VAKI makes the grade
Aqua Nor launch for new Smart Grader and Smart Flow System
THE VAKI product range has been setting standards and providing cutting edge technology in the aquaculture industry for more than 30 years. The accurate reporting of information that its products provide, has given the industry the ability to maximise operational efficiency, improve resource planning and optimise decision making.
Established in 1986, VAKI has built up a strong business worldwide in over 60 countries. Focusing on the design and manufacture of high quality fish handling, counting
and grading solutions, the company prides itself on working closely with customers to identify needs, with a continuous focus and drive towards future innovation and development for the aquaculture industry. The latest innovative development is the VAKI Smart Grader and Smart Flow System, which the company will be unveiling at Aqua Nor. VAKI Smart Flow System allows the farmer to simultaneously control and monitor the complete pumping, grading and counting process from one device. The Smart Flow System gathers and stores information on the selection of size and quantity for all the graded and counted fish. With the recent advances in machine to machine (M2M) technology and the Internet of Things (IoT), VAKI has integrated the two technologies and applied them to the Smart Flow System. Advancements enable the machines to communicate, collect, store, exchange and report data autonomously. Minimal human involvement or intervention is required, as the machines ‘talk’ to each other and work together to make decisions and perform tasks. The most integral part of the VAKI Smart Flow System is the ability to optimise and maximise the accuracy and precision of the pumping, grading and counting process through a remote, connectivity powered collection of data. The VAKI Smart Grader is a 10-track grader and has a uniquely designed inlet which allows the fish to be evenly distributed across the width of the grader, thus utilising all the 10 tracks for maximum results. To deliver accurate grading of the fish, the rollers are machined and balanced in high precision specialised laser equipment. The grader out
lets can be mounted either side of the grader, are easily removed for cleaning, and designed with a double slope to both minimise any impact on the fish and ensure free flow away from the grader.
From the touch screen, the rotation speed of the rollers can be finely controlled and the inclination of the main sorting unit raised from 0- 10° electronically.
The opening of the grader is with electric linear actuators that can be controlled either directly from the touchscreen on the grader or remotely from the VAKI counter, or in Smart Flow mode automatically by the VAKI counter which counts, size measures and calculates the split between the grades.
By integrating a feedback loop between the grader and the counter, both opening and rotation settings of the grader can be adjusted automatically to reach the optimal quantity of fish in each category. The opening for each grade is displayed on a digital display.
The grader is built in high grade stainless steel 316L and selected plastic materials that are corrosion and water resistant.
‘As a company, we are always looking towards the future and will continue to do so through our dedication to technical innovation and new solutions to the aquaculture industry,’ said Gareth Hammond from VAKI.
The VAKI Smart Flow and VAKI Smart are the next generation in technical innovation, incorporating machine to machine and the Internet of Things technology to improve the operational efficiency on-site. By enhancing the precision and accuracy of the pumping, grading and counting process using the Smart Flow system, and by adopting new technology to further enhance business performance, the company can help the sustainable growth of the aquaculture industry.
VAKI will be at Aqua Nor on stand F-526
“The VAKI Smart grader is a 10 track grader and has a uniquely designed inlet which allows the fish to be evenly distributed across the width of the grader thus results” utilising all the 10 tracks for maximum