Non-destructive firmness tester measures fruit quickly
The Sinclair International Ltd.'s IQ - Firmness Tester was developed to measure, non-destructively, the elastic property of produce. The system uses four low-mass impact sensors set in bellows and mounted over standard sorting equipment. A piezoelectric crystal is the active element that is squeezed between a small mass and the fruit surface. As the crystal is being deformed it produces a voltage profile that corresponds to the fruit firmness. As fruit rotates through the inspection area, four measurements are made and a final value is calculated. A firmness grade is determined and passed onto equipment sorting up to 600 fruit per minute. The system has been tested in three major UK re-pack operations supplying avocados. Research has been completed to adapt the system to inspect many other fruits such as kiwi, peaches, nectarines, tomatoes, etc.
Sinclair International Ltd.
Norwich, United Kingdom; 44 (1603) 726-400