asked
questions
BoMill InSight™ is an industrial grain sorting solution that analyzes and sorts individual kernels based on their internal properties. Using Near-Infrared Transmission (NIR-T) spectroscopy, it enables grain processors to separate wheat and barley into quality fractions based on characteristics such as protein content.
BoMill InSight™ analyzes the inside of each individual kernel and maintains control of the kernel throughout the sorting process.
Conventional optical sorters typically inspect free-falling grain using cameras and make sorting decisions based mainly on external characteristics such as color, shape and visible defects. Because the kernels are moving freely through the sorting zone, rejection relies on identifying and ejecting the target kernel at high speed.
BoMill InSight™ works differently. Each kernel is individually guided through the system, analyzed using Near-Infrared Transmission (NIR-T) spectroscopy and kept under controlled movement until the sorting decision is executed. Only the kernels selected for separation are diverted.
This controlled single-kernel handling, combined with analysis of internal grain properties, enables highly precise sorting and reduces the risk of unintentionally removing surrounding kernels.
BoMill InSight™ analyzes and sorts grain kernel by kernel in a controlled process.
The grain first enters the system and is distributed so that individual kernels can be handled separately. Each kernel is guided through the measurement area, where Near-Infrared Transmission (NIR-T) light passes through the kernel and generates information about its internal characteristics.
The system evaluates that measurement against the selected sorting criteria and makes a decision for each individual kernel.
Because the kernel remains under controlled movement throughout the process, BoMill InSight™ knows which kernel has been analyzed and where it is in the system. The kernel is then directed into the appropriate fraction according to the sorting decision.
The result is a continuous process in which every kernel is:
a) individually handled,
b) analyzed internally using NIR-T,
c) classified according to the selected quality criteria, and
d) directed into one of two output fractions.
This makes it possible to separate a grain batch based on the variation that exists between individual kernels rather than relying only on the average quality of the batch
Single-kernel sorting means that every individual grain kernel is analyzed and a sorting decision is made for that specific kernel.
Traditional grain quality measurements usually describe a batch using an average value. However, a grain batch can contain substantial variation between individual kernels, even when the overall average appears acceptable.
BoMill InSight™ makes that variation visible and actionable. Each kernel is handled individually, analyzed using Near-Infrared Transmission (NIR-T) spectroscopy, classified according to the selected quality criteria and directed into the appropriate fraction.
This allows processors to separate kernels with different internal quality characteristics instead of treating the entire batch as if all kernels were the same.
For example, a wheat batch with an average protein level may contain both lower- and higher-protein kernels. Single-kernel sorting can separate these populations into more homogeneous fractions, allowing each fraction to be used where it creates the most value.
In practical terms, single-kernel sorting turns variation within a grain batch from something hidden by averages into something that can be measured, separated and used.
Near-Infrared Transmission (NIR-T) spectroscopy uses near-infrared light transmitted through each kernel to analyze its internal characteristics. This enables BoMill InSight™ to identify differences that cannot necessarily be seen from the outside.
BoMill InSight™ is designed for wheat and barley, with applications in flour milling, malting and other grain-processing operations where internal grain quality is important.
BoMill InSight™ sorts wheat and barley based on differences related to protein, using Near-Infrared Transmission (NIR-T) spectroscopy.
Each kernel is analyzed individually and classified according to the selected protein-related sorting criteria before being directed into the appropriate fraction.
Yes. BoMill InSight™ can sort wheat and barley based on relative differences in protein content between individual kernels.
The system does not directly measure the absolute protein content of each kernel. Instead, Near-Infrared Transmission (NIR-T) spectroscopy provides a relative protein-related measurement that allows the kernels to be compared and classified.
Based on the selected sorting criteria, each kernel is then directed into the appropriate fraction, making it possible to separate a mixed grain batch into fractions with different protein characteristics.
BoMill InSight™ separates the incoming grain stream into two fractions according to the selected sorting criteria.
Yes. BoMill InSight™ can create more homogeneous fractions by separating kernels according to their relative protein characteristics.
A conventional protein measurement normally gives an average protein value for the entire batch. However, that average does not show how protein is distributed between the individual kernels. Two batches with the same average protein content can have very different distributions: one may contain kernels clustered relatively close to the average, while another may contain a much wider spread of lower- and higher-protein kernels.
BoMill InSight™ works at the individual-kernel level. By analyzing the relative protein characteristics of each kernel, the system can apply a selected sorting threshold and separate the original population into two fractions.
For example, a batch with an average protein content of 12% does not necessarily consist mainly of kernels around 12%. It may contain a broad distribution of kernels with relatively lower and higher protein characteristics. By selecting an appropriate sorting threshold, BoMill InSight™ can separate this broad distribution into two narrower populations: one with relatively lower protein characteristics and one with relatively higher protein characteristics.
As a result, each separated fraction can have less kernel-to-kernel variation and greater protein uniformity than the original unsorted batch.
The objective is therefore not simply to change the average protein level. It is to use the variation already present within the batch to create fractions that are more homogeneous and better suited to their intended use.
Yes. One of the key applications of BoMill InSight™ is to recover usable and higher-value grain from batches that, as a whole, do not meet a required specification.
A batch is normally accepted, rejected or downgraded based on an average quality measurement. However, an out-of-specification average does not mean that every kernel in the batch is out of specification. The batch may contain a distribution of kernels with significantly different protein characteristics.
In malting barley, for example, a batch may have an average protein content that is too high for the required malting specification. Within that batch, however, there may still be a significant proportion of kernels with relatively lower protein characteristics. BoMill InSight™ can separate the higher-protein kernels from the lower-protein population. This can create a fraction with a lower average protein level that may meet the required specification and can therefore be recovered for a higher-value malting application.
In wheat, the principle can also be used in the opposite direction. A wheat batch may have an average protein content that is too low for a particular milling or end-use requirement, while still containing a proportion of relatively higher-protein kernels. By separating those kernels from the lower-protein population, BoMill InSight™ can create a higher-protein fraction that may meet a more valuable specification or be better suited to a particular application.
The percentage of grain that can be recovered and the resulting quality of each fraction depend on the protein distribution within the original batch and the selected sorting threshold.
BoMill InSight™ therefore does not change the protein of the grain. It identifies and separates the quality variation already present within the batch, allowing processors to recover fractions that may otherwise be lost to a lower-value use because of the batch average.
BoMill InSight™ helps flour millers and grain processors make better use of the natural protein variation within a wheat batch by separating individual kernels according to their relative protein characteristics.
Key applications include:
Upgrading wheat: A batch with an average protein content below a required specification may still contain a significant proportion of higher-protein kernels. These can be separated to create a higher-protein fraction with greater potential value.
Creating more homogeneous fractions: Wheat with a broad protein distribution can be separated into narrower, more consistent fractions, reducing kernel-to-kernel variation.
Matching wheat to different end uses: Higher- and lower-protein fractions can be directed toward applications where their characteristics are better suited, rather than using the entire batch for a single purpose.
Increasing raw-material flexibility: By separating wheat according to its protein characteristics, mills can potentially use a wider range of wheat qualities and origins, including more domestically or locally sourced grain. This can reduce reliance on imported higher-protein wheat, particularly when imports are more costly or carry a higher environmental footprint due to transportation.
Optimizing raw-material use: Mills can extract more value from the wheat they already have and potentially make use of batches that would otherwise be downgraded or require blending with higher-quality wheat.
BoMill InSight™ does not change the protein characteristics of the wheat. It separates the variation already present in the batch so that different fractions can be used where they create the most value.
BoMill InSight™ helps maltsters and barley processors manage the natural protein variation within a barley batch by separating individual kernels according to their relative protein characteristics.
Key applications include:
Recovering malting-quality barley: A batch with an average protein content above the malting specification may still contain a significant proportion of suitable lower-protein kernels. By separating the higher-protein kernels, part of the batch can potentially be recovered for malting instead of downgrading the entire lot.
Creating more homogeneous malting barley: A batch with an acceptable average protein level can still contain a wide protein distribution. Sorting can create a narrower and more uniform fraction, providing more consistent raw material for the malting process.
Increasing raw-material flexibility: Maltsters can potentially make use of barley lots or origins that would otherwise fall outside their preferred protein specifications. This can also create opportunities to use more domestically or locally sourced barley instead of relying on imported grain, particularly when imports are more costly or carry a higher environmental footprint due to transportation.
Making better use of available barley: Instead of accepting or rejecting a complete batch based on its average protein value, maltsters can use the quality variation already present in the grain to direct different fractions toward their most suitable applications.
Separating higher-protein barley for other uses: The higher-protein fraction removed from malting barley is not necessarily waste. Depending on the market and application, it can be directed toward another suitable use.
BoMill InSight™ therefore allows maltsters to manage barley quality at the kernel level, helping increase the proportion of available grain that can be used for its most valuable purpose.
BoMill InSight™ is available in different configurations to match different capacity requirements:
BoMill InSight™ Single: approximately 2 metric tons per hour, ideal for smaller volumes, specialty applications, testing and operations that want to start at a lower capacity.
BoMill InSight™ 30: industrial sorting capacity of up to 30 metric tons per hour per system.
BoMill InSight™ HiFlex: a modular high-capacity concept designed for larger-scale operations, with configurations of up to approximately 200 metric tons per hour.
All configurations use the same principle of analyzing and sorting grain kernel by kernel according to its internal properties.
For operations requiring capacities beyond 30 metric tons per hour, BoMill InSight™ HiFlex provides a modular approach that combines multiple sorting units into a high-capacity configuration.
The system can be configured according to the required throughput and plant layout, enabling capacities from approximately 60 metric tons per hour up to 200 metric tons per hour while using the same single-kernel sorting principle.
Yes. The BoMill InSight™ portfolio is designed with scalability and future capacity needs in mind.
BoMill InSight™ Single offers a lower-capacity entry point and uses the same sorting unit as larger configurations, providing a path to higher capacity as requirements grow. BoMill InSight™ 30 configurations provide industrial capacity of up to 30 metric tons per hour, while BoMill InSight™ HiFlex addresses higher-throughput requirements with modular configurations of up to approximately 200 metric tons per hour.
This allows customers to select a configuration based on their current requirements while considering future expansion from the beginning.
The exact expansion possibilities depend on the original configuration, available space, grain handling system and plant layout. Future capacity requirements should therefore be considered during the initial system design.
No. Increasing capacity does not change the fundamental sorting principle of BoMill InSight™.
Higher-capacity installations are achieved through BoMill InSight™'s modular concept, where multiple sorting units operate in parallel. Each unit uses the same controlled single-kernel handling and Near-Infrared Transmission (NIR-T) technology to analyze individual kernels according to their relative protein characteristics and direct them into the appropriate fraction.
This means that increasing the total throughput of an installation does not require changing the underlying sorting method. Capacity can be scaled to meet the needs of larger industrial operations while maintaining the same kernel-by-kernel sorting concept.
With the configurations available today, BoMill InSight™ installations can reach total capacities of almost 200 metric tons per hour, depending on the application and configuration.
Yes. BoMill InSight™ is designed for continuous operation in industrial grain-processing environments.
Once the sorting parameters have been selected and the system is running, grain is continuously fed through the equipment, where individual kernels are analyzed, classified according to their relative protein characteristics and directed into the appropriate fraction.
The system is designed to require limited operator intervention during normal operation. As with other industrial processing equipment, planned cleaning, inspection and preventive maintenance are required to support reliable operation and consistent performance.
This makes BoMill InSight™ suitable for integration into high-throughput flour mills, maltings and grain-processing facilities where continuous operation and production availability are important.
Yes. BoMill InSight™ can be integrated into both existing and new grain-processing lines.
The system is designed to become part of the customer's existing grain flow rather than requiring a completely separate processing concept. The optimal integration point depends on the application, available space, required capacity, existing conveying equipment and what the customer intends to do with the two resulting fractions.
BoMill works with the customer during project planning to determine the appropriate configuration, grain flow and connection to upstream and downstream equipment.
Because BoMill InSight™ is modular, the integration can also be planned with future capacity requirements in mind.
The space required for a BoMill InSight™ installation depends on the selected capacity and system configuration.
A single-system installation has different requirements from a high-capacity installation using multiple units in parallel. The complete installation also needs to consider grain feeding, conveying, the handling of the two resulting fractions, access for operation and maintenance, and the surrounding equipment already present in the facility.
For this reason, there is no single footprint that applies to every BoMill InSight™ project. BoMill evaluates the customer's available space and existing process layout to determine the most suitable configuration and integration.
The exact infrastructure requirements depend on the size and configuration of the installation.
A BoMill InSight™ project needs to consider electrical supply, compressed air, grain feeding and conveying, connections to upstream and downstream equipment, handling of the separated fractions, plant automation and sufficient access for operation and maintenance.
For existing facilities, BoMill evaluates how the system can best be incorporated into the current process. For new installations, the required infrastructure can be included directly in the plant design.
Detailed technical and utility requirements are therefore defined for each project according to its capacity, layout and integration needs.
Yes. BoMill InSight™ is designed for industrial operation with a high degree of automation and limited operator intervention during normal production.
Once the appropriate sorting settings have been established, the system continuously handles, analyzes and sorts individual kernels according to the selected protein-related criteria.
Operators interact with the system through its control interface and are trained by BoMill as part of the implementation process. Normal operation primarily involves supervising the process, selecting the appropriate settings for the application and carrying out the required cleaning and routine maintenance.
The objective is to make single-kernel sorting a practical part of the customer's normal production process rather than a laboratory-style operation requiring continuous specialist supervision.
Yes. BoMill InSight™ can be integrated with plant automation and SCADA environments so that it can operate as part of the customer's wider production process.
The exact level of integration depends on the facility and its existing control architecture. During project planning, BoMill works with the customer to define the required signals, interfaces and operational logic between BoMill InSight™ and the surrounding grain-handling equipment.
This allows the sorting system to be incorporated into the overall plant operation rather than functioning as an isolated piece of equipment.
BoMill InSight™ is designed for reliable industrial operation and requires regular cleaning, inspection and preventive maintenance.
Routine maintenance helps ensure that grain flows correctly through the system and that the optical and mechanical components involved in single-kernel analysis and sorting remain in the appropriate operating condition.
The exact maintenance schedule depends on operating conditions and utilization. BoMill provides customers with maintenance instructions, training and technical support and can also support troubleshooting and diagnostics when required.
Preventive maintenance is an important part of maintaining availability and consistent sorting performance over the lifetime of the equipment.
BoMill InSight™ is designed so that normal operation does not require the customer to perform conventional protein calibration of individual kernels.
The system uses NIR-T information to make a relative protein-related classification for sorting purposes. It should therefore not be understood as a laboratory instrument providing an absolute protein quantity for every kernel.
The appropriate system settings and procedures are established for the intended sorting application, while routine operation focuses on running and maintaining the equipment correctly.
BoMill InSight™ creates value by allowing grain processors to act on the quality variation that already exists within a batch.
A conventional batch measurement provides an average protein value, but individual kernels can be distributed across a much wider range. BoMill InSight™ uses this variation to separate the original grain into two fractions with different protein characteristics.
Depending on the application, this can allow processors to recover grain that would otherwise be downgraded, create a higher-value fraction, produce more homogeneous raw material, reduce dependence on blending or direct different grain qualities toward the applications where they create the greatest value.
The economic opportunity therefore depends on the original protein distribution, grain volumes, market values and how the resulting fractions can be used.
BoMill InSight™ can help flour millers extract more value from the natural protein variation within their wheat.
For example, a wheat batch with an average protein content below a particular specification may still contain a significant population of relatively higher-protein kernels. By separating these kernels, the mill can create a higher-protein fraction with the potential to meet a more valuable specification or end-use requirement.
Sorting can also create more homogeneous wheat fractions, help mills direct different qualities toward appropriate products and potentially reduce the amount of higher-protein wheat required for blending.
The value depends on each mill's raw-material situation, product requirements, protein distribution and market conditions, which is why BoMill evaluates the application and business case together with the customer.
BoMill InSight™ helps maltsters make better use of the protein variation naturally present within malting barley.
For example, a barley batch may have an average protein content that is too high for a particular malting specification while still containing a significant proportion of relatively lower-protein kernels. By separating the higher-protein population, BoMill InSight™ can create a lower-protein fraction that may meet the required specification, allowing part of the original batch to be recovered for malting.
Sorting can also create a more homogeneous barley fraction, giving the maltster greater control over raw-material consistency.
This can expand the usable raw-material pool, reduce unnecessary downgrading and allow available barley to be directed toward the applications where it creates the most value.
There is no single ROI or payback period that applies to every BoMill InSight™ installation.
The economic return depends on factors such as annual grain volume, protein distribution within the incoming grain, the percentage of grain that can be recovered or upgraded, the value difference between the resulting fractions, operating costs and the specific application.
For this reason, BoMill develops an application-specific business case rather than relying only on a generic payback figure.
The objective is to quantify how much additional value single-kernel sorting could generate under the customer's actual operating and market conditions before an investment decision is made.
The first step is to understand the quality variation within the grain and what that variation could be worth if it were separated.
BoMill evaluates the customer's grain, volumes, current quality challenges, protein requirements, process configuration and potential uses and values of the resulting fractions. Grain samples can be used to understand the protein distribution and evaluate the potential sorting outcome.
This information can then be combined with commercial parameters such as annual volumes and grain values to estimate the potential economic benefit.
The result is a business case based on the customer's actual application rather than a theoretical assumption about the value of sorting.
BoMill InSight™ can reduce unnecessary downgrading by identifying valuable grain within batches that might otherwise be treated according to their average quality.
For example, if a barley batch has an average protein content that is too high for malting, the entire batch might traditionally be directed toward a lower-value application. Single-kernel sorting can separate a lower-protein fraction that may still be suitable for malting while directing the remaining fraction toward another appropriate use.
The same principle can be applied to wheat, where relatively higher-protein kernels can be separated from a batch with a lower average protein level to create a fraction better suited to higher-value applications.
Rather than changing the grain, BoMill InSight™ helps processors make better use of the quality already present within it, allowing a larger proportion of available grain to reach its most appropriate use.
Yes. BoMill InSight™ can potentially increase the usable share of locally available wheat or barley when protein variation is one of the factors limiting its use.
A locally sourced batch may not meet a processor's required average protein specification, but that does not necessarily mean that all kernels are unsuitable. By separating kernels according to their relative protein characteristics, BoMill InSight™ can create fractions better suited to different processing requirements.
This can give processors greater flexibility in raw-material sourcing and potentially allow greater use of locally available grain, reducing reliance on imported grain or the need for blending with higher-quality imported material.
The potential depends on the protein distribution of the available grain and the customer's quality requirements.
BoMill InSight™ supports more efficient use of grain resources by helping processors obtain greater value from the raw material already available.
Single-kernel sorting can recover usable grain from batches that might otherwise be downgraded, create fractions better suited to different applications and potentially increase the use of locally available raw materials.
Where this reduces the need to source grain from further away, it can also help reduce the environmental impact associated with transportation.
The sustainability benefit is therefore closely connected to improved raw-material utilization, reduced unnecessary downgrading and the ability to make more informed use of existing grain resources.
BoMill InSight™ differs from conventional optical sorting in both what it analyzes and how it controls the kernel during sorting.
Optical and color sorters typically use cameras to inspect external characteristics such as color, shape and visible defects while grain is free-falling through the sorting area. Rejection then relies on identifying and ejecting the selected kernel at high speed.
BoMill InSight™ analyzes internal protein-related characteristics using Near-Infrared Transmission (NIR-T). Each kernel is individually guided and remains under controlled movement throughout the measurement and sorting process. The system therefore knows which kernel has been analyzed and only diverts the kernels selected for separation.
This controlled single-kernel handling enables precise physical separation while NIR-T provides information about internal protein characteristics that cannot be determined from a conventional image of the kernel's surface.
No, it does not. BoMill InSight™ and optical or color sorters address different quality characteristics and can therefore be complementary technologies.
A color sorter is designed primarily to identify external characteristics such as color differences, shape or visible defects. BoMill InSight™ is designed to separate kernels according to internal protein-related characteristics using NIR-T spectroscopy.
A processor may therefore use optical sorting for external quality issues and BoMill InSight™ where protein variation within the grain is important.
Whether both technologies are required depends on the customer's raw material, quality challenges and process objectives.
Yes. BoMill InSight™ is designed to be integrated into industrial grain-processing lines and can operate alongside cleaning equipment, optical sorters and other upstream or downstream processing technologies.
The technologies perform different functions. Cleaning equipment removes unwanted material based on physical characteristics, optical sorting can address visible external differences, while BoMill InSight™ separates individual kernels according to their relative protein characteristics.
For optimal performance, it is recommended that the grain is at least pre-cleaned before entering BoMill InSight™.
The appropriate sequence and integration depend on the customer’s process and application. BoMill works with customers to determine where single-kernel sorting should be positioned within the overall grain flow.
BoMill can assess the suitability of an application using representative grain samples, historical quality data, or a combination of both.
Sample testing helps establish how kernels are distributed according to their relative protein characteristics and what fractions could potentially be created using different sorting thresholds. Historical data can also provide insight into recurring quality variations, volumes, specifications, and the potential value of separating the grain into different fractions.
The findings are considered together with the customer’s quality requirements, annual volumes, and the potential value or use of each fraction.
This allows the customer and BoMill to assess the sorting opportunity and develop the business case before defining the appropriate industrial solution.
BoMill evaluates both the technical sorting opportunity and its commercial value.
The process considers the customer's grain and its protein distribution, annual volumes, current specifications and quality challenges, the fractions that could potentially be created, and how those fractions could be used or valued.
The potential value generated by sorting is then assessed against the required BoMill InSight™ configuration and the associated investment and operating considerations.
This application-specific approach is important because the value of single-kernel sorting depends not simply on the average protein of a batch, but on the variation hidden within that average and the commercial value of separating it.
BoMill supports customers from the initial evaluation of the application through preparation for installation.
This can include discussing the customer's quality challenge, evaluating representative grain samples, identifying suitable sorting applications, developing the business case, selecting the appropriate capacity and configuration, and planning how BoMill InSight™ will integrate with the existing process.
Once a project moves forward, BoMill works with the customer on the technical requirements and preparations required for installation and commissioning.
The objective is to ensure that the system configuration and sorting application are defined around the customer's actual grain, process and business objectives before operation begins.
BoMill continues to support customers through commissioning, training, operation and the ongoing use of BoMill InSight™.
Support includes helping the customer establish the system in its production environment, training relevant personnel, providing technical assistance and supporting maintenance and troubleshooting when required.
BoMill can also support customers as their application develops over time, for example when production requirements, grain characteristics or capacity needs change.
The aim is not only to install the equipment but to support reliable operation and help customers continue extracting value from single-kernel sorting throughout the system's lifetime.
Customers interested in evaluating BoMill InSight™ can contact BoMill to discuss their grain, application, required capacity and quality challenge.
A useful starting point is information about the grain type, annual or hourly volume, current protein specifications, the problem the customer wants to solve and how different grain qualities are currently valued or used.
BoMill can then determine the appropriate next step, which may include an initial application discussion, grain evaluation or development of a preliminary business case.
Contact BoMill through info@bomill.com or through the contact form on the BoMill website.