PLC Programming in Agriculture Industry: How Automation Can Revolutionize the Agricultural Industry

The timeless science of perfecting and growing produce has often been regarded as a field that demanded direct, human contact. Many farms did not benefit from sophisticated technologies until the early 1900s, yet the rapid technological revolution that swept the globe eventually found its way to the farms as well. As farm workers accessed ways to reduce the physical exertion of their work, they also discovered the ease and efficiency of automation. Almost all farming practices can benefit from automation and PLC programming in some respect. Essential activities such as weeding, seeding, and irrigation can be automated, while automated tractors can make tasks such as plowing, fertilizing, and harvesting crops, much easier.

Utilizing Customized Agriculture Automation

Every agricultural operation is different. Farms around the world deal with different crops, geographies, weather conditions, soil compositions, and many other variables. Each of these factors can dramatically change the needs of a farm, making industry wide automation subject to high customization. Some agricultural sites may hesitate to pursue advanced technologies and opportunities for optimization for fear of investing in tools that may not be applicable to their sites. However, using PLCs in the agriculture industry allows the customization necessary to make agriculture automation succeed. With the use of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), site overseers can directly monitor and administer these technologies.

PLCs in the Agriculture Industry

PLCs offer agricultural sites several unique advantages. A well designed PLC can easily interface with your computers, operate reliably over an extended timeframe, and react appropriately to a given set of variables. Additional benefits of PLCs are their affordability, adaptability, and portability. On many agricultural sites, PLCs are primarily used to control the mechanical level, but this is not the limit of their applications. PLCs in the agriculture industry have been used in simple tasks, such as modular PLC controllers of grain silos, to highly specialized tasks, such as fully automated irrigation systems that monitor soil moisture levels and replenishes them appropriately.

The Widespread Success of Agriculture Automation

Efficiently implementing PLCs in the agriculture industry has seen massive success, effectively reducing the need for strenuous human labor and aiding farms in maintaining optimum operational conditions. Although many may not need, or desire, fully automated smart farms, the value and efficiency of modern agriculture automation is undeniable. More efficient operations allow for improved site competency, which ultimately reduces wastage, error, and menial human labor. By optimizing their crop conditions, many farms enjoy better crop success and increased yield as well.