Cowshed automation

Services

Analysis, design and implementation of camera system and LAN network, control system development, HW installation.

Platform

Development in ST language for PLC

Year

2020-2021

Client

AGV s.r.o. - investment construction and supply of modern technologies for agricultural primary production

Input

The aim of the project was to implement a control system for agricultural operations - an automated system for controlling the movement of dairy cows in the cowshed. This system automatically controls the gates and feeders and indicates these states with lights on the web interface of the control system.
The functionality and influence of the control system must be monitored locally and remotely using a camera system used to monitor dairy cows in the cowshed area and especially when moving between individual sectors (stables, waiting room, milking parlour).

Solution

For the control system, we chose a variant of the Tecomat Foxtrot control module with display (compact modular PLC for small to medium applications). Its external module bus has made it possible to connect a sufficient number of modules. The control algorithm itself is written in the standardized language ST and developed in the Mosaic IDE from Teco a.s. The input and output modules control the gates and individual cow cows according to a predetermined sequence of states and react to error states. The graphical user interface in the form of web pages allows you to view the current state of the system and, in case of problems, manually move to the required position.

The camera system constantly monitors the cowshed area with Hikvision IP cameras with IP65 protection (aggressive environment). The live image is constantly projected on a waterproof LCD in the milking parlour and office. Recordings from all IP cameras are stored in the Hikvision NVR storage with the possibility of playing them back even via a secure Internet connection.

All elements of the systems are remotely monitored and operated via a specially designed separate secure automation LAN with interconnection between buildings.
The specifics of this operation included the provision of hardware resistant to aggressive environments (temperature fluctuations, humidity, dust) and installation during full operation and at heights.