View source for Engineering:Seed-counting machine

{{Short description|Machines that count seeds for research and packaging}}
{{Infobox machine
| name              = Seed-counting machine
| image             = Data Count&Fill S60 seed counter.jpg
| image_size        = 
| image_maxsize     = 
| image_sizedefault = 
| image_upright     = 
| alt               = 
| image_title       = 
| image_link        = 
| caption           = A seed counter and packager
| classification    = 
| industry          = [[Earth:Agriculture|Agriculture]]
| application       = Counting seeds
}}
'''Seed counting machines''' count seeds for research and [[Social:Packaging|packaging]] purposes. The machines typically provide total counts of seeds or batch sizes for packaging.

==Background==
The first seed counters were developed to count [[Biology:Legume|legume]]s and other seeds which were large.<ref name="electronic">{{cite news |title=Electronic Counter for Seeds Developed |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-may-24-1962-2778479/?__cf_chl_managed_tk__=pmd_X7a6J3Y.28iTxbVgMUUIhoMPkTIXd4kKl5uMMnjZc7k-1635353766-0-gqNtZGzNA3ujcnBszRS9 |access-date=27 October 2021 |newspaper=San Antonio Express |date=24 May 1962}}</ref>

Traditionally, the seed packaging industry packed seeds by weight but sold them by number.  In order to assure the correct quantity of seeds, the distributors added a safety margin to the packed weight, like a bakers' dozen.  This safety margin increased cost.  By counting the seeds, the margin of error could be reduced and so costs reduced.<ref name="Agricultural" />

==History==
[[File:A seed counter (IA seedcounter53brow).pdf|page=3|thumb|150px|1928 United States Department of Agriculture publication regarding seed counters]]

Originally people counted seeds by hand, or used a trip board. The first seed-counting machine was the [[Physics:Vibration of plates|vibratory]] mechanical seed counter. Modern day electronic seed counters are faster and more accurate.<ref>{{cite web|title=Advancements in Seed Counting Technologies Prompt Committee to Pursue Rule Change Proposal|url=https://www.seeds.iastate.edu/news/advancements-seed-counting-technologies-prompt-committee-pursue-rule-change-proposal|access-date=2021-10-27|website=[[Organization:Iowa State University|Iowa State University Seed Science Center]]|language=en}}</ref> A color-image-based seed sorter was developed which can sort various things by their color.<ref>{{cite web|title=Savvy Seed Sorter Gains New Fans, USDA ARS Online Magazine Vol. 61, No. 6|url=https://agresearchmag.ars.usda.gov/2013/jul/seed|access-date=2021-10-27|website=[[Organization:Agricultural Research Service|Agricultural Research Service]]|date=July 2013}}</ref>

In 1929 the US Bureau of Plant Industry worked with several seed companies to perfect a seed counter.<ref name="badseed">{{cite news |title=Colorado's Expert Protects Growers Against Poor Seed |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-apr-13-1931-2778483/ |access-date=27 October 2021 |newspaper=The Bismarck Tribune |date=13 April 1931}}</ref> In 1962 an electric seed counter was developed by the USDA's [[Organization:Agricultural Marketing Service|Agricultural Marketing Service]]. The electronic counter operation involved the a vibrating the seeds so that they move to the edge of the counting machine.<ref name="electronic"/>

The machine will pay for itself over the labor intensive tedious task of manually counting seeds, which is necessarily characterized by [[Human error|human error]].  By contrast, the new devices, even in the early 1960s, boasted increased speed and “about 1 error in counting 10,000 seeds counted.” The accuracy helps lessen the need to build in safety margins for [[Quantity|quantity]]; and the costs of the machinery can be more than paid for by reduced labor costs.<ref name="Agricultural">{{cite journal |title=The Future for Food Retailing |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XHGCX-eJy-cC&dq=Seed-counting+machine&pg=RA12-PA7 |journal=Agricultural Marketing |year=1961 |publisher=United States: Agricultural Marketing Service|page=7}}</ref>

In the 1970s other electronic seed counting advancements included an [[Physics:Electric eye|electric eye]] to count the seeds. Seed counting still involved vibrating the seed, but now the seed would fall through a seed hole.<ref name="HDP">{{cite news |title=Improvements, Additions Set at Pioneer Research Station |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-feb-25-1973-2778710/ |access-date=27 October 2021 |newspaper=Huron Daily Plainsman |date=25 February 1973}}</ref>

If the items are put onto the conveyor in a single file, then a simple counting mechanism may provide satisfactory results. However, such a mechanism is inherently slower than if the items were freely placed on the conveyor without posing such limitations. Thus, in the 2000s other parallel counting of multiple objects evolved, including devices that use multiple electromagnetic energy sources and receptors.<ref>{{cite web |title=Method and apparatus for dispensing items |url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US8798789B2/en |access-date=September 7, 2022 |website=Google patents |publisher=United States Patent and Trademark Office}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

==Technology==
At one time, the methodology included use of vacuum tubes, [[Physics:Vacuum pump|vacuum pump]]s, a light source and a photo transistor.  The size needed to be adjusted so only one seed passes through at a time.  To be useful, batch counters need to be commercially available.  A single preset count facility is a plus, as is “adequate count capacity, the ability to provide external power supplies and [control of] ... the means to stop the picking up and counting of seeds.”<ref name="Carlow">{{cite journal |date=June 1968 |title=Note: An electronic seed counter |first1=C.A. |last1=Carlow |via=[[Company:Elsevier|Elsevier]] |journal=Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research |volume=13 |number=2 |pages=187–189 |issn=0021-8634 |doi=10.1016/0021-8634(68)90094-2 |url=https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0021-8634%2868%2990094-2 |format=PDF}}</ref>

In commercial operations, it is important for the counter to be automatic and accurate.  For example, one commercial counter is capable of measuring the hundredth/thousandth [[Grain (unit)|grain]] weight for seeds, [[Medicine:Tablet (pharmacy)|tablet]]s, pearls, and small components. It adopts [[Physics:Thermographic camera|far-infrared area sensor]], and a large enough photosensitive area, "suitable for the sensitivity of all crops (millet-peanut)." Blockages or [[Physics:Splash (fluid mechanics)|splash]]es are to be avoided.  Adaptable speed variation adjustment helps "solve the contradiction between speed and accuracy, and ensure error-free counting (counting error of 0/1000)"  Manual feeding vs automatic cup changing "improve the counting efficiency, reduce labor intensity."  Automatic discharge can obviate demands for the operator to constantly feed the vibrating plate.  One counter is so fast that [[Biology:Millet|Millet]] "counting can reach 2000 grains/min, and the [[Biology:Wheat|wheat]] and [[Biology:Rice|rice]] counting"  Suitability of the vibrating plate for different seeds is a consideration.  It is useful to have an adjustable baffle at the exit of the bowl "according to the diameter of the seeds (workpieces), only one seed (workpiece) at a time, not side by side, for all large and small seeds."<ref name="Gemstone">{{cite web|url=https://automatic-seed-counter.com/products/Grain-Seed-Counter/2017-10-17/Automatic-Seed-Counting-Machine.html |title=DC-3 Automatic Electronic Seed Counting Machine for Seeds Medical Particles |publisher=Gemstone |access-date=October 30, 2021}}</ref>

Some seed counters use laser light.<ref name="Reid1">{{cite journal |last1=Reid |first1=W.S. |last2=Buckley |first2=D.J. |title=A laser light source seed counter |volume=19 |number=3 |date=September 1974 |pages=265–269 |journal=Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research  |doi=10.1016/0021-8634(74)90065-1 }}</ref>

In counting, it is important to position one seed at a time by manipulating slit width when using a Photoelectric seed counter.<ref name="Reid2">{{cite journal|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0021863476900779 |journal=Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research |volume=21 |number=2 |date=June 1976 |pages= 213–215 |title=A photoelectric seed counting detector |first1=W.S. |last1=Reid |first2=D.J.|last2=Buckley |first3=W. |last3=Mason |doi=10.1016/0021-8634(76)90077-9 |via=ScienceDirect}}</ref>

Some are able to handle up to 23 sample containers.  They can do this while maintaining notable accuracy.{{efn-ua|"An automatic seed counter for counting seeds from 1–23 sample containers into 1–23 collecting containers is described. The counter can count and collect either a predetermined number of seeds from each sample or the total number of seeds in each sample. Although the instrument was designed for rapeseed, the counter can accommodate seed species ranging in size from 0·6 to 12·5 mm. For large samples (> 100 seeds), the count accuracy varies from ±1% to ±2%, depending on the size and shape of the seed. When counting in the predetermined mode with small samples (<100 seeds) of small seeds, the count accuracy is reduced to ±3%. Accuracy when counting rapeseed is within ±1·16 seeds standard deviation for sample sizes within the range 10–100 seeds, in either predetermined or total count mode. At present this equipment is not suitable for counting seeds from breeder selections because of the possibility of transferring a seed or seeds from one sample to another; minor changes to the control circuit should make this feasible. It is, however, suitable for the majority of counting requirements for a broad range of seeds.<ref name="Reid1"/>}}  General purpose electronic seed counters usually count seeds during [[Physics:Free fall|free fall]]. They have achieved satisfactory error rates.<ref name="Reid1"/>  For example: "Counting errors of less than 0.4% at counting speeds of 400 to 1,180 seeds/min were obtained for seeds of nine different species ranging in size from corn (Zea mays L.) to trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.). Under some conditions, the seed dispenser, a vibratory small parts feeder, segregated wheat kernels (Triticum aestivum L.) into weight classes dispensing heavier kernels first into the counting system."<ref name="Reid3">{{cite journal |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0021863483900781 |title=A semi-automatic seed counter|journal=Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research |volume=28 |number=2 |via=ScienceDirect |date=March 1983 |pages=89–95 |first1=W.S. |last1=Reid |first2=D.J.|last2=Buckley |first3=R.K. |last3=Downey|doi=10.1016/0021-8634(83)90078-1}}</ref><ref name="McLaughlin">{{cite journal |url=https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.4141/cjps76-053 |title=Design and Performance of an Electronic Seed Counter |first1=N. B. |last1=McLaughlin |last2=Giesbrecht |first2=J. |first3=D. F. |last3=Bligh |volume=56 |number=2 |journal=Canadian Journal of Plant Science |date=April 1976 |pages=351–355 |doi=10.4141/cjps76-053}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="250px" style="text-align:left">
File:Seed distribution, Dept. of Agrl. LCCN2016825974 (cropped).jpg|[[Organization:USDA|USDA]] seed packeting machines in operation, circa 1916
File:Seed distribution, Dept. of Agrl. LCCN2016825969 (cropped).jpg|USDA seed packet assembly line, circa 1916
File:Burpee seed counter.jpg|A seed counter at the W. Atlee Burpee company in 1943
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Company:Agricultural machinery industry|Agricultural machinery industry]]
*[[Engineering:List of agricultural machinery|List of agricultural machinery]]
*[[Engineering:Mechanised agriculture|Mechanised agriculture]]
* [[Biology:Seed drill|Seed drill]] (box drill, air drill)

==References==
===Notes===
{{Reflist|group=upper-alpha}}

===Citations===
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/6OaweE-DQkK76q5JXB1EYQ Dodder counting machine]
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[[Category:Agricultural machinery]]

{{Sourceattribution|Seed-counting machine}}