Optical Sorter Market Analysis

Optical Sorter Market Analysis

Hyperspectral cameras in the market are expected to witness 12% growth till 2024 as they are being widely used and implemented on account of growing need to solve previously impossible sorting tasks. Companies are developing a new generation of systems that feature hyperspectral and multispectral imaging systems.
 

Hyperspectral cameras are similar to trichromatic cameras and they collect data from the electromagnetic spectrum. They are increasingly being applied for quality control, sorting, and recycling applications. In the food industry, the sorting technology has numerous applications due to growing need for the inspection of the properties of food. Capturing images of the products may not offer enough data for a system to classify or inspect food products owing to which several manufacturers are now implementing multispectral imaging systems, thereby driving the market demand for hyperspectral cameras.
 

In 2017, the mining application segment accounted for over 15% of the global optical sorter market share. Growing applications of the machinery in the mining industry for mineral and metal separation processes are being witnessed. Sensor-based sorting solutions increase the overall value of the deposit and extend the life of mining operations.
 

Modern automated sorting uses NIR sorters and hyperspectral cameras to control the mechanical separation of ore into two or more categories. Technological advancements and innovations in the mineral sorting processes by NIR detection technology allow the successful separation of the minerals. These use infrared imaging technology to scan the chemical and biological structure of the mineral and offers high reliability and accuracy in mineral sorting processes. Several players operating in the market are offering advanced and innovative solutions for performing the mineral sortation process.
 

Belt sorting machinery is witnessing a significant demand from recycling, mining, and food industries. The equipment has high-performance abilities for dried/frozen/fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts, and processed potato products. Moreover, it helps in identifying small defects and foreign materials thereby enhancing the accuracy of the ejection system and helping in defect removal performance and maximizing the sorter's yield.
 

The industry has observed increased applicability of these platforms as they offer high accuracy and low carryover ratio. They are widely used in high-capacity operations and help in minimizing the risk of food contamination thereby resulting in an enhanced product quality. The platform is also widely used for recycling applications of organic waste, glass, metals, e-scrape, plastics, and papers, among others.
 

Asia Pacific optical sorter market held around 20% revenue share and will register substantial gains during the forecast period impelled by growing adoption of intelligent solutions and rapid growth in digitalization. The integration of AI technology into the equipment is providing companies features such as advanced analytics, monitoring, and automation of the processes. Manufacturers are involved in developing the AI-based sorting technology to provide effective & intelligent solutions for the industrial operations and processes.
 

For instance, in September 2018, National Recovery Technologies integrated Max-AI technology into its NRT SpydIR optical sorter. This integration is expected to improve the material quality and thereby enhancing the productivity. Such advanced solutions are encouraging the industrial players to adopt smart solutions in their food production & waste recycling plants, thereby driving the market size.