Science fiction movies and novels depict a magical future world where we not only have flying cars and autonomous robot butlers, but also have the freedom to control the natural environment. Is there such technology in the real world?
If you are responsible for operating a greenhouse, you now have the opportunity to enjoy the convenience brought by similar technologies.

In order to pursue higher profits, output and reduce operating costs, many modern greenhouse companies are turning to climate control companies, which provide real-time and independent environmental monitoring through reliable sensors and equipment interconnection networks.
If this reminds you of artificial intelligence (AI), the essence of the problem is about to be revealed.

However, AI like functionality can only be achieved after creating appropriate information infrastructure. Let's go into Damatex: it is a climate control system supplier aimed at helping farmers digitize their business.To build a good climate control system, data is first needed, and a large amount of data is required. Vaisala has accurate and reliable sensors, which is why we chose it, "said Steven Sicard, co owner of Damatex.

background

Damatex is located in Quebec, Canada and is a manufacturer of computerized control systems serving customers in the horticulture, greenhouse, indoor agriculture, and traditional agriculture industries. Before the widespread use of computers in households, the original Damatex was a family
Managing small businesses. Until today, family business remains an important component of their business. The company was founded by my father over 30 years ago, "Sicard said." At that time, climate control was just emerging and not very popular.

We have undertaken a lot of business, mainly related to small horticultural greenhouses. ”

Horticulture typically involves various businesses related to the production, distribution, and utilization of edible and ornamental plants. In the 1960s and 1970s, a "Green Revolution" occurred, with newspapers and magazines reporting on technology assisted indoor agriculture

case With the development of the greenhouse industry, the demand for precise environmental control is also constantly growing. We are beginning to see this development not only related to the development of advanced sensors, but also to placing these sensors correctly in the greenhouse
， Sicard said, "This is crucial for our research on climate control systems

Damatex has found its market positioning.

Today's Damatex measures almost all aspects related to greenhouses, from irrigation and fertilization to internal temperature and humidity CO2、 Indoor lighting, water, ventilation - all in one. Their climate control solution is based on Vaisala sensors
Transmitters and probes, including CO2 probe GMP252, CO2 and temperature and humidity transmitter series GMW90 and HMP60 temperature and humidity probes.

Damatex initially provided its technical equipment and software as a complete solution to greenhouse operation customers, which can bring many advantages such as centralized project and logistics management, saving customers time and money. Customers can also make
Its mode is suitable for HVAC and building automation applications. The response of each greenhouse or building to the environment is different. Therefore, especially in the early stages, our team is committed to helping customers by improving software while achieving profitability. Stable
Stability is very important. It is necessary to understand each greenhouse and use reliable equipment to make it an effective greenhouse. This is exactly where Vaisala has great potential, "Sicard said.

Climate controlled agriculture: building autonomous greenhouses

There are many names for indoor agriculture that adapts to climate: vertical agriculture, intelligent agriculture, agricultural comprehensive enterprises, agricultural technology, controlled environment agriculture (CEA), etc. For supporters of artificial intelligence, it is often referred to as a 'smart greenhouse'.

For a long time, every indoor farmer has been trying to solve the same problem: how to reduce production costs in a closed environment? No matter what crops are planted (such as flowers, tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, soft fruits, leafy vegetables, etc.), greenhouse

The goal of both smart and non smart greenhouses is to provide and maintain good growth conditions throughout the year. The climate control system only automatically executes this process (i.e. provides support as needed), aiming to better address environmental uncertainty
The means of program control. It also allows farmers to get rid of time-consuming daily farm management tasks and focus on developing their own businesses. Therefore, the type of sensors and equipment used by climate control companies has become crucial. Through climate
Monitoring and control make the crop production process more reassuring. If the device is equipped with reliable sensors, everything becomes very easy. Vaisala's measurements are very accurate, and all my technicians praise it endlessly
”Sicard said.

The mature climate control system Damatex Control System Displaying Vaisala Measurements is equipped with proprietary software programs that use sensors to monitor the environment. If the environmental conditions change significantly, it may cause problems

If something is damaged, the system can notify customers via the Internet or mobile connection. The provision and execution of these functions depend on automatic triggers with measurement thresholds set. When the threshold is exceeded, these triggers will be triggered and sent to Damatex customers
Real time alerts.

When the threshold is exceeded, these triggers will be triggered and real-time alerts will be sent to Damatex customers.

In theory, many important greenhouse operations can be remotely controlled. For example, the GMP252 CO2 probe installed at the customer's location will detect when indoor CO2 levels become too high or too low and work with Damatex's system
Communicate to make immediate adjustments.

Advantages of Vaisala

Planting any crop is highly labor-intensive and the process is quite complex. The same applies to climate control systems, as many variables involved are interdependent. At the beginning, it was very challenging because it required a lot of understanding
Many things. In a greenhouse, it is necessary to understand some parameters such as humidity, temperature, and CO2, as well as irrigation, fertilization, electrical, lighting, and roof ventilation. It is necessary to become an expert in many different fields,
Sicard said.

Each sensor must be accurate enough to continuously measure specific conditions and stable enough for the system to collect continuous, real-time information containing key climate factors. For organisms like plants, every minute is precious
Deviation may trigger a chain reaction, and if detected too late, it may result in irreversible consequences. For example, the earlier a customer discovers a temperature drop, the more plants can be saved.

We do not allow situations where measurement values deviate by 20%. We need reliable data. This is why we have replaced all sensors with Vaisala products. Vaisala's technology makes everyone's work easier and profits higher,
Sicard said.

Damatex learned about Vaisala's products 15 years ago through a business friend's recommendation. The company initially tested our rainfall detector DRD11A to monitor rainfall. When the rain gets heavier, the greenhouse will close the ventilation openings or
Roll up the side. We have used some products from Vaisala before, but we are not familiar with the entire product system of Vaisala, "Sicard said. With increasing understanding of Vaisala, Damatex has decided to use more Vaisala technology.

We have used cheaper CO2 sensors from another manufacturer before, but they often have problems and are easily damaged, requiring replacement every 6 months. After we replaced the sensors with Vaisala products, we never encountered any problems again, "Sicard added," Vaisala did indeed solve the problem we were concerned about.

Regarding the business of HVAC and building automation, Sicard mentioned that potential customers often directly ask him which brand of sensors he plans to use. “Contractors are usually wary of suppliers who use cheap sensors. When we mentioned using Vaisala products, they dispelled their concerns!

Future Layout

So far, Damatex has been committed to serving customers along the coasts of Canada and the United States. But like many companies in expanding markets, the company has development plans - or like the greenhouses they serve, Damatex plans to take the path of intelligence. I expect to see a sharp expansion of agriculture in the next two to five years. Even during this pandemic, demand exists. People also hope to purchase more products locally, "Sicard said. The company bosses are busy planning the next round of coastal business expansion. We are gradually expanding into various markets outside of Canada and the United States, especially in other parts of the world (such as Japan), and we are about to take action.

Sicard plans to continue using Vaisala technology.

Vaisala's equipment and services are very reliable. We can call for consultation and get a response immediately. This is of great significance for companies like ours

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