EnCata engineered a grain temperature IoT system with stainless-steel spear sensors and RS-485 networking. The solution went from R&D and prototyping to a 200-unit batch in 2 months, helping the client improve crop storage control.
The problem with temperature monitoring and control in the bulk of stored vegetables and grain crops is common for the farming sector. Farmers and wholesalers need to precisely measure the temperature of the stored crops, piled, or siloed at the premise because it impacts its quality, shelf life, and price.
In this project, we were solving the particular problem of a large agricultural company, providing them with the temperature control solution in the form of the temperature transducer device.
Our Role
R&D
Mechanical engineering
Electronics development
Prototype manufacturing
Batch production
Technologies Used
RS465
CNC lathe/milling
Custom temperature sensor
For Enterprises
• R&D + design + manufacturing under ONE roof • Scale up and down your team • Intergrated hardware + software development • New technologies and research
Current temperature monitoring technologies for agriculture rely on sophisticated multiple transducers physically wired onto a router, which complicates its use.
EnCata devised a solution based on an RS-485 communication port designated for remote monitoring. Data transfer at the measuring sensor was realized via optically-isolated interface RS-485. This solution enables multiple transducers to be organized in a network.
The mechanical design comprised a spear-like sensor with a sealed metallic enclosure at its other end - all made from stainless steel.
digital data transfer ensures much lower error margins when communicating to the control unit.
The transducer’s interface enables its use within any industrial system
In the first design iteration, we delivered 5 prototypes and tested them on site. And with the complete documentation package, we produced a batch of 200.
Need help developing an agritech IoT device? Get in touch with us, and we’ll provide you with a project estimate quickly.
Results and Benefits
EnCata developed a simple and flexible sensor solution for its client to monitor grain temperature.