Each grain is imaged from three angles
Cgrain Value™ uses a unique, patented mirror design that presents three views of each grain. This allows grains to be accurately measured and virtually the entire surface to be inspected for defects, providing a high detection rate and good repeatability regardless of grain orientation.
Much more objective than
manual analysis There is a high degree of subjectivity when manually analyzing visual quality features. Regardless of the method descriptions, it is very difficult to consistently measure some defects of interest to grain users. This can vary depending on training as well as permission given for different perceptions of color or how much time to devote to analyzing a sample. Results will be more consistent when using the Cgrain Value, and the instrument will analyze each grain in the same manner at a rate of 8-12 grains per second.
Foreign grain detection in gluten-free oat production For
some users, foreign grain contamination can be a significant quality defect. For example, Cgrain Value is used to detect foreign grains in gluten-free oat production. While the device evaluates each grain similarly, the detection rate is high and the device is used to ensure product quality in a short run time.
Damaged grains in malting barley
Cgrain has calibrated for several different types of damage. For example, pink fusarium or cracked, undersized and peeled barley. Some examples of these defects are shown below with images from the Cgrain Value. Due to the mirrors in the viewing area, each grain is viewed from three angles.
Figure 1: View of a barley grain with Fusarium from three different angles
Figure 2: View of a barley grain from three different angles
Figure 3: Three different angles of a broken barley grain
More data than manual analysis
Cgrain Value™ also measures size and color that manual visual inspection cannot analyze. Below are examples of some of the statistics presented in Cgrain Value™. Measurements can be presented as mean and standard deviation or as scatter diagrams. These data may be of extra interest to seed growers or grain scientists.
