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Seedcounters

The operating principle of the Old Mill Seed Counter, that is, feeding seeds one at a time to a high sensitivity detector, has been extended to the seeding of plug flats and other greenhouse flats.
The seeder automatically drops one or more seeds into each cavity of the flat (the cavity having previously been filled with soil) at a rate up to 20,000 seeds per hour.
Because the seeder is detecting and responding to the seeds one at a time, it will operate with high accuracy with a small volume of seed and will seed accurately down to the last seed.
It includes a conveyor to move the flats beneath the seeding head so that the only operator function is to supply flats to be seeded that have been filled with soil and removing flats that have been seeded.

A Conveyorized Automatic Covering Overcoater is also available to cover the seeds after seeding.
Three models of the seeding unit are available, the Model 615-2, the higher speed Model 615-3, and the Model 615-3L for larger seeds such as corn, squash, and melon.
Many units have been in operation for more than 15 years.

Flat Seeder

 

  •   Features
      • Easy to Use
      • Accurate
      • Reliable
      • Fast Response
      • Big Display
      • Economical
      • RS-232 Interface
      • Model U Interface

     

 

 

 

Operation is completely automatic with the unit feeding one seed at a time to the weigh cell located on a high sensitivity (0.1 milligram) electronic balance. With this expanded range we can now sort seeds as small as 2 mg or the size of alfalfa or other grass seeds.

When the balance has reached a stable balance the control unit classifies the weight to determine the weight category into which it should be delivered, the seed is discharged from the weigh cell and distributed to that location by a high speed distributor.

As the seed is being delivered to the required destination the next seed is delivered to the weigh cell and the process repeated.

The control unit, a specialized Old Mill Model U Counter, includes custom software to aid in selecting weight sort intervals and additionally, computes various seed weight and count data including a standard deviation if needed.
A specific number of seeds may be preset, for example, 200, or the entire group of seeds may be tested.

Data obtained may be exported via an RS-232 data line or held in the C-Flash memory card (each unit has a C-Flash card reader) for later transfer to an external computer or other data handling system.



Weight Sorter

  •   Features
    • Check Seed Weight Variability from individual ears of corn, heads of wheat, barley, rice, and oats due to rainfall, disease, insects, cultural and varietal effects.
    • Sort seeds by weight to look for relationships with various plant and seed characteristics.
    • Investigate seed characteristics resulting from various seed treatments, tillage, and soil types.
    • Search seed populations for seeds having extreme weight differences.
    • Verify seed weight consistency of various varieties.

 

 

The “family” of weigh-count analyzers consists of two different units, a laboratory unit and a production line unit, differing in their area of use but similar in their function, that is, determining the weight-count relationship of various seeds to derive data on seeds per pound or seeds per gram

Laboratory Weigh-Count

The Laboratory Weigh-Count unit is designed to be operated under laboratory conditions where the operator pours a sample of seed into the unit which then proceeds to count a selected number of seeds, for example, 500, into the weigh cell of a precision balance to obtain the weight of those seeds so that the control computer can compute the seeds per pound or per gram.

Multiple replicates may be taken from the sample, there by allowing the computer system to determine various statistical characteristics of the sample such as average, standard deviation, mean, and other calculations that best describe the sample and its variability.

At the completion of testing all seed is automatically returned to the original supply bag which had been placed on the discharge of the unit prior to starting the sample analysis. Data so obtained may be held in a C-Flash memory built into the unit and/or be printed by an optional label printer on a self-adhesive label that may be attached to the sample bag.

Production Weigh-Count

The Production Weigh-Count unit is designed to be an integral part of a seed processing line where seeds per pound or per gram data is needed to characterize the material being produced as it flows through the processing line.

A sampler periodically samples the flow stream, diverting seeds to be tested into the weigh-count unit. As in the Laboraory Weigh – Count unit, a specific number of seeds are counted into the balance weigh cell and the control computer calculates the seeds per pound or per gram. The weigh cell contents as well as any remaining seed in the feeder are then emptied into a seed accumulator from which it flows out of the unit and is returned to the stream being analyzed.

The unit is self-cleaning between samples preventing carry over from one sample period to another. All functions of the system including sampling, counting, weighing, calibration, and data computations are carried out by the built-in control unit. Data obtained is transmitted to the processing line computer or placed in the C-Flash memory with time and sample information.

 

Count Weight Analizer from seedcounters.com on Vimeo.

 

 

 

In many applications of packeting by count,the packets or envelopes are manually handled due to low volume (short runs with changes) or cost restrictions.
Longer product runs may permit using one or more counting systems to operate in conjunction with automatic packaging equipment to increase packaging rate and reduce labor input and therefore cost of packaging.
In the area of testing of new plant varieties, particularly in variety testing of corn, soybeans, cotton, and other crops raised in large volume, millions of paper packets are used annually all of which are manually opened, placed on the discharge chutes of counters, filled by count, removed, and closed.
Similarly, many conventional seed packets are being filled manually by small companies unable to afford expensive high speed filling equipment or where production runs are too short to justify operating this equipment.
The Old Mill Automatic Packeting Machine was developed to fill this need.

Automatic Packeting Machine


The Old Mill Packeting Machine will fill on a count, weight, or volume basis paper envelopes (coin type or seed packet) with seeds or small parts.
Envelopes move from a supply manifold (which may holdup to 400 envelopes)to a filling area for filling, then transferred to a closing area for closing, and are then re-stacked in a filled envelope manifold in the same order that they were stacked in the in-feed manifold.
The process is completely automatic, operating at a rate of up to 20 envelopes per minute although the rate is normally determined by how quickly the filling system can supply the required seeds or parts.
It can be adjusted to handle envelopes as small as 1-1/2 inches X 3 inches up to 4-1/2 inches x 6 inches as well as standard seed envelopes.
Envelopes are closed automatically after filling by stapling or by using the adhesive on the envelope flap (either a pressure or a water activated adhesive can be used).
Operation is by means of air cylinders for various mechanical actions, controlled by long life air valves and an electronic control system.
“Functional Module Construction” allows the operator to remove a malfunctioning module and replace it with a functional unit, thereby simplifying service and reducing machine downtime. This is simplified by a “help diagnostic program” which identifies the malfunction and suggests what correction action should be taken.

Infeed Systems for the Automatic Packeting Unit

The Old Mill Model 850-3 Counting System integrates easily with the Automatic Packeting Machine for filling packets by count with seeds or small machine parts and operating on a completely automatic basis.
A high sensitivity Old Mill Electronic Scale unit is also available for those applications where the accuracy of filling by count is not required and weigh filling can meet the required fill accuracy.
An Old Mill “Smart Eectronic Scale” can also be supplied for seed packeting applications of packaging by count where high counts (500, 1000, 2000, or more) increases the time to fill the package to a very slow packeting rate. This unit includes a seed counter to periodically and automatically determine the count/weight relationship and adjust the scale to maintain the required seed count.
Infeed systems can be combined with the Old Mill Bulk Hopper to feed material to the infeed unit as needed, thereby reducing operator labor and increasing system operating rate and accuracy when a large volume of material is being packeted.

 

More Articles ...

  1. Connector Pin Packaging
  2. Comparison Of Features Of Different Models
  3. Accessories
  4. Special Counting Equipment

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