Ag-tech & Food Processing

The conventional agriculture industry is going through a technological revolution, driven by agri-technology operations projected to reach $22.5 billion by 2025. The trend is compelling a growing number of ag-tech companies to design and implement agri-technologies at a record pace, changing the landscape of the agriculture industry.

Learn more about the specific categories of the ag-tech and food processing industries, as well as the services Sigma Design offers to clients in these sectors. We will also discuss a case study where we helped an ag-tech business with its food processing operations.

Agri-Food Industry

A 2017 AgFunder report defines 13 categories that comprise the agrifood-tech industry:

1. Ag Biotechnology — Agricultural biotechnology uses genetic engineering to alter conventional breeding methods for crops and livestock. On-farm inputs include microbiome, genetic, breeding, and animal health information.
2. Farm Management Software, Sensing, and IoT — This category includes data-capturing devices, decision support software, and big-data analysis.
3. Farm Robotics, Mechanization, and Equipment — Farm machinery, drones, automation, and grow equipment all fall under this category.
4. Bioenergy and Biomaterials — Biomaterials and bioenergy consist of non-food extraction and processing, cannabis pharmaceuticals, and feedstock technology.
5. Novel Farming Systems — Novel farming systems include aquaculture, indoor farms, and algae and insect production.
6. Supply Chain Technologies — Examples of agricultural supply chain technologies include food safety and traceability tech, processing tech, and transport and logistics tools.
7. Agribusiness Marketplaces — This is defined as commodities trading platforms, equipment leasing, and online input procurement.
8. Innovative Food — Novel ingredients, cultured meat, and plant-based proteins are considered innovative food.
9. In-Store Retail and Restaurant Tech — In this category are shelf-stacking robots, point of sale (POS) systems, 3D food printers, and food waste monitoring IoT.
10. Restaurant Marketplaces — Restaurant marketplaces include online technology platforms that deliver food from a wide range of vendors.
11. eGrocery — These stores and marketplaces sell and deliver processed and unprocessed agricultural products to consumers.
12. Home and Cooking Tech — Smart kitchen appliances, food testing devices, and nutrition technologies fall under this category.
13. Online Restaurants and Meal Kits — These startups offer meals and send pre-portioned ingredients for consumers to prepare at home.

Sigma Design Company Services

Sigma Design’s comprehensive services encompass the entire product development cycle, including:

• Design engineering
• Prototyping
• Design and cost analysis
• Electronics
• Photorealistic simulation
• Build-to-print services
• Specialized manufacturing runs at low volumes (100s)
• Large manufacturing runs

Our team offers customers decades of design, engineering, and manufacturing experience to streamline every step of the process. We conduct all work from our state-of-the-art 20,000-square-foot Technology Commercialization and New Product Manufacturing Center in New Jersey.

Our expertise lies in developing testing equipment, analytical appliances, and water filtration systems for applications such as:

• Design/build liquid nutrient dosing systems
• Water and wash-down system development
• Food contact equipment to NSF standards
• Structural analysis of racks and structures
• Temperature analysis of food storage systems
• Wastewater treatment for TSS reduction prior to discharge to WWTP

Case Study: Ag-Tech — Fluid Handling and Nutrient Injection System for Ag-Tech Vertical Farming

Sigma Design worked with a multinational food and beverage company to create a nutrient-dosing system for their newly constructed indoor hydroponic farm. We applied our extensive experience in fluid handling systems across industries to perfect a water and nutrient dosing system in a well-packaged and engineered skid that fit into the final dimensions of the client’s facility.

Sigma Design chose pumps for the system after reviewing the client’s suggested components. Our experience allowed us to optimize some of these components to better fit the system’s operating conditions.

We performed the following services for this project:

• Design optimization
• Component selection and optimization
• Fluid handling skid design
• Metal fabrication
• Hydrostatic pressure testing

Ag-Tech and Food Processing Equipment From Sigma Design

Since 1999, hundreds of manufacturing firms have trusted Sigma Design Company to turn their ideas into successful products and machinery. We’ve delivered more than 1,000 successful design and design/build projects on budget and on time. Our products and machinery save our agri-food industry clients hundreds of thousands of dollars in manufacturing costs, thanks to our advanced engineering, simulation, and rapid prototyping technology.

We reduce the risks and costs associated with product development, boosting quality and shortening the time to market. Sigma Design’s portfolio includes a wide range of clients in the food processing and ag-tech industry, including:

• Crop One — Vertical Farming
• Welch’s Foods — Industrial Food Processing
• Aqseptence Group — Dairy Farm Waste Reduction and Water Reuse

For more information or to request a quote, contact us today.

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