South Africa now benefits from our 5–8t/h cherry pepper sorter – elevator, grading, packing table – delivering high-speed precision, less manual work, and consistent quality.
Country / Region
South Africa
Fruit / Material
Cherry pepper
Capacity
4-6t/h
Equipment Configuration
Washing machine, temperature drying machine, sorting table, adjustable roller grader
The Challenge: Protecting Delicate Cherry Peppers While Ensureing High Throughput
Cherry peppers present a unique set of post‑harvest processing challenges:
Surface Demage Risk: Cherry peppers have thin, delicate skin. Traditional washing methods that rely on mechanical agitation or brushes can cause surface abrasion, bruising, and loss of visual appeal. Bubble washing, by contrast, uses turbulent water waves to gently loosen dirt and debris without physical contact — preserving the fruit’s natural appearance and market value.
Moisture Management: After washing, excess surface moisture must be removed efficiently to prevent premature spoilage and mold growth during storage or transport. However, aggressive drying methods can damage the fruit. An evenly distributed high‑speed airflow is required to evaporate moisture while the peppers rotate gently on a moving conveyor.
Visual Inspection & Defect Removal: Rotten, crushed, or defective cherry peppers — if left in the processing stream — can introduce sticky residues, accelerate spoilage of surrounding fruit, and compromise sanitary conditions throughout the line. A dedicated manual inspection station is essential to remove sub‑standard fruit before grading.
Precision Grading for Market Segmentation: Cherry peppers are sold in multiple size categories depending on destination market (e.g., small for pickling, medium for fresh consumption, large for stuffing). A grading system must offer fine size resolution and quick adjustability to switch between different grade configurations without lengthy downtime.
Spatial & Operational Constraints: The packing facility had predefined floor space and limited access to specialized engineers. The line needed to be compact yet industrial‑scale, and easy to install and operate without extensive technical training.
The Solution: An Integrated, Gentle Processing Architecture
FstSort engineered an optimized, sequential cherry pepper processing line designed for modularity, gentle fruit handling, and seamless workflow. The layout consists of four core segments:
1. Bubble Washing Tank
Dimensions | 4890 × 1730 × 1300 mm |
Inner width | 1500 mm |
Power | 3.2 kW (bubble 2.2 kW, elevator 0.55 kW, water pump 0.25 kW) |
Material | 316 stainless steel |
The 316 stainless steel bubble washing tank features a built‑in elevator and side filter system. When activated, bubbling water loosens dirt, leaves, and impurities without abrasion. Three rows of spray jets provide a second‑stage rinse, while the side filter collects floating debris for easy cleaning and water reuse. The elevator’s rotating roller pipes gently arrange cherry peppers into single rows for transfer, offering zero‑failure operation and simplified maintenance.
2. Normal Temperature Air Drying Machine
Dimensions | 4850 × 1670 × 1700 mm |
Power | 21.75 kW |
Blowers | 14 pairs of high‑pressure blowers |
Roller bed width | 1500 mm |
Material | Stainless steel |
After washing, cherry peppers enter the drying machine via a continuous conveyor. The system is equipped with 14 pairs of high‑pressure blowers that generate strong, evenly distributed airflow across the full width of the 1500 mm roller bed. As peppers move forward, the roller bed rotates them gently, exposing all surfaces to the high‑speed airflow for even moisture evaporation without heat. Conveyor speed is adjustable via frequency control, allowing operators to fine‑tune drying intensity.
3. Vision Sorting Table with Stairs
Dimensions | 4000 × 1700 × 1400 mm |
Power | 0.55 kW + 0.12 kW × 2 |
Rejection belts | 2 |
Material | Stainless steel |
Once dried, cherry peppers are carried onto a vision sorting table for multi‑operator inspection. The table features dual rejection belts underneath, allowing workers on both sides to easily remove defective fruit (rotten, crushed, or discolored). Removing bad fruit at this stage is critical, as sticky, decaying cherries can cause downstream sanitation issues and reduce final quality. The ergonomic design reduces operator fatigue and improves accuracy, while side chutes drop rejected peppers onto the belts to be carried into collection bins. Conveyor speed is adjustable via VFD controls.
4. Advanced Adjustable Roller Grader — 5 Grades
Power | 2.6 kW |
Sorting range | 12.5 – 75 mm |
Number of grades | 5 (each outlet with manual adjustment handle) |
Material | Stainless steel |
The grading stage uses FstSort’s advanced adjustable roller grader, a stainless steel precision sorter that grades cherry peppers by diameter. The machine uses parallel rollers that rotate and move simultaneously; as peppers travel along, the roller gaps gradually increase, allowing smaller peppers to drop through early stages while larger ones continue. Each grading outlet has a manual adjustment handle, enabling workers to fine‑tune size thresholds without tools or electrical adjustments, making grade changes quick and easy.
Technical Specifications
Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
Capacity | 4–6 t/h |
Total power | 28.1 kW |
Washer inner width | 1500 mm |
Grader inner width | 1400 mm |
Water consumption | 1000 L/hour |
Quantity of blowers | 14 pairs |
Number of grades | 5 |
Results & Business Impact
Following deployment, the cherry pepper processing line delivered measurable benefits:
1. High throughput: 4–6 tons per hour, suitable for medium to large packhouse operations.
2. No surface damage: Bubble washing and roller grading eliminated surface abrasion and bruising; cherry peppers retained full visual appeal.
3. Flexible grading: 5 adjustable outlets allowed quick reconfiguration for different market size requirements without tooling or electrical modifications.
4. Clean, dry output: 14 pairs of high‑pressure blowers removed surface moisture evenly without heat, extending post‑wash shelf life.
5. Reduced labor: Automated washing, drying, and grading significantly reduced manual labor requirements compared to traditional processing methods.
6. Easy installation: Pre‑assembled modular design allowed fast deployment within standard packhouse layouts.
Why Choose FstSort for Your Cherry Pepper Processing Line?
FstSort has extensive experience designing integrated post‑harvest processing solutions for delicate fruits and vegetables. Our cherry pepper line is part of a broader portfolio that includes bubble washing, brushing, drying, inspection, roller grading, and optical sorting systems for a wide range of produce.
· Gentle product handling at every stage
· Stainless steel construction for food‑grade safety and long service life
· Adjustable grading with manual outlets — no electrical complexity
· Frequency‑controlled speed regulation across key sections
· Modular design for easy integration into existing packhouse layouts
Scale Your Post‑Harvest Infrastructure
Every packhouse is different — different space constraints, different throughput requirements, different market grade specifications. FstSort delivers fully customized cherry pepper processing lines engineered to your exact operating conditions.
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