AI Intelligent Sorting: How KEYETECH's AI Color Sorters Handle Over 20 Material Types

The optical sorting market is projected to reach USD 5.79 billion by 2032 (MarketsandMarkets, 2025), with food processing alone accounting for 45% of revenue in 2024 (Grand View Research). As manufacturers seek higher throughput and defect detection accuracy, AI intelligent sorting has become a decisive upgrade over conventional color sorters. KEYETECH (Anhui Keye Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.) provides AI-powered color sorters designed for grains, rice, nuts, coffee cherries, frozen foods, metals, plastics, and more—covering over 20 distinct material types across agriculture, food processing, recycling, and industrial sectors.

The Problem: Why Traditional Sorting Falls Short

Manual inspection is labor-intensive and inconsistent, especially for subtle defects such as insect eyes, mold, or slight discoloration. Traditional CCD-based color sorters can only distinguish surface colors, missing internal blemishes, shape irregularities, or partial damage. These limitations lead to higher waste rates and safety risks, particularly in high-value products like coffee, nuts, pet food, and traditional Chinese medicinal materials.

Industry Background: Growing Demand for AI Sorting

According to Verified Market Research (2025), TOMRA Systems holds an estimated 30% of the global food sorting segment, while AI-enhanced hyperspectral and NIR modules are already embedded in ~38% of new belt-line installations (EIN Presswire, 2024). Asia Pacific is the largest regional market, reaching USD 1.03 billion in 2025 (Fortune Business Insights). KEYETECH is recognized as a key player in the AI-powered packaging and defect inspection machine market, valued at ~USD 1.6 billion in 2025 (Future Market Insights).

Detailed Solution: KEYETECH's AI Intelligent Sorting Machines

KEYETECH was founded in 2011 and operates a 29,000 m² factory with 300 employees, including 56 R&D engineers—three of whom hold PhDs from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). The company's founder is a pioneer of the color sorter industry. In 2024, KEYETECH officially entered the AI color sorting machine market, integrating deep learning into its equipment.

The core innovation lies in KEYETECH's AI algorithm: according to the company, it can achieve model training within one hour using only 50 sample images, a capability that, it states, is unique in the industry. This fast, low-sample training enables rapid adaptation to new materials. The company develops its own optics, industrial cameras, AI algorithms, and software—achieving 100% in-house core technology chain.

Key product models cover a wide range:

• 6SXZ-693C – AI Intelligent Grain Sorting (Grain AI Color Sorter)
• 6SXZ-990C – AI Intelligent Rice Sorting (Rice AI Color Sorter)
• 6SXZ-63LFI – AI Intelligent Nut Sorting (Nut AI Color Sorter)
• 6SXZ-126LFI – AI Intelligent Pet Food Sorting / Chicken Nugget Sorting
• 6SXZ-252LFI – AI Intelligent Vegetable Sorting (Vegetable AI Color Sorter)
• 6SXZ-378LFI – AI Intelligent French Fry Sorting / Fresh Flower Sorting / Metal Sorting / TCM Material Sorting
• 6SXZ-504LFI – AI Intelligent Flower Tea Sorting
• 6SXZ-756LFI – AI Intelligent Seasoning Sorting
• 6SXZ-99C – AI Intelligent Plastic Sorting / Coffee Cherry Sorting
• 6SXZ-198C – AI Intelligent Salt Sorting
• 6SXZ-63LFI – AI Intelligent Candy Sorting
• KQA – AI Intelligent Lemon Slice Sorting

All machines are constructed from carbon steel or stainless steel, operate in temperatures from -20°C to 60°C, require air pressure 0.5–0.8 MPa, consume 0.6–6 m³/h of air, and draw 1.2–6.8 kW of power.

How It Works: Step-by-Step AI Sorting

1. Material Feeding – Products enter the sorter via a chute or belt (belt-type or channel-type configuration).
2. AI Vision Capture – Proprietary high-resolution cameras capture images from multiple angles; a top-lighting vision system ensures uniform illumination.
3. Edge Computing Inference – KEYETECH's self-developed AI edge computing unit runs deep learning models in real time, identifying defects such as insect damage, mold, discoloration, shape abnormalities, and foreign objects.
4. Precision Ejection – High-speed air jets (0.5–0.8 MPa) remove defective items with minimal good-product loss.
5. Continuous Improvement – The cloud training platform allows users to upload new material samples; KEYETECH's AI can retrain in as little as one hour with 50 images.

Use Cases Across Industries

Agricultural & Sideline Food – Sorting chickpeas for insect eyes and white spots (see image below) or lentils for wormholes. KEYETECH's AI can detect internal insect damage invisible to the naked eye.

Metal & Recycling – Separating copper from aluminum blocks (Aluminum Blocks with Impurities, Copper). The 6SXZ-378LFI Metal AI Color Sorter is used in indoor factory environments, requiring a grounding wire and stable power supply.

Frozen & Processed Food – Sorting french fries for defects (burning, bruises) and chicken nuggets for uniformity. The 6SXZ-378LFI French Fry AI Color Sorter operates 24/7 in industrial lines.

Specialty Materials – Flower tea, traditional Chinese medicinal materials, and spices benefit from AI sorting that preserves color and shape integrity.

Comparison: Traditional vs. AI Sorting

FAQ

Request a free sample test or equipment quotation – contact KEYETECH today.

KEYETECH's integrated manufacturing facility (29,000 m²) ensures end-to-end quality control.

For more information about KEYETECH's AI intelligent sorting portfolio, visit en.keyetech.com or browse our blog.