Automation for sustainable agriculture

Transplanters play a key role in the modern horticultural industry. They automate the delicate transplanting of plug plants from small trays to larger trays or growing areas. These systems grip and transport seedlings, sort them according to quality and place them precisely, quickly and gently. Automation is essential to ensure the plants are evenly spaced and growing conditions are optimum.

Festo offers customised solutions for this demanding task:

• 2-axis handling systems with servo drives CMMT-ST, stepper motors EMMT-ST and toothed belt axes ELGD-TB provide the precision required for accurately placing and sorting plants.
• Compressed air service units (MS series) provide clean, constant compressed air for precise gripping and smooth movements.
• Valve terminals VTUX make sure the pneumatic actuators are controlled quickly and precisely, ideal for rapidly moving and sorting plants.

The combination of clean compressed air, fast control and precise positioning forms the basis for powerful and reliable transplanters and for achieving maximum efficiency and minimising plant damage.

Automated plant transport systems are crucial for optimising the flow of materials in large nurseries and greenhouses. These systems move plants efficiently between different growth phases and processing stations, ensuring a smooth process. Plants are sorted according to size and quality and then transported to the appropriate stations. Automation reduces manual labour and increases productivity.

Festo offers sturdy and reliable components for these systems:

• With our Simplified Motion Series, you can solve the simplest motion and positioning tasks electrically and cost-effectively.
• Valves VUVG enable cylinders to be controlled quickly and accurately for synchronised movements.
• Linear drives DGC-K offer smooth transport over longer distances, ideal for conveyor belts or transport between workspaces.
• PUN-H tubing provides a reliable and efficient supply of compressed air.

These components work seamlessly together, creating a high-performance system that minimises downtime and maximises productivity.

Sorting and packing flowers is a special automation task in horticulture. Modern systems pack flowers efficiently ready for distribution. The process includes sorting by quality and variety, inserting protective sleeves and feeding the packaged flowers into downstream processes. This automation is crucial for gently processing the delicate flowers once they have been harvested and for delivering them to the consumer in optimum quality.

Festo offers electrical and pneumatic solutions for this demanding task:

• Servo drives CMMT-ST and stepper motors EMMT-ST in combination with the toothed belt axis ELGD-TB enable synchronised movements of the robot grippers, thus guaranteeing the flowers are handled smoothly.
• Festo gripper solutions, which are customised for different flower sizes and shapes, ensure a secure grip without causing any damage.
• Compact cylinders ADN-S perform auxiliary tasks such as adjusting the sleeves and precisely positioning the flowers.

With a combination of electric drives, flexible grippers and reliable pneumatic components, Festo offers comprehensive automation solutions for sorting and packaging flowers and ornamental plants.