Optical Sorting Machine

Selection criteria

Camera resolution, throughput.

Supply chain

Optical sorting machines for small parts are made mainly by Chinese and Taiwanese makers serving fastener and stamping industries. For critical screws, ask suppliers whether lots are 100% optically sorted.

Buyer FAQ

How do I size an optical sorting machine?

Glass-disc sorters for small screws and nuts typically run a few hundred to about 1,000 parts per minute, depending on part size and the number of camera stations. Camera resolution and lens set the measurable tolerance; small parts can usually be checked to about ±0.01–0.02 mm. Choose station count by the features you need: length, head, thread, recess and side defects.

How should I accept an optical sorter?

Seed a known set of defective parts into good parts and run the mix several times; critical defects should be rejected every time, with a false-reject rate typically below about 1 %. Also run a repeatability study on dimensional measurements, similar to a gauge R&R. Repeat the seeded test after any recipe change.

What can optical sorting not detect?

Cameras see projected profiles and surfaces, so they cannot verify hardness, internal cracks, plating thickness or true thread pitch diameter. Hidden defects inside deep recesses are also easy to miss. Keep sampling-based gauging and hardness checks alongside 100 % optical sorting.

Where it is used