Crux Agribotics reinforces its partnership with ABB, a robotics company, in order to expand its SortiPack product family. SortiPack is a robot for automated grading, sorting, and packing of fruits and vegetables.

The ABB Flexpicker delta robots are an instrumental part of the different SortiPack lines and are guided through AI and computer vision software developed by Crux Agribotics. The combination of these technologies offers plenty of advantages to greenhouses, the fresh produce market, and packing centers. The self-learning architecture of the system allows the system to gather input from growers, and become more proactive in increasing yields and minimizing waste.

Besides labor cost savings, SortiPack aims to handle fruit and vegetables in a more consistent, hygienic way. It optimizes give away weight, reduces damages to the products, and minimizes waste, ensuring a uniform packed product. Its AI software algorithms make real-time decisions to optimize package handling and to meet quality, weight, and other sorting requirements. Besides, it provides real-time feedback to growers via dashboards that they can use to make decisions in favor of their productivity.

“As we will deliver these systems worldwide, including 24/7 services, it is a great asset that ABB has local service organizations and spare parts stock to support us in our proposition and service level’, says Michel van Reenen, Sales Manager Crux Agribotics.

In attached video the partnership with ABB is highlighted as well as the SortiPack® in action

Currently, SortiPack handles beef tomatoes, English- and mini cucumbers, pointed peppers, and chicory. Successful tests have been concluded for processing mangoes and avocadoes.

The SortiPack system is capable of automatic grading, sorting, and packing of organic products such as (mini-)cucumbers, tomatoes, and sweet peppers. The system combines 3D computer vision, self-learning algorithms, delta picker robots, and food-grade gripping technology. “This makes the application very innovative and brings unique value for the Agriculture market,” Michel explains.