NL: Investment in innovation fruitful for Greefa

Innovation is of the utmost importance at Greefa. During recent years tens of engineers worked hard at measuring systems of the various sorting machines. "Clients appreciate the value of this" Dick Verkade of Greefa says.

Dick Verkade of Greefa

A number of years ago a picture was presented about the future at Fruit Logistica. It looked rather futuristic. A large part of it is now reality. The sorting machines of Greefa can, for instance, be fitted with three different measuring techniques:

iQS for establishing external quality

The light sports are defects.

The external quality of the fruit can be judged by using colour as well

as black and white cameras. About 60 exposures of each fruit separately

are made. On this basis the measuring system assesses the fruit on

external quality.

iPIX for establishing 'unseen' defects

With the assistance of UV and LED light defects, which are not visible

to the eye can be made to be noticed. These defects may be in the rind

of the citrus fruit. Normally these defects can only be removed by hand

in a special booth.

iFA for establishing internal quality

Greefa also makes it possible to assess the internal quality of the fruit.

The fruit is measured in a cup. The system knows the exact spectrum

of the light entering the fruit and analyses the spectrum of the light

passing through. The quantity of light caught by the sensors gives an

indication of the internal quality. Dick Verkade of Greefa says, "The sensor

could catch the light in two ways. By transmission or by reflection.

We have chosen for the transmission technique, because it is more

accurate. This technique is used amongst others to establish internal

brown and the brix-content of apples. This technique is very popular in

America.

Greefa had a good year in 2011. "This is mainly thanks to our export activities in the fruit sector" Verkade says. "We are actually rather proud to be able to offer all techniques in one machine. As far as I know we are the only one in this.

We can add nice names to our list of references: MIVOR (Italy), Ceres Fruit Growers(South Africa), Mehadrin (Israel), Steirerfrucht (Austria) and Fruchthof Überetsch (Italy)."

For more information:
Greefa
12, Langstraat
Tricht
Tel (0345) 57 81 00
[email protected]
www.greefa.nl