The potter is one of the basic machines. There are many of them on the market, the question is which one to choose? We know that the choice is not easy, and it is the choice that determines whether the work with the potter will be easy, light and pleasant. When we asked our customers what they pay attention to in the first place they pointed out the performance of the machine and the shape of the pots used! In this article, we want to introduce you to which aspects are crucial from our perspective and explain why.
1. type of production: most often potting machines are used in nursery and floriculture production. In many cases, machines for one application and the other may be the same, but increasingly the specifics of production are forcing the selection of machines “dedicated” to a particular industry.
2. type of pots used in production: this is one of the most important questions, as you also confirmed! While most potting machines can handle both round and square pots, additional accessories are often needed to handle the latter. Each machine also has its own range of capabilities, that is, the diameters from which and to which pots can be used.
3. type of pot feeder: an important aspect that affects the quality of work. There are pneumatic and mechanical solutions. Each has its supporters, as well as each requires slightly different use and accessories.
4. annual production scale and growth prospect: a question that can prevent us from buying a machine that is too big, which will not be used 100%, or a machine that is too small, which will not provide adequate capacity after a short time and will force us to buy a bigger machine.
5 Performance: one of the most common questions and also one of the first. Why are we only now raising this point? The answer is simple ? Without a proper diagnosis of the first 3 questions, performance does not matter much, because there will always be some reason that will limit performance. Example: you can buy machines with capacities as high as 7,000-8,000. pots per hour. The question is whether the entire production line is ready for such a capacity? Plants need to be planted into pots, which at high yields generates more workers needed. You also have to deal with the logistics of pots and planted plants, i.e., unraveling and spacing them at their destination.
6 Workspace: an important question that affects the type and necessary equipment of the machine. Of course, all machines are suitable for indoor work, but not all are suitable for transporting around the farm and working, for example, outdoors or on unpaved land.
7. Possible additional options: the possibility of expanding the machine with additional accessories that affect the capabilities of the machines, as well as the quality of work. There are usually quite a few options, and this is also where it is worthwhile to lean over them and think about them, because once purchased, some can often no longer be bought.
