HortiMaX launches

Wireless P-Plus terminal

HortiMaX BV has launched a wireless terminal for a new paprika harvesting system. This terminal can be attached to a harvesting trolley and uses a wireless network to connect to the P-Plus Labour and Production Registration System.

The wireless terminal is equipped with a RFID scanner which recognizes rows marked with RFID tags. Errors in row entries are prevented because the terminal automatically identifies the row number when the harvesting trolley moves into a new row. These RFID tags can also be used by workers to sign in on the terminal.

The terminal is fitted with a number of high-speed inputs for reading out data from the counters. One of these counters is used to read out data from an optical photocell. In the new paprika harvesting system, data is readout from the photocells counting the number of units deposited in a drop tube on the harvesting trolleys.

A second counter can be used to count the number of wheel rotations, so the terminal can determine where the harvesting trolley is located in one of the rows. As a result, the terminal automatically registers what section of the row is finished if harvesting is interrupted because of a work break or at the end of a working day.

The wireless terminal connects to the P-Plus registration system using a special network (Zigbee). The wireless terminal provides the same registration feedback as the existing fixed network terminals. Both fixed and wireless terminals can be used for the same P-Plus system.