AI-driven onion grading machines help growers and packers improve efficiency, reduce labor dependency and deliver more consistent quality.

Key benefits include:

✅ Reduced labor requirements

✅ Higher throughput and processing capacity

✅ More consistent quality grading

✅ Improved pack-out rates

✅ Reduced waste and customer claims

✅Reliable performance throughout the season

By combining advanced AI grading, gentle product handling and high-speed processing, Elisam onion grading machines powered by Ellips True-AI help packhouses meet customer requirements while improving profitability.

An Elisam onion grading machine, powered by Ellips True-AI, uses advanced cameras and deep learning algorithms to inspect and classify every onion in real time.

The grading process includes:

• Accurate singulation to ensure every onion is individually assessed
• Rotating cups and 360° grading for full surface visibility
• Up to 60 high-resolution images per onion
• Analysis of size, shape, color, weight and external defects
• Internal quality inspection for hidden defects

The collected data is analyzed by True-AI, which classifies each onion according to the required quality standards and grading specifications.

This enables growers and packers to achieve consistent grading results, maximize pack-out and deliver reliable quality. Batch after batch.

Elisam onion grading machines powered by Ellips True-AI are designed for simple day-to-day operation. The system automatically manages complex grading parameters, reducing the need for manual adjustments and operator input.

Benefits include:

✅ Easy-to-use operator interface

✅Automatic grading parameter management

✅ Fast product and grade changes

✅Reduced training requirements

✅ Consistent grading performance

When adjustments are needed, settings can be changed quickly and intuitively, allowing operators to maintain full control of the grading process.

An onion sorting machine typically separates onions based on basic characteristics such as size, weight or color. An onion grading machine evaluates the overall quality of each onion, including both external and internal defects.

Modern Elisam grading machines powered by Ellips True-AI combine both sorting and grading in one integrated solution. This allows you to sort onions efficiently while accurately grading them according to quality standards and market requirements.

Ellips True-AI is trained using hundreds of thousands of hand-labeled reference images, enabling it to recognize defects, quality characteristics and complex grading challenges with high accuracy.

The system learns from data collected across:

• Different onion varieties
• Growing regions worldwide
• Multiple seasons
• Different markets and quality standards
• Diverse growing conditions

This extensive defect database, combined with advanced deep learning algorithms, allows the system to automatically apply grading parameters and meet specific customer requirements, market demands and export standards.

Yes, Ellips True-AI continuously improves by learning from new data, helping the grading system become more accurate and efficient over time.

The system is trained using:

• Real-world grading data
• Customer quality control expertise
• Different onion varieties
• Multiple growing regions
• Data collected across seasons and conditions

By combining new data with its existing defect database, True-AI continuously refines its ability to recognize defects and optimize grading decisions. This ongoing learning process helps improve grading accuracy, consistency and long-term performance.

AI grading delivers higher consistency, greater throughput and reduced labor dependency compared to manual grading. While manual grading relies on human judgment, AI applies the same objective grading standards to every onion

Key differences include:

As a result, AI-powered grading systems such as Elisam machines with Ellips True-AI help growers and packers achieve higher throughput, improved pack-out and more consistent quality.

For many large-scale onion packhouses, AI grading has become the standard for delivering reliable and scalable performance. It’s increasingly becoming the benchmark for medium- and smaller-scale operations too, as labor availability and cost pressures make consistent, automated grading both more accessible and more necessary.

Yes, Ellips grading technology can be integrated into your existing sorting machine through a retrofit solution. This allows you to upgrade to AI-powered grading without replacing your entire machine.

A typical retrofit includes:

• High-resolution camera technology
• New Ellips electronics and hardware
• TrueSort software
• True-AI grading technology

This improves grading accuracy, consistency and performance while reducing investment costs compared to purchasing a completely new sorting machine.

Onion grading is challenging because quality varies constantly between seasons, varieties, fields and even individual batches. Growers and packers must maintain consistent quality standards despite this natural variation.

Common grading challenges include:

• Variations in size, shape and color
• Subtle defects that are difficult to detect visually
• Internal defects that are not visible from the outside
• Changing growing conditions and weather impacts
• Unpredictable yield and quality shifts from one season to the next

These challenges make consistent grading difficult without advanced technology. AI-powered grading systems such as Ellips True-AI help growers and packers apply objective grading standards and maintain reliable quality under changing conditions.

In practice, defects in the final product are typically reduced to below 2%, while only a small percentage of good onions is removed during sorting.

Elisam onion grading machines equipped with Ellips True-AI deliver highly consistent and objective grading results. By eliminating subjective human judgment, the system reduces variability and minimizes grading errors, even at high processing speeds. As the system processes more data, True-AI continues to improve its ability to detect and classify defects accurately.

Ellips True-AI inspects the entire surface of every onion and detects a wide range of external quality defects with exceptional accuracy.

Detectable defects include:

• Balding
• External rot
• Black mold
• Sprouting
• Misshapen
• Sour skin
• Mechanical damage/cut
• Green on white onions
• Color
• Watery scale
• Root tear
• Sun scald
• And many more

With detection accuracy down to 0.2 mm, the system delivers consistent and objective grading results.

Benefits include:

✅ Reduced customer claims
✅Improved pack-out rates
✅ More consistent grading
✅ Reliable shipment quality
✅Stronger customer relationships

Yes, with Ellips light transmittance technology, the system can grade the internal quality of each onion and detect hidden defects such as:

• Fusarium
• Internal rot,
• Ring rot
• Neck rot
• Bulb rot
• Root plate
• New growth
• Twins

The Ellips Internal Quality system performs up to 20 high-speed internal scans per onion, virtually slicing the onion to reveal defects that are not visible from the outside.

Benefits include:

✅ Detection of hidden internal defects
✅ Reduced customer claims
✅ Fewer rejected shipments
✅ Improved product consistency
✅Greater confidence in delivered quality

Ellips True-AI is trained to distinguish between natural variation and actual defects. By applying consistent grading logic to every onion, the system minimizes false rejects and helps maximize pack-out and overall yield.

This allows more saleable onions to be packed and sold while maintaining consistent quality standards.

Inconsistent grading can lead to operational, financial and commercial risks for onion growers and packers.

Common consequences include:

• Customer complaints
• Rejected shipments
• Pricing penalties and quality claims
• Lower pack-out rates
• Increased waste
• Damage to brand reputation

It can also make it more difficult to meet market specifications and maintain long-term relationships with buyers who expect consistent quality.

AI-powered grading systems such as Elisam machines with Ellips True-AI eliminate this variability by applying objective and consistent grading standards to every onion. This helps reduce claims, improve quality consistency and deliver reliable results batch after batch.

Yes, the Ellips onion grading software allows you to define and apply multiple quality classes based on your specific requirements.

For example, onions can be sorted into:

• Class 1 (Premium)
• Class 2 (Minor defects)
• Class 3 (Processing)

The system is fully flexible, enabling you to customize grading standards for different markets, customers and applications.

This helps ensure each onion is directed to the most appropriate market, maximizing value and maintaining consistent quality standards.

Yes, Elisam onion grading machines powered by Ellips True-AI are designed to handle all onion varieties with high accuracy.

Whether it’s yellow, red, white or brown onions, the system automatically recognizes their unique characteristics and applies the appropriate grading standards.

This enables growers and packers to grade multiple varieties consistently without changing equipment or compromising grading accuracy.

Yes, Elisam onion grading machines powered by Ellips True-AI are designed to handle onions of all sizes and shapes with high accuracy. The machine uses dedicated cups, configured to the specific onion sizes of each operation, ensuring every onion is individually assessed with the same precision.

Whether grading smaller European sizes or larger jumbo onions common in the US market, the system applies the appropriate grading standards consistently and efficiently, batch after batch.

Elisam onion grading machines typically process 2 to 4.5 tons per hour per lane, depending on onion size.

Capacity can be scaled through multi-lane configurations:

• 1 lane: 2-4.5 tons per hour
• 4 lanes: up to 18 tons per hour
• 8 lanes: up to 36 tons per hour

This high-capacity design helps packhouses handle peak volumes efficiently while maintaining consistent grading performance and meeting delivery deadlines.

Yes, Ellips True-AI enables full-speed grading regardless of onion quality. The system maintains maximum processing speed while accurately detecting defects, even in mixed-quality batches.

Traditionally, batches with uneven onion quality often required slower processing speeds to maintain grading accuracy. With True-AI, this is no longer necessary.

Benefits include:

✅ Maximum throughput
✅ Accurate defect detection
✅ Consistent grading performance
✅ Higher operational efficiency
✅ More volume processed without compromising quality

Labor savings depend on your operation, product mix and current grading process. By automating grading, an Elisam onion grading machine can significantly reduce the need for manual sorting and lower labor costs.

Several customers have reported concrete results:

• Owyhee Produce (USA) installed their Elisam onion grader in 2019, then upgraded to True-AI in 2023 for enhanced defect detection. The AI upgrade helped reduce finish sorters from 2 per line to 1, cutting labor needs by 4 to 5 people overall, while making quality control and training easier to manage.
• Groka (Germany) reduced its sorting team from 10 people to just 2 — one operator and one post-checker. The Elisam grader also runs at full capacity for the entire 8-hour shift, compared to human workers who were only effective for about 5 of those 8 hours.
• Stourgarden (UK) now processes up to 200 tons of onions per day — more than their old mechanical grader — while cutting their grading team from 16 people to 6, reducing their labor bill by an estimated 40%.

Benefits include:

✅ Lower labor costs
✅ Reduced dependence on seasonal workers
✅ Fewer night shifts
✅ Higher throughput
✅ More consistent grading results

Yes, Elisam onion grading machines are designed to maintain high throughput and consistent grading performance during peak production periods. Operators can switch between grading specifications instantly, making it easy to respond to changing customer requirements and last-minute orders.

Benefits include:

✅ High-capacity processing
✅ Instant grade and specification changes
✅ Consistent quality under high volumes
✅ Fewer sorting errors
✅ Reliable delivery performance

This helps packhouses meet tight deadlines, maintain product quality and respond quickly to market demand throughout the season.

Elisam onion grading machines are designed for maximum uptime, consistent performance and long-term durability. Built with high-quality components and engineered in-house, the systems require minimal maintenance, reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns and helping packhouses operate reliably throughout the season.

Customers highlight the reliability of the system in daily operation:

“It’s a very straight-line and reliable machine. Simple but effective. We shut it down just 7–10 days a year for major maintenance. The rest of the time, it runs six days a week.”

Ben Collins, Stourgarden

Yes. For most onion growers and packers, an AI-powered grading machine pays for itself within a few seasons by reducing costs, increasing efficiency and improving product value.

Key value drivers include:

✅ Reduced labor costs
✅ Higher pack-out rates
✅ More consistent quality
✅ Increased throughput
✅ Lower waste and fewer claims

In addition to cost savings, AI grading helps maximize revenue by sorting onions more accurately into higher-value categories.

The exact return depends on your operation. Ellips and Elisam can provide a customized ROI calculation based on your volumes, labor situation and business goals.

The return on investment of an onion grading machine is driven by a combination of lower operating costs, higher efficiency and improved product quality.

Key ROI drivers include:

• Reduced labor costs through automation
• Higher pack-out rates and more onions in premium grades
• Better market prices through consistent quality
• Lower waste and fewer customer claims
• Increased throughput and processing capacity
• Reduced downtime through reliable machine performance
• Lower food and energy waste

Together, these benefits help onion growers and packers reduce costs, increase revenue and improve profitability over time.

The payback period depends on factors such as production volume, labor costs and the level of automation. In most cases, onion grading machines achieve a return on investment within a couple of years.

Typical savings come from:

✅ Reduced labor costs
✅ Higher pack-out rates
✅ Lower losses from waste and claims

By improving both efficiency and product quality, the system quickly contributes to a more profitable operation.

To provide a clear and realistic estimate, Ellips and Elisam can calculate the expected return on investment based on your specific operation, volumes, labor situation and market requirements.

We follow a structured process to help you find the best solution for your operation and maximize your return on investment:

1. Discovery call – We discuss your goals, challenges, product characteristics and capacity requirements.
2. Reference visit – We share relevant customer cases and, if desired, arrange a visit to an existing customer installation.
3. Live demonstration – We test your own produce to show grading performance and results.
4. ROI analysis – We calculate the expected return on investment based on your situation.
5. Solution design – We develop a grading solution tailored to your operation.
6. Installation & training – Our specialists install the system and train your team to ensure a smooth start

This approach ensures you have a clear understanding of the technology, expected results and business impact before making a decision.

Ellips brings more than 37 years of experience in grading technology, with over 3,500 grading solutions installed worldwide across 20 different fruit and vegetable types.

Together with Elisam and Elifab, the company supports a global installed base of more than 350 grading machines and 3,000 retrofit installations, helping growers and packers improve quality, efficiency and consistency.

As a family-founded company, Ellips combines proven technology with long-term customer relationships, delivering practical solutions backed by decades of industry expertise.

Ellips grading technology, integrated into Elisam onion grading machines, is trusted by onion growers, farms, and packing companies around the world. More than 55 Elisam-Ellips onion grading machines and 300+ grading lanes have been installed, supporting high-capacity onion grading operations across a wide range of markets and growing conditions.

Customers include:

• Owyhee Produce
• Groka
• Eagle Eye Produce
• Target Ag Production, LLC
• Jensen Farms Produce Inc.
• Obendorf Farms
• Stourgarden
• Wild
• Bland Farms
• Walla Walla
• Rio Fresh
• G&R Farms
• Tex Mex
• Nunhems
• Zerella Fresh
• Patane Produce
• LJM Produce
• Southern Packers
• Hazera
• Van Andel Bio
• Vidalia Onions
• Dutoit
• Gugger-Guillod SA
• Vegco
• Maatschap Roorda Ternaard

…and many other onion growers and packers worldwide.

Yes, Ellips is a family-founded company with over 37 years of experience in grading technology. Founded by Erwin Bakker, the company is now shaped by the next generation, with his children Mitchel, Levi and Jody actively contributing to areas such as product development, customer relationships and user experience.

This combination of experience and new perspectives ensures continuous innovation in AI-powered grading solutions, while maintaining a strong focus on long-term partnerships, trust and practical solutions that work in daily operations.

Yes, Ellips and Elisam grading solutions are used by leading onion growers and packers worldwide. Many customers have improved grading accuracy, increased throughput and achieved more consistent quality by implementing AI-powered grading technology.

You can explore real-world customer stories and see how different operations benefit from Ellips True-AI in practice:

How Owyhee Produce uses AI to deliver consistency that builds reputation and market share

Explore customer story Owyhee Produce

Stourgarden doubles capacity and improves quality levels with AI onion grader

This is how Groka expands capacities with a guarantee for quality

Target AG invests in AI to enhance customer satisfaction and efficiency

Elisam and Ellips provide fast, expert support to keep your packhouse running efficiently throughout the season. Many issues can be resolved remotely by experienced engineers, while local service specialists are available when on-site assistance is required.

Operators receive comprehensive training to confidently manage grading, system settings and daily production.

To ensure long-term performance, we provide ongoing maintenance and support, including:

• Pre-season inspections and preparation
• In-season technical support
• Post-season performance reviews
• Software updates and system optimization

This proactive approach helps minimize downtime, maximize throughput and keep your grading operation performing at its best year after year.

Installation time depends on the size of the system and the complexity of the packhouse. Smaller installations and retrofits can often be completed within days, while larger projects may take 2-4 weeks.

Each project is carefully planned by Elisam and Ellips specialists to minimize disruption to your operation. From mechanical installation and software integration to testing and commissioning, experienced teams manage the entire process to ensure your grading system is up and running as quickly and efficiently as possible.

“We have been extremely pleased with the entire project, including design, project management, installation, training and ongoing customer support. The overall project was excellent.”

Kip Yeates – Wada Farms

Yes, Ellips and Elisam grading systems are designed for long-term use and continuous improvement. Regular software updates enhance performance and introduce new capabilities over time.

The system is built around modular architecture, allowing you to upgrade components as technology evolves, including:

• Cameras
• Software
• Internal quality modules
• AI grading capabilities

For existing sorting machines, Ellips also offers retrofit solutions, enabling you to upgrade your current equipment with the latest grading technology without replacing the entire machine.

This helps protect your investment and ensures your operation remains competitive for years to come.

Ellips TrueSort captures detailed data on every onion processed, including:

• Size
• Shape
• Color
• Weight
• External defects
• Internal quality characteristics

Using advanced imaging technology, the system captures up to 60 high-resolution images per onion, ensuring highly accurate analysis and classification.

This data is translated into clear reports and insights, including:

1. Quality distribution
2. Defect rates
3. Size grades
4. Class breakdowns
5. Yield performance

All data can be linked to batches, growers and fields for traceability and performance analysis. With the optional Data Acquisition feature, data can also be exported or integrated with external systems for advanced analytics, forecasting and R&D.

Yes. Ellips TrueSort collects detailed grading data that helps you improve quality, efficiency and profitability over time.

You can use this data to:

• Compare growing techniques and production methods
• Evaluate field, supplier or grower performance
• Identify quality and yield trends across batches and seasons
• Reduce waste and improve consistency
• Support more informed operational and commercial decisions

With the optional Data Acquisition feature, grading data can also be combined with external sources such as weather, storage and logistics data to support:

1. Harvest planning
2. Demand forecasting
3. Quality prediction

By turning grading data into actionable insights, Ellips TrueSort helps you continuously optimize performance across your operation.

Yes, Ellips TrueSort provides real-time dashboards and built-in reporting tools, giving operators and management full visibility over grading performance.

Live dashboards track key metrics such as:

• Production status
• Defect rates
• Waste levels
• Packing performance by product or classification

This helps teams identify issues early, respond quickly and keep operations running efficiently. The system also includes built-in reports for products, classes, and packaging, which can be exported or integrated with tools such as Microsoft Power BI for deeper analysis and reporting.

By combining real-time monitoring with historical data, TrueSort helps you improve efficiency, reduce errors and continuously optimize performance.

Ellips TrueSort tracks every onion from intake to final packaging, digitally linking each product to its grower, field and batch. This provides complete visibility throughout the grading and packing process, making it easy to trace products, verify quality and meet food safety requirements.

Traceability data also helps you:

✅ Support accurate grower payments
✅ Improve quality control
✅ Reduce food waste
✅ Respond quickly to recalls
✅ Protect brand reputation

The result is full product traceability and greater control across your entire supply chain.

Yes, Ellips TrueSort is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing packhouse operations. Through open APIs, the system connects with ERP systems, WMS platforms, packing lines, and third-party software, enabling automatic data exchange and reducing manual input and errors.

TrueSort also integrates with a wide range of packhouse equipment, including:

• Bin tippers
• Multi-head weighers
• Packing tables
• Palletizers
• Automated packing lines

Using industry-standard communication protocols such as Modbus and Profibus, TrueSort ensures compatibility with equipment from different suppliers. The result is a connected workflow from intake to packing, improving efficiency and reducing labor throughout the operation.