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In the normal flow, nurseries purchase vast amounts of seed from seed manufacturers, sow and raise inventory, and ultimately sell their end-products to customers, landscapers, gardeners, etc. Amazingly enough, the seed industry largely remains one that conducts transactions by relying on estimated weights rather than exact numbers. For more information contact [email protected]
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www.data-technologies.com Data Detection Technologies Ltd. 2012
Seed Counting Technology Challenges For Nurseries
Introduction
As seeds become more and more expensive, the
need to have seeds counted by the actual number
and not by an estimated weight value becomes
more and more critical.
For seed manufacturers, such a change
can save hundreds of thousands of dollars
every year without requiring any change in its
production process.
For plant nurseries, on the other side of
this equation, previously there was no way for
them to check whether the quantity of seeds
they purchased accurately matched the
amount of seeds delivered.
DATA Technologies’ counting machines are
based on an existing, advanced technology
that has now been adapted to meet new
standards in the seeds industry enabling both
seed manufacturers and plant nurseries to
conduct their transactions using exact
numbers rather than estimates.
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www.data-technologies.com Data Detection Technologies Ltd. 2012
Challenges Faced by Nurseries In the normal flow, nurseries purchase vast
amounts of seed from seed manufacturers,
sow and raise inventory, and ultimately sell
their end-products to customers, landscapers,
gardeners, etc. Amazingly enough, the seed
industry largely remains one that conducts
transactions by relying on estimated weights
rather than exact numbers.
When someone places an order with a seed
manufacturer, many of them will include a
certain percentage of overage to ensure
meeting the number specified in the order.
Nurseries are largely left to trust the seed
packaging process and either do not check
what they receive, or check with the same
inaccurate method.
Finally, if the nursery does discover a Problem,
typically it is during the sowing stage or after a
long delay, during which the seeds were in
storage. Returning to the seed manufacturer may
not be possible, and even if it is, there is no
guarantee that sufficient seed will be available to
counter any problem in the original delivery.
Industry Requirements Nurseries are tasked with processing thousands,
perhaps tens of thousands of seeds each season.
Any solution that would involve verifying the
exact number of seeds received from seed
manufacturers would need to be:
Extremely accurate
Cost-effective
Fast and easy-to-integrate
Scalable to accurately count large and small
quantities of seeds
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www.data-technologies.com Data Detection Technologies Ltd. 2012
Estimated Weight versus Exact
Count Following are examples of some of the issues
faced by nurseries that may arise as a result of
receiving seeds based on estimated weights, as is
currently very common in the
industry.
Receiving seeds from the seeds
supplier
65%- 85% of the plant’s selling price is typically
based on the price paid for the seed. This means
that the more accurate the seed control process
is, the higher the increase in profitability. The
economic risk to a nursery is very high. Like many
businesses, the nursery must balance stock on
hand against possible orders.
Unlike businesses that sell non-perishable items,
a nursery carries additional risks and therefore
must be even more diligent to keep minimal stock
on hand while still finding a way to be ready to
process any order that is received. Only by having an
accurate accounting can a nursery maximize its profits
and reach this goal.
Receiving seeds from growers
When seeds are received from growers, the
seeds usually are not packaged in their original
bags. If you want to know how many seeds are
actually in these bags, the most cost-effective
technology will enable you to count the seeds
using a method that reflects the actual number of
seeds.
Using the seed overage effectively
As previously explained, many seed manufacturers
package and sell their product based on an estimated
weight rather than an actual count. To offset the
possibility of not supplying at least the amount
ordered, some seed manufacturers add an additional
percentage.
On the nursery side, the inventory is run based
on the ordered amount and not the actual number
delivered. This overage is not used effectively to
against future orders. By counting the seeds when
they arrive, the inventory can be adjusted to an actual
number and the nursery can take advantage of this
extra profit margin. Future orders can be lower
because they will be based on the actual seeds on
hand, rather than based on an estimation.
Taking seeds from stock for sowing
When preparing seeds for sowing, it is more
efficient to properly count the number of seeds
you wish to sow rather than working with a whole
package and then bringing back unused seeds.
This is nearly impossible to accomplish when
working with estimations based on weight and
very simple and cost-effective when working with
a solution that counts small and large quantities of
seeds quickly and precisely.
Efficiency of the sowing process
When you transfer seeds in exact numbers to the
sowing department, you can track the efficiency of
the sowing process. For example, if the sowing
machine is not calibrated properly, it can sow
more than one seed in each hole. Knowing the
exact number of seeds you had at the start will
help you to easily track this process and determine if
there is any problem in the sowing process (or if the
problem was not having received the proper number
of seeds to begin with).
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www.data-technologies.com Data Detection Technologies Ltd. 2012
DATA Products for Nurseries
DATA Count S-JR
The DATA Count S-JR quickly and accurately
counts seeds as small as 0.7 mm, eliminating the
imprecision of weighing solutions to save you
money.
Designed for companies of all sizes, DATA Count
S-JR offers an efficient means of ensuring control.
It is an essential tool for manufacturers, breeders
and nurseries in the seed industry.
The device employs proprietary patented
technology.
Features Counts seeds of all shapes from 0.7 to 4 mm, at
speeds of up to 3,000 seeds per minute
Counts a pre-set number of seeds
Seeds can be poured directly into plastic bags or
a measuring cup
Bluetooth connectivity
Results can be transferred to PC software, Excel
spreadsheets or proprietary software
Compatible with Seiko label printer
Benefits
Delivers nearly 100% accuracy
Saves time and money
Controls stock through precise rather than
estimated counts Can quickly
Can Quickly separate a large bag of seeds into
smaller ones
Can be used to analyze thousand seeds weight
Enables reassignment of labor to more
complicated tasks
Simple to operate, with a user-friendly interface
Low maintenance and easy to clean Small
enough to use on any desk or worktop
Technical Description
Voltage: 100 / 240 VAC, 1 phase Frequency: 50/60 Hz Power consumption: 22 W Circuit breaker rate: Minimum 10 A slow blow Dimensions: 21×21×20 cm Weight: 5 KG
Average counting speed capabilities (in seconds)
Quantity
Seed type
50 Seeds
100 Seeds
1,000 Seeds
Carrot 5 7 45
Cherry 5 7 45
Tomato 5 7 45
Lettuce 7 12 50
Pepper 6 10 55
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www.data-technologies.com Data Detection Technologies Ltd. 2012
DATA Count S-25
DATA’s S-25 quickly and accurately counts seeds
as small as 1 mm up to 18 mm, eliminating the
imprecision of weighing solutions to save you
money.
The machine is designed to count large quantities
of seeds and is ideally suited to seed
manufacturers, traders and plant nurseries, all of
which need to count seeds of different sizes as
fast and as accurately as possible as part of their
daily production processes.
The S-25 is easy-to-use, easy-to-integrate into
automatic filling machines, and delivers an
unprecedented accuracy rate of nearly 100%!
Features Precise counting of all seed shapes, from 1 to 18
mm in size
Rapid counting capability. For example: 4,000
tomato seeds per minute
Can be incorporated in an automatic filling
machine
Counts a pre-set number of seeds
Air system protection on the detection unit
Operation by Touch panel PC
Fast emptying
No pre-calibration required
Benefits
Delivers nearly 100% accuracy
Saves time and money
Significantly more profitable than scale-reliant
packaging
Controls stock through precise rather than estimated counts
Can be used to analyze thousand seeds weight Simple to operate, with a user-friendly interface Low maintenance and easy to clean
Technical Description
Voltage: 115 / 230 VAC, 1 phase
Frequency: 50/60 Hz
Power consumption: 100 W
Circuit breaker rate: Minimum 10 A slow blow
Air connector: 6 mm, Air consumption:~ 1 L/min
Compressed air: 0.1 Bar (continuously during
operation)
Dimensions (cm): (W) 55 x (D) 45 x (H) 65
Hopper size: 1,000cc, 1 Liter
Weight: ± 25 Kg
Average counting speed capabilities
(in seconds)
Quantity
Seed type
50
Seeds
100
Seeds
1,000
Seeds 5,000 Seeds
Cherry 4 8 20 90
Tomato 5 12 20 95
Pepper 7 15 30 120
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www.data-technologies.com Data Detection Technologies Ltd. 2012
About DATA
DATA Detection Technologies develops, manufactures, and markets hi-tech counting and packaging systems. DATA’s innovative, real-time image processing technology provides unparalleled accuracy and speed. Thus far, DATA’s proprietary technology has been applied to the diamond, seed, and pharmaceutical industries DATA’s seed counting machines offer tremendous value to customers in many ways: • Savings from packaging accurate numbers of
seeds, fast and efficiently, and with reduced labor.
• Flexibility with high counting speed, including easy configuration and the ability to quickly change between many types of seeds.
• Reduced time from order to delivery, thus taking advantage of new business opportunities.
• Ability to store, retrieve, and export counting record data to improve inventory management and make the entire process more efficient.
DATA’s industrial counting machines are capable of packaging over 40 bags of 1,000 tomato seeds per minute thus offering, for the first time, a sustainable counting solution for large-scale industrial seed packaging. DATA’s core technology provides real-time image processing of multiple objects as they are free-falling together. It was developed by our multi-disciplinary R&D team, which includes experts in electro-optics, electronics, software and mechanical engineering. DATA’s counting and packaging machines are sold and distributed worldwide through a combination of our own salespeople and partnering distributors . Based in Jerusalem, DATA is a dynamic hi-tech company that sets new global standards in counting and packaging systems. Additional information can be found at www.data-technologies.com.
www.data-technologies.com
Data Detection Technologies
12 Hartom ST. (RAD Bldg.) Har Hotzvim
Jerusalem 97775, Israel
Tel: +972-73-2204444
Fax: +972-73-2204466
Contact us:
Tel: +972-73-2204422 / +972-73-2204488
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.data-technologies.com