LMI Technologies Case Study: How Farmers Cut Uses 3D Data for Better Growing Decisions
Automation and data are no longer limited to manufacturing. They are increasingly being adopted in agriculture, where they help improve quality, efficiency, and sustainability.
One of the case studies from our partner LMI Technologies presents a solution developed by Farmers Cut, a company focused on growing fresh produce in controlled environments. The goal was to ensure automated quality inspection while also collecting data to support better decision-making in the growing process.
The Challenge: How to Measure Plant Quality Automatically and Reliably
Farmers Cut works with a wide variety of crops that differ in shape, size, and structure. As these crops move along a conveyor system, it was necessary to ensure:
- automated quality inspection of crops on the conveyor,
- reliable collection of growth-related data,
- and the ability to further analyze this data.
Traditional approaches based on manual inspection or simple methods were no longer sufficient. They lacked accuracy, reliability, and the ability to effectively leverage data in a broader context.
The Solution: 3D Scanning with Gocator 2180
The selected solution utilizes a Gocator 2180 3D laser line profiler from LMI Technologies, enabling precise scanning of crops directly on the conveyor.
The sensor captures 3D data for each crop and uses built-in tools to perform key measurements such as:
- average height,
- deviations (uniformity),
- basic pass/fail quality inspection.
All data is then communicated to higher-level systems using standard communication protocols, where it can be used for further analysis.
What the System Enables in Practice
The implemented solution allows:
- real-time scanning of crops while moving on the conveyor,
- automated quality inspection without operator intervention,
- acquisition of accurate and reliable data,
- and analysis of environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and CO₂ levels.
This enables plant scientists to better analyze growth patterns and use data to refine growing strategies.
The Result: Automation, Accuracy, and Better Decision-Making
The deployment of 3D scanning has delivered several key benefits:
- fully automated quality inspection of crops,
- more accurate and reliable results compared to manual inspection,
- reduced system cost and complexity,
- and data that supports better decision-making in the growing process.
Farmers Cut is also planning to expand the system further and gradually integrate it into a broader AI-driven automation framework.
Want to Learn More?
At AMV Technology, we continuously work with Gocator 3D profile sensors and their real-world applications. If you are interested in where 3D measurement could bring value to your operation, we would be happy to explore your use case with you.
A Reference We Also Work With
This case study demonstrates how LMI Technologies’ solutions perform in real-world applications beyond traditional industrial environments. At AMV Technology, we test, design, and integrate these systems based on specific customer requirements.
If you are addressing quality inspection, measurement, or data acquisition challenges in your production or other operations, feel free to contact us. We would be happy to discuss whether a similar approach could work for you.
Source: Case Study LMI Technologies / Farmers Cut
AMV Team
