How to ease labor troubles with automation

More Reliable Robots

Harvest Automation's HV-100 Plant Handling Robot was first introduced in 2013. It is designed to automatically move plants around the bay over short distances.

"Growers mainly use it for accurate plant spacing, but it also does collection and consolidation," says Charles Grinnell, General Manager of Harvest Automation. "It's designed to line plants up in precise patterns, based on whatever the grower needs."

Since first introducing the HV-100 Plant Handling Robot in 2013, Grinnell says the company has made a few changes both in how the product works and how growers can access it.

"We can now rent the robots to new customers who need it for certain times of the year," Grinnell says. "They're usually pretty worn out by the time we get them back, but that's OK. Like with any automation, you want to keep the machine running to get the best return on investment."

Inside the robot, the motors have been improved, and several software changes have improved navigation to improve productivity.

"If repairs are needed, we ship parts back and forth, and we also have an online portal that includes tips on making repairs," Grinnell says.

Perhaps the most notable recent upgrade to the HV-100 is a new accessory that allows for topdressing of granular fertilizer.

"One of our customers said it would be great if we could use the robot for dual purposes, so we partnered with GreenElf Works in Australia on the design of a new attachment."

Grinnell notes that with labor at a premium and growers facing the likelihood of another busy spring, there's been a lot of interest in the robots.

"If growers weren't ready to use them when we first introduced them, they certainly are now," Grinnell says.

More Automation Equals Less Stress

Previously, it was difficult for growers to justify investing in a piece of automation that might only reduce what one person could do.

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Photo by Zoe Schaeffer on Unsplash

Source: Greenhouse Grower