AN AUTOMATED INSPECTION STATION FOR MACHINE-VISION GRADING OF POTATOES

A prototype inspection station based on the United States Department o f Agriculture (USDA) inspection standards was developed for potato gra ding. The station consisted of an imaging chamber, conveyor, camera, s orting unit, and personal computer for image acquisition, analysis, an d equipment control. A sample of 9.1 kg (20 lb) of pregraded potatoes were evaluated in three separate experimental runs to assess the syste m performance. The system correctly classified 80%, 77%, and 88% of th e moving potatoes in the three runs at 3 potatoes/min, and 98%, 97%, a nd 97%, in three runs of stationary potatoes. Shape analysis was adver sely affected by the potato motion, and this contributed to the miscla ssification error.