21.03.2022
SteadySpray receives recognition and financial support
With an innovative and stable sprayer boom system proved to be highly efficient, SteadySpray is now ready to take the final steps in product development to lead the way in sustainable agriculture. Now made possible by Hubcap – an exclusive network of digital innovation hubs – who has chosen SteadySpray as an investment case, and thereby recognised our work and importance of developing a digital twin of the new sprayer boom system.
A stable boom makes the difference
All over the world, you will find wide field sprayers driving along the fields treating weeds and spraying fertilizers. During this manoeuvre, the sprayer boom easily begins to oscillate due to large dimensions and uneven terrains. But why is an oscillating boom an issue, you may ask?
For several reasons, founder and developer Thomas Schmidt explains:
"When the sprayer boom becomes unstable, it lacks precision. This means that some areas do not receive enough pesticides to achieve its effect while other areas are overly sprayed causing chemicals to readily leach into groundwater."
These issues are exactly what the team behind SteadySpray have dedicated their work to prevent. With a well-composed team specialized in hydraulics and mechanics, the system ensures precision because the new technology removes 75% of all oscillations.
Put into other words, a stable sprayer boom is what makes the difference. Not only is it the key to achieve maximum yield, but it has a positive impact on the environment.
New investment takes product development to a new level
Even though the sprayer boom system has already proved itself to be highly efficient, it still needs further testing before it hits the market. However, testing is expensive under current conditions.
"The fact that Hubcap has seen potential in SteadySpray now gives us the possibility to take product development to a whole new level, because it allows us to run tests independently from other factors such as weather conditions."
Hubcap is a European development programme headed by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Aarhus University embracing digital innovation using model-based design technology.
Throughout 2020-2022 Hubcap has organized three series of Open Calls with €3,2 million committed in cascade funding for SMEs.
But SteadySpray has not only been granted financial support. As part of the Hubcap programme, SteadySpray has been invited into a network of very competent partners such as ControlLab, Engineering and Aarhus University.
With access to this exclusive network, SteadySpray is now able to set up a digital twin – a simulation model that represents the real machine and sprayer boom system with a high degree of accuracy.
By using the digital twin, the team behind SteadySpray can run tests in advance, more often and in less time which will ensure continuous product development and guarantee a strong product soon to be launched internationally.
A promising journey
Ever since the great news, Thomas Schmidt and the rest of the team behind SteadySpray have been extremely excited to get back to work:
“We are confident that this opportunity will once again be far-reaching in the development of SteadySpray. In many ways, the support from Hubcap has formed the path for SteadySpray by making our journey possible.”
In 2021, SteadySpray was approved for the first call. With the support from Hubcap, SteadySpray not only succeeded in developing a sprayer boom system never seen alike, but the system also proved to be very efficient in ensuring a stable boom and guaranteeing precision. By mixing the technologies in hydraulics and mechanics, the team was able to significantly reduce vertical oscillations even in very hilly terrain.
Today, the future seems very promising. SteadySpray has recently hired a CEO and what started as an interesting project now has become its own independent company.
The final steps before take off
With recent investment from Hubcap, SteadySpray will now mainly be focusing on further reducing horizontal oscillations to ensure that the sprayer boom system is as strong as it can be before it is introduced to the market.
Also, the sprayer boom system is not only supposed to be sold on new field sprayers. SteadySpray wants to enable farmers to reuse their old sprayer booms by mounting the SteadySpray system on their existing booms.
This step, however, complicates the process and requires more testing because the sprayer boom system must work on different booms determined by several factors. But this is where testing on the digital twin comes in very handy.
”We know that our technology works very well, and with our amazing team and the great opportunity provided by Hubcap, the vision of seeing our sprayer boom system mounted on field sprayers all over the world has now come one step closer to reality.”