Any grower will tell you minimising damage to fresh produce is paramount throughout the chain, from harvesting to packing to delivery at the client.
The new Hortworx RBF100 robotic bin filler takes care of valuable fruit and produce to a new level by gently lowering fruit down into a bin as if it’s done one at a time. Specifically designed for handling sensitive fruit such as apples, pears, stonefruit, kiwifruit, and produce like big soft onions, these all can be lowered into a bin, at great value for money.
The result of two years review, research and development, this freestanding unit is manufactured in New Zealand by Hortworx. The RBF100 robotic bin filler has a lot to offer being designed with the increasing value of fruit and produce in mind. It is capable of filling most bin types, conventional wooden bins, higher export bins, all types of plastic bin and even the latest circular inner cardboard bins. It offers great bin compatibility, with a smaller, open rotating head designed specifically to support exporters.
Key Features
Fully automated bin change over system
Robotic rotating filling head
Intuitive HMI touch screen control
Ability to fill multiple bin types (wooden, plastic, cardboard)
Quiet and energy efficient
Can be battery or solar powered for portable use
The clever rotary head lowers itself to a predetermined depth, then begins lowering the fruit into the bin and automatically rises to layer fruit as it fills the bin to a predetermined height. Soft and flexible rotating flaps ensure gentle handling, almost eliminating fruit to fruit contact bruising.
The RBF100 is engineered by Hortworx to accommodate the changing requirements of post-harvest fruit handling. Utilising the latest technology, it offers an improved user experience, simple construction which is easily maintained, and is energy efficient. The standard model plugs into a normal single phase power outlet and uses a maximum of 1.5A. 24V DC power makes it possible to be fully portable for out in the field or orchard, and with batteries and solar added, it is capable of off-grid operation.
The robotic bin filler has an easy to use intuitive touch screen where smart features are setup like variable fruit flow, variable flap rotation, pre-set filling upper and lower limits and bin change-over clearance heights and positions.
With its low power usage and quiet chainless transmission, it requires very little maintenance. Latest electronic design makes it IOT ready for integration into packhouse analytical data collecting systems.
For more information:
Tim Bloxham
EQM
Tel: +64 6 878 8475
tim@eqm.co.nz
www.eqm.co.nz