A remote controlled Cross Rhino beet machine was on show at the final-year projects expo at the faculty of Engineering and Computers in Dublin City University.

Jason Cross, son of Simon and Sandra Cross, founders of Cross Agricultural Engineering in Rathangan, Co Kildare, developed the system as his final-year project at the college. It involved automating the operations, control and monitoring of the Cross Rhino beet washing and de-stoning machine.

The project involved developing a combination of software controls with a range of electro-hydraulic controls to allow for remote computer control of the large machine. Jason replaced the standard diesel engine with a large three-phase electric motor drive as part of the project.

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This motor, placed to the rear of the machine, then drives four hydraulic motors, which in turn provide the power to drive the entire machine. In Jason’s design, the hydraulic motor functions are controlled remotely by linking a series of monitors to a control unit that in turn is connected to the remote computer by means of a mobile phone SIM card.

This facility allows the owner/manager of the unit to control the performance and monitor the functions of the machine remotely. It also allows Cross Agricultural Engineering to monitor the machine’s performance and plan a maintenance/service programme to match the machine’s use level. This is especially useful for the company as it has a number of machine service contracts in place with its customers in the UK and this will enhance the service it can offer.

The concept was developed following the sale of one of the Cross Rhino washers/de-stoners to the University of San Francisco. The machine is being used as part of a research project on bio-energy with anaerobic digestion. The research project required more machine control and monitoring to assess the performance of the various input products.

The control system adds about €20,000 to the cost of the machine. It will also be available for engine-powered machines in the future.

Cross Agricultural Engineering has sold beet washing and de-stoning machines to a number of countries, including Germany, France, Belgium, the US, Canada and New Zealand, as well as the home Irish market. The machines have been shown to have an important application in preparing beet crops for use in anaerobic digesters across many markets.