Project background
Manual nutrient dosing produces inconsistent results and consumes operator attention. The client needed a precise, drift-resistant dosing system for multi-part nutrient mixes with safety guardrails against overdosing.
Challenge
Handling multiple concentrated stock tanks, avoiding crosstalk between injections, compensating for probe drift, and guaranteeing that a failed sensor could never trigger runaway dosing. The unit had to run for weeks without operator intervention.
Approach & solution
We designed a multi-channel dosing rack driven by closed-loop PID control on EC and pH. Pumps are calibrated on-site and re-verified automatically. Dual-sensor cross-checking detects drift, and hardware interlocks cap the maximum dose any single cycle can deliver. Operators receive alerts before limits are reached.
Results & benefits
The system held EC and pH inside tight tolerance bands across multi-week runs, eliminating the dosing-induced crop stress the client had previously experienced. Operator time spent on nutrient management fell substantially.
