Mobile pivot control with long-range radio communication and native iOS support.
Industry: Agriculture
Quick Facts
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Customer | Irrigation Automation Company |
| Application | Pivot irrigation control and monitoring |
| Communication | Ethernet radios up to 21 miles range |
| Mobile | iOS (iPad/iPhone) |
| Data Logging | Built-in SQL with regulatory reporting |
The Challenge
Challenge: Visualize and control real-time data to improve efficiency and performance of irrigation pivots in the field, while allowing farmers to communicate via mobile devices (iPad/iPhone).
Specific pain points:
- Needed complete software package with connectivity, communications, report generation, and graphics all-in-one
- Required native mobile device support for field operations
- Long-range radio communication (up to 21 miles) with bandwidth constraints
- Water consumption reporting required for Canadian and US government regulations
- Other packages evaluated were "extremely long in the tooth, could only communicate with a single PLC, or were lacking in data collection capabilities"
Impact: Without integrated mobile-first solution, farmers lacked real-time visibility and control of remote pivot systems.
The Solution
Architecture
| Tier | Component | Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| Field | RTUs at pivots | Local control and sensing |
| Transport | Ethernet radios | Up to 21 miles range |
| Gateway | FactoryStudio Gateway | Radio communication hub |
| Server | FactoryStudio Server | Data logging, alarms, reports |
| Clients | iPad/iPhone (native iOS) | VPN/WiFi connected, alarms, alerts, pivot control |
Key Capabilities
| Feature | Application |
|---|---|
| Native iOS Support | Application runs natively on iPad/iPhone |
| Long-range Radio | Ethernet radios reaching up to 21 miles |
| SQL Data Logging | Built-in logging for compliance reporting |
| PLC Communication | Single-threaded driver optimized for radio bandwidth |
| .NET Development | Complex animations and scripts using Microsoft .NET |
| Online Configuration | Make changes without application restart |
Regulatory Compliance
- Water Consumption reports generated automatically
- Reports emailed to users
- Compliant with Canadian and US government regulations
Key Enablers
FrameworX capabilities that made this solution possible:
| Capability | Application |
|---|---|
| iOS Runtime | iPad/iPhone application |
| Flexible PLC Communication | Single-threaded driver optimized for radio bandwidth constraints |
| Built-in SQL Data Logging | Regulatory compliance reporting |
| .NET Development Tools | Complex animations and scripts with Intellisense |
| Online Configuration | Continue development without restarts |
| Real-time Alarms & Alerts | Instant notification to mobile devices |
The Results
Rich Operator Experience — Modern intuitive interface differentiated customer from competition
Improved Efficiency — Better water and chemicals usage through real-time monitoring
Reduced Downtime — Significantly less pivot systems downtime
21-Mile Range — Farmers control pivots up to 21 miles away via iPad/iPhone
Regulatory Compliance — Automated Water Consumption reports for government requirements
Competitive Advantage — Complex animations and functionality competitors couldn't match
Customer Testimonial:
"Due to the modern-intuitive interface I was easily able to develop a rich operator experience. When I needed a little help, the Tatsoft support and engineering team were quick to respond. FactoryStudio also provides the tools for us to make complex animations that were essential for us to separate ourselves from the competition."
— Project Manager, Irrigation Automation Company
Resources:
Download case study: CaseStudy_Irrigation.pdf
This case demonstrates agricultural pivot control with mobile support and long-range radio communication.
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