Learn about what ACROBATic Controls is doing in the industry here
The philosophy of ACROBATic Controls is to provide flexible, project based services, drawing expertise and products from various industry leading professionals and suppliers.
Acrobat Controls will fully integrate the Damatex system into a complete electrical solution, for commercial, institutional, and many special applications.
The new system, to be delivered early this year, will feature the latest Hoogendoorn iSii software. The user interface software employs a dual monitor workstation that offers a highly intuitive, and customizable, user experience. Along with the Datapoint hardware platform, which allows micro-modular hardware customization for the ultimate in flexibility, this will be a state-of-the-art system.
Acrobat Controls will fully integrate the Hoogendoorn system into a complete electrical solution, which includes the latest in interfacing technology.
Acrobat has developed a new interfacing system. We've taken the best of what's out there, added our own touches, and introduced what we believe to be a revolution in greenhouse automation interfacing. "We had opportunities to use other devices, but we felt that there wasn't anything out there that had the right combination of price and features that we wanted", says designer Mike Galenkamp, " so we decided to make it happen ourselves."
Interfacing allows isolation and override functions between the controller, and the electrical control switchgear.
The key features of our new system are:
Universal 24VAC or 24VDC input voltage: for any process controller or PLC
Dual Mode Operation: Easily changes from a two state (Open/Close) interface, to a double Manual/Off/Automatic interface. No need to stock two parts!
DIN rail mounting: install into any available space, in any panel, without the need for special mounting track normally seen with printed circuit boards.
Standard control Panel wiring: No special wire harnesses or cables are required. The terminals can easily handle nominal wire gauges normally found in a control panel.
CosMic Plants has a Hoogendoorn computer system installed in its state-of-the-art facility.
CosMic Plants of Beamsville, Ontario, has become one of Canada’s leading phalaenopsis orchid specialists. The combined propagation and finished plant operation is headed by brothers Neil and Mike van Steekelenburg.
Neil and Mike started CosMic Plants in July of 2004, and have been upgrading the facilities since the very start. Just about everything was replaced, upgraded or installed over the years, including recently, a Hoogendoorn computer system.
This is not a crop for the faint-hearted, or those without experience. It takes 18 months before you have flowering plants ready for the market. “It’s a huge investment,” notes Mike. “This is why you want to be sure that you’re working with exceptional quality for plant material, as well as equipment.” The greenhouse is “as state of the art as it gets” for growing phalaenopsis orchids, Mike explains. This ensures premium plant quality, maximum production efficiency and minimal plant losses.
The Hoogendoorn computer system ensures optimal growing conditions, specific to the needs of the crops. For instance, phalaenopsis orchids are quite sensitive to light. CosMic Plants has, in addition to a light meter at its outside weather station, several PAR (Photosynthetic Active Radiation) sensors in the greenhouse, below and on top of a 2 layer shading system to give more flexibility.
Air conditioning is another important factor, in particular during the crop’s cool phase. During the vegetative phase, the plants are grown at different temperatures as during the second phase in which flowering is initiated. With summer temperatures rising to the mid-30˚ Celsius range in the Niagara region, “We have to be sure that we still reach optimal growing conditions inside. We have to be able to fully trust the climate control system”
Neil and Mike felt that a new climate control system would help them produce more energy “friendly” and that it would give them better growing conditions at the same time. The new Hoogendoorn iSii (pronounced easy) allows them to fine-tune the greenhouse climate in the various growth stages, which should result in a better quality product.
Many commercial Phalaenopsis growers in Holland use the Hoogendoorn iSii as their climate control system. The user friendly, Windows based platform combined with excellent graphing capabilities and unlimited customized influences on every climate factor, convinced Neil and Mike to go with Hoogendoorn.
The transition from one climate control system to another, while maintaining the right climate in the greenhouse is a challenge. “Al and Mike from Acrobat Controls played a big role in making the transition a smooth one”, Neil says. “There was not a moment that we were ‘in the dark’, or without control. Al and Mike were very aware of the implications of the transition to a grower, and the level of cooperation was great!”
