For Australia, Fstsort's lychee three-channel grading machine runs at 3-4 t/h/lane, gently sorting by diameter with inspection, grading, three takeouts and side platform – cutting labor cost.
Country / Region
Australia
Fruit / Material
Lychee / Litchi
Capacity
3t~4t/h/lane
Equipment Configuration
Inspection converyor belt, grading machine, 3-takeout belts, fruit picking table
The Challenge: Labour Shortages, Manual Inconsistency & The Need For A Flexible Packing Setup
The Australian lychee industry, while relatively small at approximately 2,500–3,000 tonnes annually across about 250 orchards, faces several operational hurdles that make post‑harvest automation increasingly urgent. The customer, a Brisbane‑based lychee grower with a daily processing target of up to 10 tonnes, required a solution that addressed:
· Labour Shortages: Australia‘s agricultural sector has long struggled with inconsistent seasonal labour availability. Manual sorting and packing depend heavily on casual workers, making peak harvest periods difficult to manage reliably.
· Manual Sorting Inconsistency: Relying on human eyes to judge lychee diameter led to significant size variation across batches – a critical issue for export markets where uniform sizing directly affects retail pricing and buyer acceptance.
· Dual‑Channel Packing Requirements: The grower needed to serve two distinct sales channels simultaneously: wholesale bulk packing (high volume, fast throughput) and high‑end retail punnet packing (flawless presentation for the largest “luxury” size grade). Investing in a fully‑automated packing line costing hundreds of thousands of dollars was not a viable option.
· Fruit Quality Protection: Lychees have delicate skin that bruises easily. Any mechanical handling solution had to preserve the natural bright‑red colour and prevent surface damage – qualities that premium export markets demand.
· Factory Space Constraints: The existing packing shed layout left limited room for additional machinery. The solution needed to deliver industrial‑scale throughput without major factory reconfiguration.
The Solution: A Hybrid Three‑Channel Grading & Packing Line
To meet these requirements, Fstsort engineered a customised three‑channel grading and packing line that combines efficient manual inspection with a gentle roller grader, and introduces a creative mechanical upgrade at the final outlet to enable premium punnet packing without an expensive automatic packer.
1. Three‑Lane Sorting Table – Streamlined Manual Inspection
Located immediately after the elevator, a purpose‑designed three‑lane sorting table maximises manual sorting efficiency. Workers stationed on both sides pick lychees from the two outer lanes, removing defective fruit (cracks, sunburn, insect damage, rot). The middle lane is reserved for rejected fruit, which is channelled directly into a collection bin – keeping good fruit and waste completely separate without interrupting the main grading flow.
This layout ensures that only top‑quality fruit enters the grader. Given Australia‘s ongoing farm labour challenges, the ergonomic design allows workers to maintain high throughput during the peak harvest window without unnecessary strain or fruit handling errors.
2. Roller Grader – Gentle Diameter Sorting Into Three Grades
After inspection, lychees are fed row by row onto a roller grader that sorts them by diameter into three distinct size grades. The gentle roller mechanism preserves the delicate lychee skin and helps retain the natural bright‑red colour that premium export markets demand – a critical factor for Australian lychees destined for Asia, where appearance drives retail price.
The first two outlets are fitted with standard chutes that drop the fruit directly into bulk boxes – an ideal setup for wholesale packing where large volumes need to be handled quickly. This configuration reflects Fstsort‘s mature roller‑grader design, which has been successfully deployed in multiple Australian lychee processing projects and is proven to operate reliably under commercial harvest pressure.
3. Creative Upgrade At The Third Outlet – Side Chutes For Premium Punnet Packing
The most innovative element of this solution appears at the third outlet, which receives the largest “luxury” size grade. Instead of a simple chute, Fstsort extended the takeout belt and added three small side chutes to split the fruit flow. This simple but powerful mechanical modification allows packers to:
· Place empty boxes (e.g., 1kg or 2kg premium boxes) under each of the three chutes
· Hand‑pack the fruit while the belt continues running – no stoppage, no expensive automatic punnet packer
· Maintain high output for the most valuable size grade while guaranteeing a perfect, uniform retail presentation
This modular side‑chute assembly is fully detachable. The customer can reconfigure the outlet whenever they need to switch between bulk and premium packing – an ideal feature for growers who process different lychee varieties across the long Australian season and need to respond to orders from both mass‑market retailers and boutique greengrocers.
Technical Specifications(Customizable)
Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
Throughput Capacity | 3~4t/h |
Sorting Method | Three‑channel, diameter‑based roller grader |
Number of Grades | 3 size grades |
Inspection Stage | Three‑lane manual sorting table |
Outlet 1 & 2 | Standard bulk chutes → drop into bulk boxes |
Outlet 3 | Extended takeout belt + 3 side chutes → premium punnet packing |
Packing Configuration | Simultaneous: bulk packing (outlet 1 & 2) + premium punnet packing (outlet 3) |
Material Standard | Food‑grade stainless steel & food‑safe belt materials |
Control Configuration | Centralised control panel with variable speed adjustment |
Biosecurity Compliance | Fully cleaned and certified to meet Australian biosecurity import standards (free from soil, plant material, seeds) |
Results & Business Impact
Following the line‘s integration into the customer’s packing shed, the system achieved immediate commercial benefits:
1. Dual‑Channel Packing Without Dual Investment: The customer now runs wholesale bulk packing and premium punnet packing simultaneously on the same line. The simple chute upgrade eliminated the need for a separate automatic punnet packer, saving tens of thousands of dollars in capital expenditure.
2. Significant Labour Reduction: Automation of the size‑grading stage and the streamlined three‑lane inspection layout reduced the farm‘s dependence on seasonal casual labour – a critical advantage given Australia’s ongoing agricultural labour shortages.
3. Export‑Ready Grading Consistency: The roller grader‘s precise diameter sorting ensures that fruit meets the strict size‑uniformity requirements of Asian premium retail channels. The gentle handling mechanism also preserves the natural bloom and red colour that commands higher export prices.
4. Operational Flexibility: The modular outlet design allows the grower to reconfigure the line between bulk and premium packing as market orders change – a level of agility that fully automatic lines often lack.
5. Fast Ramp‑Up: The intuitive design enabled local staff to master the control panel and mechanical workflow within the first day of operation, with no need for specialised engineering support onsite.
Scale Your Post‑Harvest Infrastructure
We deliver high‑precision, customised fruit processing lines worldwide – including multiple successful installations in Australia‘s demanding lychee sector. Interested in a similar custom solution for your packing line?
👉 Interested in a similar custom solution for your packing line?