How to combine & automate basic operations in your seed lab ?
Over the past 25 ans OPTOmachines has developed a range of devices and tools for seed analysis, conditioning and handling. Combined with a huge experience in automation, we are in the position to help you automate operations in your seed lab.
You would like to:
- Simplify and automate process ?
- Improve reliability and traceability ?
- Concentrate skills of staff on high added-value activities ?
Let’s discuss and configure together your customized solution.
1- Automated lines:
We help the research institutes and the seed industry to define and build the automation of their seed analysis and handling. This kind of long term project, based on a cooperative dialog, is something we like a lot, because it leads to new ideas, and to the development of innovative products.
Examples:
Post-harvest Phenotyping Robot Line
Work station for grain phenotyping of a huge number of seed batches, dedicated to cereals:
- 20 samples per hour
- 50 samples up to 4 kg
- Cycle time: 3 minutes
Developed for the INRA in Montpellier France within the project Phenome, our phenotyping robot line allows to achieve the following operations with samples batches up to 4 kg, in autonomy:
- Grain cleaning (Grain cleaner developed by Optomachines, able to sort the whole grains, the broken, small and trash)
- Weighing
- Identification of each sample and tracking
- Homogenizing (equipment developed by Optomachines)
- TSW, morphometry (length, width, area, circularity, etc…) and colorimetry with our station Opto Agrimetric
- Specific weight (with a NIRS equipment – not developed by Optomachines), proteins, humidity, gluten and Zeleny
- Packing & labelling
Automated seed treatment & packaging line
Within varietal trials, a growing number of seed batches and in various quantities (of 60 kg maximum) must be treated and packaged. This line was built for the GEVES in Surgères – France.
The goal of this line is:
- Conditioning seeds in “on demand” number of seeds (modifiable at every sample) from 40 g to 1.5 kg
- Increase production output
- Improve the work conditions of staff, specially regarding the handling of phytosanitary products
- Improve traceability.
The seed treatment and packaging line is composed with:
1- A set of devices for seed preparation, including a fast Thousand Seed Weight station Opto Agri, an homogenizer from our own production, dosing devices (own production), the batches identification, etc…
2- A seed treatment machine avoiding the handling of phytosanitary products by the personnel.
3- A bagging, labelling and conditioning area.
4- A storage and distribution area on conveyors.
2- Devices to be integrated into an existing process:
Developped for the hereunder installations, a few devices can be supplied separately, for installation in an existing line, or used alone: seed cleaner, homogenizer & programmable dosing system.
Laboratory Seed Cleaner: OPTO Cleaner
Patented screens with higher cleaning performance. Here are the main features and advantages compared with the standard cleaners:
- Small and broken grain coming from the screens is collected
- Small grain mixed with light trash from the air column is separated in an additional screen
- All adjustments are independant and unique (air flow, speed of screen, frequency of vibration). The cleaner is easy to adjust.
- Automated screen cleaning after each cycle, to avoid any mix of grains
- Flow of 4 kg in 3 mn, including feeding, cleaning, emptying and screen cleaning.
Homogenizer :
Rotary drum for mixing seeds slowly and efficiently. A sampler can be connected at the exit for dividing the sample in fractions, before analysis.
The rotation speed and time are programmable.
Size being adjusted to customer’s need: 4 kg, 50 kg, etc…
Programmable dosing device :
Dosing system adapted to low quantities of seeds (loading capacity up to 25 kg), able to prepare seeds doses from a few grams to 1,5 kg.
The user enters the specific weight of the seed, programms the desired weight or volume, and the doses number. Ideal for “on demand” packaging.
The weight of each dose can be different.
The system has to be connected to a bagging device.
Dimensions & loading capacity of our devices vary according to customer’s project.
We would be pleased to assist you in your own project.