Asytec’s Smart Seed Packing Machine

Asytec, a mid-market industrial machinery manufacturer, faced the challenge of designing a next-generation seed packing machine capable of handling customised packaging configurations without sacrificing throughput. Traditional seed packing equipment in the agricultural machinery sector relies on rigid, single-format setups that struggle to accommodate varied seed types, bag sizes, and lot traceability requirements. Manual handling steps introduced variability in fill accuracy and created a bottleneck at the packaging stage. Without a flexible, automated control architecture, the machine would be unable to meet growing demand from seed producers who require both precision and adaptability in high-volume packing operations.

Asytec partnered with Rockwell Automation to implement an integrated automation platform across the smart seed packing machine. Primary machine control was handled by an Allen-Bradley CompactLogix programmable automation controller, providing deterministic sequencing and centralised logic for packing operations. Micro800 controllers were deployed over an Ethernet network to deliver distributed control and safety functions at the machine periphery. PowerFlex 525 variable frequency drives with Safe Torque-Off (STO) capability provided integrated motor control and functional safety without external safety relays. The Ethernet-based architecture allowed all controllers and drives to communicate on a unified network, enabling real-time coordination between filling, weighing, and sealing stations and supporting flexible recipe management for different seed and packaging formats.

The automation architecture delivered measurable gains across efficiency, accuracy, and throughput:

• 5× faster throughput — the machine can pack seeds up to five times faster than the previous manual or semi-automated approach
• Greater fill accuracy — automated weighing and control logic reduced seed count and weight variability across packaging runs
• Reduced manual handling — operator intervention during the packing cycle was significantly decreased, lowering labour requirements and error risk

Beyond raw speed, the system improved overall equipment reliability by eliminating manual touchpoints that introduced inconsistency. The integrated safety architecture via Safe Torque-Off also simplified compliance with machinery safety standards.

• Integrated safety in the drive layer (Safe Torque-Off) reduces wiring complexity and simplifies functional safety compliance for new machine builds.
• Distributed Ethernet-based control enables modular machine design — additional stations can be added without redesigning the core control architecture.
• Flexible recipe management is a key differentiator for seed and packaging machinery serving customers with varied product formats; build it in from the start.
• 5× throughput gains are achievable when manual handling steps are systematically replaced with coordinated automation rather than isolated improvements.
• Specifying a unified vendor platform (controllers, drives, safety) reduces integration risk and simplifies commissioning on complex multi-axis packing machines.