In modern horticulture, it's all about efficiency, quality, and flexibility. With agricultural robotics, you take the next step. Machines take over repetitive tasks, and smart systems ensure reliability. Think of:
- Robot arm for potted plants: robot arms move potted plants, fill trays, or prepare plants for transport.
- Automatic tray filling: an automatic potting line places pots into trays automatically, ready for watering or shipping.
- Sorting plants with vision: systems scan and sort plants by size or leaf position.
Practical example: OK Plant
At OK Plant, there is a fully automated line where plants are automatically sorted and placed in the right location using a robot and a vision system. Previously, employees manually transported plants to the correct location, but now this robot takes over that task. The result: higher speed, consistent quality, and less physical strain on the employees. A great example of labor savings in practice, without compromising the end product.
Want to read more? Check out the case here:
Smart integration of robots
In horticultural robot integration, it's not just about strength, but especially about smart collaboration between machines:
- Vision systems can assist in quality control or the automatic sorting of plants.
- But often it mainly revolves around automating simple, repetitive tasks: filling trays, moving them, potting.
It is precisely that balance that makes a robotic solution interesting: not everything needs to be done with vision and AI, as long as the basic processes are running smoothly.
What does automation yield?
- Labor savings – people do less repetitive and heavy work.
- Consistent quality – robots always plant or sort exactly the same.
- Faster processes – filling, sorting, and packaging trays continues uninterrupted.
- Better ergonomics – employees do less physically demanding work.
At OK Plant, the sorting line ensures that employees can focus on quality control and other tasks. This creates a more flexible organization.
Robotics in practice
A good approach starts with:
- Process analysis: which tasks are monotonous, labor-intensive, or error-prone?
- Custom integration: combine a robotic arm, tray filler, and possibly vision into one seamless line.
- Pilots and scaling: start small, learn along the way, scale up to continuous use.
- Making the business case work: include labor savings, higher output, and services. It often only pays off with multi-year commitment.
Future vision: autonomous potting lines and data-driven greenhouses
The next step in the automation of horticulture is a fully automated line in which pots are filled, picked, and sorted by robotic arms. Vision can assist in this, but it does not have to play the leading role. More important is: smartly automating processes that are predictable.
Conclusion: getting practical
Robotics in horticulture does not necessarily mean one standard solution. It’s about smartly deploying technology in the areas that yield the most for your business. Whether it concerns:
- Robot arm potted plants
- Automatic tray filling
- Sorting plants with vision
- Automatic pickup line
Every greenhouse is different. That's why it's important to carefully consider where automation can make a difference: less manual labor, more continuity, and better quality. The example of OK Plant shows what that can look like in practice. Do you want to take steps as well? Start small, learn along the way, and build further from that foundation.
Ready to get started? Here's how to tackle it:
- Choose one process today that you want to automate.
- Call De Vreede Technology for a non-binding introduction.
- Start a small pilot and see what works.
- Are you satisfied? Scale up step by step.
- Focus on simplicity: better to have one smooth line than to tackle everything at once.