The sorting system feed

The product feeding system in a sorting machine should provide three basic functions  

Metering to ensure that the optimum number of objects per unit time are fed through the optical inspection area. 

Acceleration to a constant velocity the time taken for objects to travel from the optical inspection point to the ejection point must be constant so that activation of the ejector can be accurately synchronised with the position of the object. Typically, the velocity of the product is of the order of 4 m/s. The delay between detection and ejection is between 0.5 and 100 ms. 

Alignment to ensure a controlled trajectory through the inspection and ejection points. 

In reality, metering of product is achieved by a vibrating feeder tray, situated just below the output of a hopper. The following feed systems are commonly employed  

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