Empty-position spraying
Every nozzle on the line operated, even when positions were unoccupied.
Agriculture & Livestock
Dairy Farm Sensor-Activated Spray System
A commercial dairy needed to move beyond row-level spraying. We engineered a stall-level control system that detects cow presence and activates only the corresponding spray position.
IndustryAgriculture & Livestock
01
Client challenge
The system could deliver water—but not according to actual cow occupancy.
“
Detect whether a cow is present at each position, and activate only the nozzle serving that occupied position.
Coarse control
A single valve controlled an entire row—or, in some areas, a complete barn line.
Installation and maintenance burden
Long cable runs and secondary field wiring slowed installation and troubleshooting.
02
The control transformation
From pipe-level operation to cow-position-level control.
03
Engineered system
One coordinated architecture—from presence detection to remote operations.
The requirement could not be solved by adding a sensor alone. Sensing, field connectivity, PLC decision logic, individual valve actuation and operator visibility had to operate as one control loop.
Presence Detection → Field Signal → PLC Decision → Individual Valve Actuation → Operational Feedback
04
Purpose-built hardware and software
Four custom elements designed around the barn—not adapted from a generic control package.
01 / Sensing
Purpose-Built Sensing Enclosure
Evaluates cow presence at the corresponding spray position and sends the field signal to the control system.
02 / Connectivity
Plug-and-Play T-Cable Harness
Standardized connections eliminate unnecessary secondary wiring and simplify installation, replacement and expansion.
03 / Control
Dedicated PLC Control
Applies presence, temperature, timing and zoning logic before commanding the corresponding solenoid valve.
04 / Operations
Mobile Operations App
Provides equipment status, operating visibility, parameter review and faster localization of abnormal device states.
05
Delivery approach
Survey first. Configure for the actual barn. Retrofit by zone.
01
Site SurveyMap water, power, cable routes and existing controls.›02
Control ZoningDefine positions, sensors, valves and spray points.›03
ConfigurationPrepare enclosures, harnesses and panels for the barn.›04
InstallationRetrofit by zone to reduce operational disruption.›05
CommissioningVerify detection, control logic, valve response and timing.›06
HandoverConfigure mobile operations and train the dairy team.06
Before and after
A measurable change in how the system is controlled and maintained.
| Control area | Before retrofit | After retrofit |
|---|---|---|
| Presence detection | No position-level detection | Presence evaluated at each spray position |
| Spray control | Entire row or barn line | Individual occupied positions |
| Field connection | Secondary wiring required | Plug-and-play T-cable harness |
| Control logic | Coarse line-level operation | PLC-based temperature, timing and zoning logic |
| System visibility | On-site inspection | Mobile equipment-status visibility |
| Troubleshooting | Broad manual search | Faster localization by zone and device |
07
Value delivered
Precision at the spray position. Simplicity in the field. Visibility for operations.
More Targeted Cooling
Spray activation follows actual occupancy instead of opening every nozzle on the line.
Cleaner Installation
Purpose-built, plug-and-play connections reduce field wiring and make replacement easier.
More Visible Operations
PLC control and the mobile interface make status, parameters and abnormal conditions easier to manage.
Project perspective
The retrofit redefined the smallest controllable unit of the cooling system.
Control moved from the pipe level to the cow-position level—supported by purpose-built sensing, connectivity, automation and mobile operations.
The goal is not to make every nozzle operate. It is to make the right nozzle operate at the right position.
Products used in this project
Siemens S7-1200 PLC Control Cabinet
Custom-built control cabinets around the Siemens S7-1200 platform, wired, programmed and factory-tested to your process specification.
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Instrument Enclosure / Operator & Valve Control Box
Field enclosures for instruments, operator controls and solenoid valves, sized and drilled to your layout.
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