Onion Drying Grading Line Customized for Brazil

Project Overview

A Brazilian onion processor struggled with inconsistent manual grading, high labor costs, and long equipment lead times. Local power is 380V/60Hz, while standard Chinese equipment is 380V/50Hz – previous imported machines required transformers or retrofits, causing frequent breakdowns. The client needed a line that precisely matched local power, delivered stable grading, and met a tight schedule. Fstsort custom-built a 6–8 t/h, 4-grade drying and grading line, completed in just 35 days (5 days early). The client paid in full after a third-party factory audit.

Key Client Pain Points

• · Manual grading caused inconsistent sizing and high return rates

• · Peak harvest overwhelmed manual capacity, driving up overtime costs

• · Unable to visit China, lacked trust in supplier capabilities

• · Previous suppliers repeatedly missed delivery windows, costing peak season revenue

Solution: Tailored for Brazil - An Onion Drying Grading Line

Fstsort's engineering team conducted multiple remote technical meetings with the client from the outset, confirming specifications for every motor, frequency converter, and control component, and redesigned the entire electrical system to match Brazil's 60Hz grid. The final solution comprised four core modules, integrated into a seamless continuous processing line:

1.Automatic Feeding Hopper & Roller Elevator

Products are tipped directly into the hopper, and the elevator's rollers rotate at a controlled, uniform speed to feed onions smoothly into the subsequent stages. Compared to traditional belt elevators, the roller design prevents material build-up and clogging, ensuring stable feeding even under high-moisture conditions.

2.Quality Inspection Table

A dedicated manual inspection station allows operators to stand on both sides and quickly remove cracked, rotten, or visually defective onions before grading. This ensures that only marketable produce enters the sizing stage.

3.Hot Air Dryer

Surface moisture not only affects grading accuracy but also shortens storage life. The hot air dryer uses circulating warm air to rapidly remove surface moisture, delivering clean, dry onions to the grader – which is essential for optimal preservation and packaging.

4.Roller Grader

This is the core sizing module. Onions move forward across a roller bed; as the gaps between rollers gradually increase, onions smaller than the current gap fall through onto corresponding take-out belts and are collected at designated outlets. The entire process is fully mechanical, eliminating human error and ensuring consistent sizing.

Grading Specifications (4 Grades)

Value Delivered

• · Stable 6–8 t/h throughput, handles peak volumes

• · 4-grade mechanical grading eliminates human error, reduces channel complaints

• · Direct 60Hz compatibility, no extra electrical costs

• · Schneider components + frequency control for smooth, energy-efficient operation

• · Workforce reduced from over 10 to 4-5 operators, significant labor savings

We provide top‑notch service to all our clients

1. Electrical Customisation

Brazil's industrial power runs at 60Hz, while standard Chinese equipment is rated at 50Hz. Many suppliers take the easy way out – shipping standard machines and leaving the client to install transformers. But our client needed a hassle-free solution, not a semi-finished product.

We re-selected every motor and frequency converter on the line specifically for 60Hz, and re-calibrated the control system parameters accordingly. Upon arrival, the line was offloaded, positioned, and connected – ready to run with no additional electrical modifications required.

2. Third-Party Factory Audit

Our client, located in South America, could not visit our factory in person – a legitimate concern. We fully cooperated with V-Trust Inspection Service (a Sedex AAC), the independent auditor they appointed.

The audit proceeded as normal production continued; the inspector reviewed our processes, quality records, export cases, and R&D capabilities. The conclusion: standardized production, strict QC, proven non-standard customisation ability, and successful export cases to Brazil. The client authorised full payment the same day the report landed. Sometimes, an independent third-party report speaks louder than a thousand of our own words.

3. Early Delivery

With the harvest season imminent, the client required delivery within 40 days – a tight schedule for a non-standard line with a re-engineered electrical system. We knew every day lost was revenue lost for the client.

Our production team scheduled every step down to the day, and we completed manufacturing, testing, packaging, and shipment in just 35 days – five days ahead of schedule. After arrival, the client confirmed smooth installation and stable operation, and they caught the seasonal price peak. They later told us that the early batch alone recouped significant returns.

They have already indicated they will order a potato processing line in the coming months – the best endorsement of our delivery capability and product quality.

From voltage adaptation and third-party verification to early delivery, we delivered on every commitment – earning trust and a repeat order. No matter your country, power standard, or seasonal urgency, Fstsort provides customised post-harvest solutions.

Want know more about onion processing machines? please visit our product page of Onion Sorting Grading Machine→