_Group_August2023/images/logo.svg "Ellips")](https://ellips.com/) ![Flag en](https://insights.ellips.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Ellips_Group_August2023/images/en.svg "Flag en") en [![Flag nl](https://insights.ellips.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Ellips_Group_August2023/images/es.svg) es](https://insights.ellips.com/es/mas) [Contact](https://ellips.com/contact/) [Client portal](https://ellips.com/client-portal/) Menu Close - [Fruit and vegetables](https://ellips.com/fruit-vegetables-grading-machine/) - Fruit and vegetables - [Potatoes](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/potato/) - [Onions](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/onion/) - 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Optical potato sorting has become technically possible and was introduced in the potato sector. Potatoes’ external and internal quality can now be measured.” ![ ](https://insights.ellips.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Schermafbeelding-2020-08-28-om-09_59_51-1024x237-1.png?width=670&height=159&name=Schermafbeelding-2020-08-28-om-09_59_51-1024x237-1.png "Ellips | Next Level Grading Schermafbeelding-2020-08-28-om-09.59.51-1024x237 ") ### **Pressure on the labor market** Jos Broeders of Gejo Grading optically sorts natural products, including potatoes. He uses the Ellips software. Jos sees labor-saving and high accuracy as the most significant advantages of optical sorting. There’s pressure on the labor market and Jos has noticed increased interest in optical sorting and electronic measuring. “Before, you had experienced staff,” he says.   ![ ](https://insights.ellips.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_2090-1-1024x821-1.jpg?width=667&height=736&name=IMG_2090-1-1024x821-1.jpg "Ellips | Next Level Grading IMG_2090-1-1024x821 ") “There were sorters who had gathered a lifetime experience in sorting potatoes, they were consistent and good at sorting.” He sees that, now, in addition to finding personnel, lack of experience is a problem. There’s usually no time to gain this experience either. Employees are often quickly deployed elsewhere. “That affects continuity and that’s where optical sorting works perfectly, you replace a part of your workforce, ensuring consistent quality.” ### **Measuring** The Ellips grading technology uses high-resolution multi-spectral cameras. These capture products’ external features. “The potatoes rotate under the camera, which captures 60 images of each one. The product is measured on color, size, and external quality. The machine accurately detects all defects like speckling, wireworms, damage, green spots, Rhizoctonia, and holes. The system indicates how big the detected defect is,” explains Mitchel. ![ ](https://insights.ellips.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_2079-1-1024x527-1.jpg?width=670&height=453&name=IMG_2079-1-1024x527-1.jpg "Ellips | Next Level Grading IMG_2079-1-1024x527 ") “That’s done in pixels, surface percentage, and square millimeters. What’s unique is that sorting can be done based on internal quality characteristics. Our light transmission technology screens the entire product. It uses the spectra of transmitted light to measure which potatoes have internal defects. Examples of these are brown discoloration, hollow hearts, and glazing. Our light spectrometer internally examines each potato up to 20 times. The potato is cut into vertical slices, as it were. We can then determine which slices show internal discoloration.” ### **Cost-saving** Customers can combine the Elisam Grantorino sorting machine with Ellips’ sorting technology. That gives them the choice of commissioning a new total optical sorting system. This, of course, is an investment. But the system saves labor costs and it maximizes yields. The system, therefore, pays for itself after four to five years. There’s also the possibility of upgrading existing sorting machines. You just have to implement the latest software. Jos has experience in keeping his Smartgrader optical sorters up to date. ”You can copy anything, except experience. Together with Ellips, we have combined decades of practical experiences. We’ve bundled this into an upgrade.” This upgrade focuses on things like more accurate camera images. But, using a refurbished system is more sustainable too, according to Jos we live in a throw-away culture. ![ ](https://insights.ellips.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_2083-1-1024x713-1.jpg?width=666&height=663&name=IMG_2083-1-1024x713-1.jpg "Ellips | Next Level Grading IMG_2083-1-1024x713 ") That’s exactly why he appreciates what the Ellipse systems offer – the possibility of upgrading as well as its long-term service. “In the sorting world, this technology is becoming increasingly specialized and complex. You’re happy to be able to still get support for the older systems. You can integrate new components. That fits in with the agricultural sector – we don’t throw things away after five years. We use them for the long term,” Jos concludes. ---   ### Ready to revolutionize your business? - --- Maximize throughput with less labor - --- Improve quality consistency - --- Get the most value out of each produce ![Levi](https://insights.ellips.com/hubfs/Ellips_Group_August2023/images/levi.jpg) Contact us or request a demo [Contact Levi](https://info.ellips.com/en/contact-us) [Request demo](https://info.ellips.com/en/book-demo) ![CTA_blueberry_3](https://insights.ellips.com/hubfs/CTA_blueberry_3.png) ### Do you want to discover more valuable insights? --- [![](https://insights.ellips.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Ellips-Weyers-36-3.jpeg)](https://insights.ellips.com/customers/wilhelm-weyers) [Potatoes](https://insights.ellips.com/customers/wilhelm-weyers) ## [Reinhard Krebbers: Control over the internal quality of potato grading](https://insights.ellips.com/customers/wilhelm-weyers) [![](https://insights.ellips.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/7-Sep-04-2023-08-48-24-2127-AM.jpg)](https://insights.ellips.com/customers/new-optical-sorter-means-we-can-serve-all-markets) [Potatoes](https://insights.ellips.com/customers/new-optical-sorter-means-we-can-serve-all-markets) ## [Wilhelm Weyers: New optical sorter means we can serve all markets](https://insights.ellips.com/customers/new-optical-sorter-means-we-can-serve-all-markets) [![](https://insights.ellips.com/hubfs/Potato%20Grading%20Consistent%20Product%20Quality%20at%20Wada%20Farms.jpg)](https://insights.ellips.com/customers/wada-farms-high-capacity-labor-reductions) [Potatoes](https://insights.ellips.com/customers/wada-farms-high-capacity-labor-reductions) ## [Wada Farms surpasses its ROI objectives in the very first year using optical grading technology](https://insights.ellips.com/customers/wada-farms-high-capacity-labor-reductions) ![Ellips](https://insights.ellips.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Ellips_Group_August2023/images/logo.svg "Ellips") - [Our customers](https://insights.ellips.com/customers) - [Why Ellips Group](https://ellips.com/why-ellips/) - [Our vision](https://ellips.com/vision/) - [Insights](https://insights.ellips.com/blogs) - [Videos](https://insights.ellips.com/videos) - [Careers](https://ellips.com/careers/) - [Client portal](https://ellips.com/client-portal/) - [Contact](https://ellips.com/contact/) - Fruit & Vegetables - [Potatoes](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/potato/) - [Dates](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/date/) - [Cherry tomatoes](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/cherry-tomato/) - [Oranges](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/orange/) - [Peaches](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/peach/) - [Apples](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/apple/) - [Cherries](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/cherry/) - [Kiwis](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/kiwi/) - [Pomegranates](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/pomegranate/) - [Brussels Sprouts](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/brussels-sprouts/) - [Onions](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/onion/) - [Blueberries](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/blueberry/) - [Lemon & Lime](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/lemon-lime/) - [Pears](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/pear/) - [Bell peppers](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/bell-pepper/) - [Tomatoes](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/tomato/) - [Apricots](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/apricot/) - [Plums](https://ellips.com/grading-machine/plum/) - [Grading Solutions](https://ellips.com/grading-solutions/grading-machines/) - [Elisam machine](https://ellips.com/grading-solutions/elisam-grading-machine/) - [Elifab machine](https://ellips.com/grading-solutions/elifab-grading-machine/) - [Grading technology](https://ellips.com/grading-solutions/grading-technology/) - [Artificial Intelligence](https://ellips.com/grading-solutions/artificial-intelligence-grading-technology/) - [Service & support](https://ellips.com/grading-solutions/grading-solutions-service-support/) - **© 2026 Ellips Group** - [Terms and conditions](https://ellips.com/contact/terms-and-conditions/) - [Privacy](https://ellips.com/contact/privacy/) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Mitchel Bakker", "url" : "https://insights.ellips.com/blogs/author/mitchel-bakker" }, "dateModified" : "2024-09-05T12:23:31.118Z", "datePublished" : "2023-09-07T08:26:18.000Z", "headline" : "Optical sorting gives precise results and saves costs - Ellips | Next Level Grading", "image" : [ "https://insights.ellips.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_2079-1.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://insights.ellips.com/blogs/optical-sorting-gives-precise-results-and-saves-costs", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://insights.ellips.com/hubfs/logo.svg" }, "name" : "Ellips" } } ```