The Solution
We know that innovation can trump any challenge. Which is why, in order to tackle Morning Star’s manual planting system, we devised a highly-innovative, highly “disruptive” automated planting system that cuts costs while increasing agricultural productivity.
This system is unique in its ability to plant consistently (despite an average of 15% skips in the trays) without the use of sensors or electronics to singulate plants. Using pinchers to grab plant stems, the plant extraction device never enters the tray, giving the planter the ability to utilize broken trays without issues. Our design also adjusts to several different tray sizes, a capability that was unheard of with previous transplanting systems in the industry. With a 4:1 benefit ratio, our system plants at twice the speed of the manual planters—with half the direct labor input. To see the Automatic Tomato Transplanter in action in the video clip below.
The Accomplishments
By utilizing this new planting system, we have dramatically reduced tomato production costs and are poised to completely disrupt the whole industry.
In addition, we’re very proud to state that this new design has been granted 4 US Patents with 41 claims of originality.
The Background
The Morning Star Company is a large conglomerate specializing in bulk tomato paste production, and is responsible for processing close to one-half of all tomato paste in the United States.
The Challenge
To combat the industry’s current labor-intensive, highly inefficient manual-type transplanting system—without negatively impacting the bottom line.