Automated Sweet Potato Sorting Prototype Model

Abstract

This study introduces a prototype for an automated sweet potato sorting device aimed at mitigating errors inherent in the manual size sorting process currently performed by farmers. The sweet potato sorting machine offers an alternative solution for agricultural sorting procedures. The sorting machine detailed in this article employs a roller conveyor system in conjunction with size sorting. This is achieved by utilizing pipes arranged in a trough with openings precisely matching the circumference of the sweet potatoes, corresponding to the desired sorting criteria. The sorting system is divided into three parts. The first part is dedicated to separating small sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes that remain after sorting in the first section are conveyed to the second section via a roller conveyor system to sort medium-sized sweet potatoes. Any sweet potatoes remaining after the second section will be classified as large yams. The sorting pipes are arranged continuously with openings of 4 cm in the first section, 6 cm in the second section, and 9 cm in the third section. The roller conveyor system facilitates sorting by rotating the sweet potatoes as they move forward, causing them to fall between the openings of the conveyor tubes.