GrainSense Works Already Before Threshing
GrainSense is the only device that can be used before threshing. It is five times smaller than its counterparts and battery-operated, making it convenient for farmers to use in the field. When the farmer knows what quality his/her grain is, they can optimize the order of gathering and the storing of the harvest and thus avoid mixing batches with varying levels of protein concentration. The batches of lower quality can be directed to be used as fodder while the higher quality can be sold to the food industry. GrainSense can also improve the profitability of meat production by helping the producers monitor and adjust the protein concentration in the fodder that is given to animals who are still in their growth state.
Mechanical and Industrial Design by Huld
The latest, 2.5 year long product development work started in February 2016 when the startup received noticeable funding. During this time, Huld joined the project took responsibility of the product’s mechanical and industrial design.
“We were looking for a partner for this project that would have a strong background on mechanical design and a strong vision for the project. The device was mechanically very challenging to create as it has dozens of different parts and every one of them had to be designed from scratch. Every part must also work as a whole,” clarifies Marjanen.
At the same time, the operating system and the user interface had to be developed as well. Another challenge was to design the device so that in a way that would enable producing them on a production line in large quantities.
”While designing the shape of the product, we had to study its usability; to consider the placement of the buttons and think how the device is held so that it would be as ergonomic to use as possible. Cooperation with Huld was very smooth, and through the individual specialists, we felt like we had the support of the whole Huld behind us on this project.”
The launched version of the device fulfilled all the expectations that had been set for the product. It has sparked an interest in people wherever the device and its capabilities have been demonstrated. Currently the markets have been concentrated on Finland, Sweden and the Baltics.
”We are aiming towards international markets with the idea of creating a measuring method which would support the whole agricultural sector and become a solid part of the production chain between the farmers and the food producers,” says Marjanen.
