US: Is the robot nursery employee of the future?

For many Nursery and Greenhouse operators the decision to buy a piece of equipment is not an easy one; many factors must be considered, but one of the most fundamental is: "Will this piece of equipment work on my operation?" The HV-100 was designed with the knowledge that not all Nursery and Greenhouse operations are alike, and that flexibility is the key to having satisfied, hyper-productive customers. The versatility and usability of the HV-100 is unparalleled in the N&G industry and beyond.

The HV-100 is designed to operate on open fields, hoop houses and greenhouses wherever work needs to be completed. The flexibility and configurability of the HV-100 provides settings to avoid hoop house and greenhouse walls. Variable bed widths allow a robot operator to be spacing plants in a 16' hoop house in the morning and quickly transition to working on a 10' open field bed that same day. Each robot is shipped with two sets of batteries allowing the HV-100 to be in operation non-stop.

Designed for the most rugged conditions, the HV-100 can tackle some of the toughest terrain your Nursery can offer. Knobby tires and durable construction allow the HV-100 to remain productive even on deep gravel or dirt fields. Groundcloth and concrete present no obstacle to the HV-100 either. Advanced automatic traction control features allow the robot to adapt to the terrain and take full advantage of current conditions.

The HV-100 can move any type of plant grown on your operation. Flowering, grassy or woody the HV-100 can move it all. Most plants naturally present no problem to the HV-100, but even for the bushiest plants the HV-100 can be fitted with shrouds to cover sensors that might otherwise be blocked by the plant canopy. This novel system allows the HV-100 to continue working despite the payload.

A unique container gripper design allows the HV-100 to handle an extraordinary range of container sizes. The HV-100 allows the user to easily configure both container height and diameter. In just a few seconds two simple adjustments can be made to the gripper without tools to transition from sub-1-gallon containers up to 5-gallon containers. Automatic settings in the User Interface allow the user with a single button press to put the HV-100 into position to easily make these adjustments.

Regardless of the environment the HV-100 can get the job done. Designed for use in temperatures from 32 to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, during sunshine or rain, night or day, the HV-100 keeps going. Its rugged weather hardened chassis is designed for all weather extremes. Advanced electronics and sensors allow operation regardless of the lighting conditions available. And sensitive components are sealed from moisture to assure operation in precipitation or even when the sprinklers are turned on.

The simple and intuitive multi-language User Interface and an outdoor readable LCD screen makes setup easy; with a few quick inputs the user is up and running in minutes. The robot operates autonomously, resolving errors and navigating the terrain on its own. Working in teams or individually, advanced sensors allow the HV-100 to sense its surroundings and to take the appropriate actions to move plants into the proper position, accurately and continuously. And with our novel Follow-Me mode the robot will follow a robot supervisor from one field to the next, eliminating the need to load it into a vehicle for transport over short distances

The HV-100 is meant for year-round use, with capabilities for spacing plants in the spring, re-spacing picked over fields once shipping has begun and collecting plants to can-tight in the fall for winter protection. For operations large and small the HV-100 makes sense for any Nursery and Greenhouse. Getting quality work done when it's needed most. To talk to Harvest Automation Sales about our flexible rental, payment and financing options or to schedule an on-site demo please call us at (978)528-4250 or visit www.harvestai.com