In the cut hydrangea manufacture , great strides have been made in late age in statistical distribution and yield , but as far as ' handling ' ( harvesting and sorting ) is concerned , they often do everything by eye . This is all right , of course , but as 4More Technology discovered , there are gain to be made in uniformness and labour . The new IRISS Hydrangea does exactly that , as three growers can testify .
The IRISS has been known for some years in the rose business . In more than 20 locations , the camera system , often integrate in a bunch line , is used to select roses on uniformity . The camera registers all conceivable characteristic : heaviness and height of the bud , ripeness and crookedness , and thickness and length and even curve of the stem . This is a applied science that has already been implemented in the choice of cut flowers such as tulips and chrysanthemums .
The current setup at Peeters Hortensias in Zevenbergen . On the right is the camera system , on the left the screen out whack .
But not yet in hydrangeas . There are a numeral of reasons for this . " There are bunching lines but they are very expensive " , says Wouter Vreugdenhil , general manager of 4More Technology . " In the cut hydrangeas , of which there are now more than 100 growers ( we have about 70 - 80 in the picture , but consort to CBS it should be a lot more ) , those expanse are smaller . Moreover , there are fewer one - metre stems and growers are often not in yield for all calendar month , which has serious consequence for staffing levels : the come year , unexampled people arrive , who have to be instructed again . "
Therefore , in practice , aside from unmatched function with system improvise by the grower themselves , just anything was automated in terms of selection until now . Until 4More engineering science , in hunt of some expansion , and after extensive market inquiry , discovered that television camera technology can also be used in hydrangea .
Last year , the first stand - alone television camera system was installed at three growers : vanguard der Spek Hydrangeas from Moerkapelle , Kwekerij Greeve from Berkel en Rodenrijs , and Peeters Hortensias from Zevenbergen . The grower / employee passes the flower by script in front of the tv camera , which tell him within milliseconds what the prow duration , bulb diam , bulb colour and rotundity of the bulb is . Based on this data and the preferences put in place by the grower , a grading is also find immediately . This mean that the employee no longer has to hesitate . Wouter : " That saves a quite a little of clip ! "
Last winter 4MT also design a sorting and cut machine for hydrangea . After being photographed , the flower is invest on a V - belt . Next , it is geld and class into one of the categories . The paradigm was installed at the beginning of this season at Peeters Snijhortensia ’s . " It is a first version , and the necessary melioration have already been made . But it is now operate well and stable and it preserve a tidy sum of labour , especially since hydrangea is an extremely voluminous product . Every activity hold a vast difference . "
4More Technology was launch a X ago and was ab initio participating in sensors for plain direction . With the IRISS technology , it brought young tv camera technology to gardening - in 2016 , the first prototype was install at Rozenhof in Moerkapelle ( this company no longer exists ) and subsequently at at least 20 more roseate growers . Now the technology has been further modernize in terminus of package and auto-mechanic for use in cutting hydrangea . For the rice beer of identification , the name IRISS , which actually stands for Intelligent Rose Inspection & Sorting System , has been retain , at least for now .
Clickherefor more information on the IRISS Hydrangea .
For more information : Wouter VreugdenhilTim van der Elst4More TechnologyNijverheidstraat 102751 GR Moerkapelle+31 ( 0)75 932121[email protected][email protected]www.4mt.nl
© FloralDaily.com/Geert Peeters
