SeedMon is the solution for function monitoring and blockage detection on seed drills and fertilizer/slurry applicators respectively for retrofit and original equipment manu­facturers. Partial blockage with reduced through­put is reliably and immediately detected. Annoying late surprises and yield losses due to faulty or under­dosed application are eliminated.
SeedMon is flexibly configurable with a number (max. 255) of MSO SeeDector sensors, main hub(s) connection box(es) and a MSO on-board computer head unit or an ECU/ head unit of an OEM. The SeeDector Sensors are installed on each pipe or tube and connected to a hub. Via CAN-Bus one or several main hubs are daisy-chained and connected to the MSO head unit or the ECU/ head unit of an OEM .
The MSO SeedMon System is calibrated in normal field operation. Over 30 seconds under normal operation all SeeDector sensors of a system are calibrated to the same average level in operation. Thus systematic deviations of the distribution and between the sensors are levelled out.

In operation SeedMon is monitoring the material flow on every SeeDector sensor attached to the system. The average of the material flow of all of the SeeDector sensors is computed. The percentage deviation of every single SeeDector from this average value is checked against the alarm percentage set on the head unit. If the value of one or several SeeDector sensor(s) drops below this alarm threshold an alarm is triggered on the head unit. The MSO SeedMon head unit then beeps and displays the number of the sensor(s). At the same time the status LED on the respective SeeDector sensor(s) switches from blinking green to blinking red. The alarm stays on as long as the alarm condition stays on or the alarm is confirmed by the operator.

Monitoring and active alarms are switched off when the average value of the SeeDector sensors drops below 50 % of the average at calibration. All monitoring - also of confirmed alarms e.g. due to tramlining is switched on again when the average rises again over 50 % of the average at calibration. Thus monitoring is switched off when the machine is out of operation e.g. on head­lands. In the same time monitoring of pipes where alarm has been confirmed and switched off due to e.g. tramlining are "life" and monitored again.

SeedMon datasheet

SeedMon data sheet and further details on request.

Fields of application

Mineral fertilizer: Application of fertilizer e.g. granules, micro-granules, crushed split, powder for side - dressing with

• Precision planter e.g. maize
• Seed drills
• Fertilizer monitoring for fertilizer deep soil depot, "underfoot" applications
• Fertilizer monitoring when applying seed and fertilizer for early start

Liquid fertilizer:

• NH3 applicators

Slurry: Tankers with distribution head(s) and subsequent hoses with

• Disc coulter
• Injector
• Harrow

Seeds: From oilseed rape/ canola to large beans

• Pneumatic seed drills
• Mechanical seed drills

Benefits and advantages

• Early detection of a (partial) blockage of a pipe when throughput decreases under a preset alarm percentage.
• Optimized function monitoring and ease of mind.
• Robust and reliable monitoring when applying dusty, powdery or sticky fertilizer.
• Unsusceptible to soiling, material sticking or accumulating in a layer inside the hoses.
• Simple and easy installation of SeeDector sensors with a steel sheet bracket clamped around the pipe - no cutting, nothing built into the pipe.
• Steel sheeet brackets available for different diameters of hoses.
• In contrary to optical sensors unsusceptible to dirt, dust or incrus­tation in the pipe.
• Immediate detection of blockage on single pipes when building up, not only at total blockage when pipe is filled up to the sensor.
• Detection and monitoring of switching off the flow e.g. while tram­lining.
• No alterations, nothing built into the flow due to SeeDector sensor being mounted around the pipe externally.
• Flexible system design with hub(s) adaptable to the specific machine depending on its number of distri­bution heads and number of pipes per distri­bution head.
• Steel sheet brackets for installation of the SeeDector sensors on pipes with different diameters available.
• Simple calibration in normal operation.
• Stand-alone system without need of additional sensors e.g. forward speed sensor and sensor for working position.
• The display of the actual average of the over-all through­put compared to the average at calibration (second bargraph on the display) enables the detection of a blockage, reduced through­put or fault of the dosing unit.

Main Hub(s) - Connection box(es)

Flexible Integration of MSO SeeDector sensors

Main hubs are components of the SeedMon system which integrate and connect the SeeDector sensors to an on-board computer head unit via CAN-Bus. Main hubs can be intercon­nected in a daisy chain via cable of different length to further main hub(s) and with a head unit. The possible length of the cables allows for systems for large seed drills (Air carts). Up to 255 SeeDector sensors can be integrated in one SeedMon system.
Up to 12 SeeDector sensors are connected to one hub in a star topology.

The SeedMon system automatically detects the given configuration of hubs and sub-hubs and does enumerate the connected SeeDector sensors.

SeedMon head unit

The "brains" of the SeedMon system

The head unit of the SeedMon blockage monitor system could either be the ECU of an OEM or the custom programmed MSO SeedMon head unit for retrofit.

The MSO SeedMon head unit is a compact device with a 3,5" (8,5 cm) TFT QVGA display with four capacitive touch keys. The unit is built into a robust aluminum enclosure. The head unit runs the special software developed by MSO for blockage detection.

The SeedMon head unit is connected to the first main hub of the daisy chain (or a single hub). The calibration is carried out in normal operation over 30 seconds.
The system combines the through­put on each sensor AND the average of all sensors AND the systematic deviation/ variance of the lateral distribution. This makes the system independent on installation, orientation or mounting position of the sensor on the pipe and independent on forward speed.
The SeedMon head unit monitors the material flow in every MSO SeeDector connected. If the throughput drops under­neath a percentage threshold set by the operator the SeedMon head unit sounds an alarm and displays the number of the respective sensor in a window that pops up. If several sensors triggered an alarm a list of their numbers is displayed. At the same time the status LED on the respective sensor(s) switches from blinking green to blinking red.
The alarm status of a sensor ends when the blockage is removed and the throughput rises again above the threshold. The alarm can also be confirmed and switched off by the operator e.g. if the alarm occured due to the flow deliberately being switched off by an actuator while tram­lining.
The MSO SeedMon head unit shows a bargraph with the average of all sensors corresponding to 100 % and the minimum and maximum percentage (sensor with the highest and the lowest value). The percentage threshold set by the operator is indicated by two red chevrons in the bargraph.
A second bargraph shows the actual average compared to the average at calibration (100 % line). The actual average changes with forward speed or when the dosage is changed. This second bargraph indicates an over-all problem to the operator e.g. blockage, decreased output or failure of the metering unit/dosage.
The MSO SeedMon head unit also features diagnosis functions like scrolling of the raw sensor data CAN messages and display of connected and detected SeeDector sensor.

Technical Data