Optimization of the egg flow by ORION-OPT
Our expert dealer B. & M. Slots Pty. Ltd from Victoria Australiainstalled 5 layer houses in 2008 for Darling Downs Fresh Eggs. Every house is provided with a lift system for the egg collection. In the houses there are 4 rows and 5 tiers with layer cages keeping 30.000 layers. The supply of eggs to the packer is done by 1 cross conveyor collecting the eggs of all 5 houses.
The Orion-OPT communicates via the CAN-bus with the computers in the houses (5x ORION-PL) that control the egg 
collection. First, the Orion-OPT passes on the desired number of eggs to the computers in the houses. Next the ORION-PL controls the speed of the egg belts in the house. The Orion-OPT decides in which sequence the houses should supply and calculates how many eggs per hour should be supplied by each house.
Control of the egg lift
A set time on the Orion-OPT of for example 08:00 means that the first eggs will arrive to the packer at 08:00 hours. The Orion-OPT sees to it that the packer will receive a constant supply of eggs from the cross conveyor. The cross conveyor will be supplied by the 5 houses.
In all 5 houses of the Darling Downs Farm an egg lift is used. This lift will not move until all 5 houses are emptied at one and the same level. This means that first level 1 (tier 1) of all houses is emptied before the lift moves to level 2 of all houses etc.
With the control of the egg lifts the farm saves a lot of time regarding to the past situation. 
They used to have 5 houses x 5 tiers = 25 stopping times (the lift positions). This would take about 1 minute per lift position (= 25 minutes). Using the ORION-OPT there are only 5 lift positions because all tiers are collected at the same time (= 5 minutes). This saves 20 minutes per collection time. The eggs are collected 4x a week so they gain 1,3 hours every week. If we look at the time we save for people to wait in the egg packing area this means a saving of about $ 150,00 a week or $ 7800,00 a year on wages.
Packer and egg sorter
As mentioned before, the ORION-OPT sees to it that the correct number of eggs arrives at the sorting machine. By optimizing the egg flow the efficiency increases which means that they save about 35 minutes in total per collection time. This means an extra saving of 15 minutes per collection time (35 minutes minus 20 minutes) resulting in saving 1 hour every week. In total this is $ 115,00 x 52 = $ 5980,00 extra a year.
The total savings per year by using the ORION-OPT are: $ 13,780. This equals € 10.000,- The recovery time of the investment costs can be calculated easily in this way.
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Another advantage is that the system doesn’t have to be started up in the morning by a person that waits until the first eggs arrive at the packer. The ORION-OPT calculates when the collection of the eggs begins in order to have the eggs ready at the packer at the indicated starting time. Because of the ORION-OPT there are 75% less stops of the packer because there is no overflow of eggs anymore. This means that the life time of the conveyor motors is longer.
ORION-OPT with Rainbow+
At Darling Downs Fresh Eggs farm the ORION-OPT can be remote controlled from their PC by using the Management program Rainbow+. It is very easy to handle and there are graphic displays of all processes. A total view of the processes in all 5 houses is instantly available.
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References
Project Termeulen
Laying hen barn with 2 stories, fully fitted with Hotraco controls. The electrotechnical system was realised by professional dealer Bert Aanstoot E.T.I.B. from Laren (Gld.).
Project Hendriks
Rabbit barn with climate and feed control by Hotraco. The electrotechnical system was realised by professional dealer Bert Aanstoot E.T.I.B. from Laren (Gld.).
Van Avendonk Family, Bladel
“Reasoning from the animals’ perspective, that’s what it’s all about!”
Contact
Office address
Stationsstraat 142
5963 AC Hegelsom
Postal address
The NetherlandsP.O. Box 6086
5960 AB Horst
The Netherlands
T +31 (0)77 327 5020
F +31 (0)77 327 5021
E info@hotraco.com
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