The context
In the heart of the lush Veronese countryside, a corn producer faced a significant challenge: how to become independent in drying their own crop.
Often, small to medium farmers need to rely on external drying centers to dry their crops. Many times, they do not have adequate machinery or the personnel to manage these machines.
Thus, they rely on external centers, exposing themselves to the following factors:
- Uncertainty of when the crop will actually be dried: during the drying season, everyone needs to dry, creating waiting queues, and in the wait, the quality of the crop can degrade.
- Product uncertainty: sometimes a cereal is delivered, and due to commercial agreements, another from different plots is returned.
- Commercial uncertainty: during the harvest period, market supply increases significantly and prices tend to drop. It is clear, then, that the farmer is subject to strong commercial pressure from the market.
To address all these uncertainties and ensure more security, speed, and digitalization of the process, the client decided to purchase a new dryer for their own use.
With a deep-rooted agricultural tradition and a strong passion for innovation, the company sought a solution that could integrate advanced technology with the practicality of a powerful yet compact machine.
The solution
The answer to this need came with the installation of the D14/125F model by Mecmar, a semi-automated machine equipped with a large 15” touch screen and 4.0 technology, which has marked a true revolution in the company’s way of working.
In fact, this dryer not only has the capacity to handle up to 14 tons of corn per cycle, but it is also designed to be compact, with a width of only 3 meters, and a height of about 4 meters, thus facilitating integration into the existing infrastructure of the company.
Thanks to this solution, the client has transformed uncertainties into certainties and advantages. Indeed, they can now:
- Dry the product immediately after harvesting and store it right after drying, without anxieties of waiting or pressures on when to collect the grain from the field based on the availability of the drying center.
- Be sure that the product coming out of the dryer is exactly the same that was loaded and on which they worked for months, taking care day after day.
- Market the grain when the market recognizes its highest value.
One of the most innovative features of the D14/125F is its intelligent control system, which, thanks to the presence of various level and consumption sensors, allows monitoring all the phases of the drying process.
The automation of unloading and the ability to transfer all operating data directly to the office make monitoring and managing the process incredibly effective and minimize the possibility of errors.
Focus on the operation of the D14/125F
The operation of the dryer begins with the activation of the central auger and the internal mixer to prepare the corn for the drying phase. Subsequently, the corn is loaded and, through a recirculation system, rises until it reaches the maximum level, at which point the loading auger automatically stops.
At this point, the fan and burner are activated to heat and thus remove moisture from the grain, completing the process with precise control that ensures consistent quality.
One of the most appreciated benefits by the client is precisely the ability to view on the touch screen the diesel consumption for each drying cycle, allowing accurate cost control and improving energy efficiency.
This feature, along with the smart and precision technology of the dryer, has not only improved the quality of the dried corn but also significantly reduced operating costs.
Client satisfaction
The advanced technology of the dryer has guaranteed a more uniform and superior quality treatment of the corn and has allowed the company to significantly reduce processing times. This aspect is crucial in agriculture, where the optimal time windows for harvesting and drying are tight and can directly influence the final quality of the crop.
In addition to this, the investment has given the company another important advantage: the ability to adjust the timing of selling the dried corn based on market fluctuations. This direct control over the timing of sales has allowed the client to optimize revenues, selling the crop when its commercial value was at its peak, rather than being forced to sell immediately post-harvest.
The solution has thus exceeded even the rosiest expectations of the client, allowing them to adapt the sale of the crop to the most favorable market conditions.
