One broken pull wire can cause more damage than you think

Greenhouse climate control has become increasingly precise in the Netherlands, and this is reflected in how screening installations are used: screens now open and close far more frequently than they did a few years ago. This puts additional strain on pull wires, increasing the risk of breakage.

To detect pull wire breakage quickly, a Dutch ornamental plant grower has implemented a pull wire break detection system developed by Van der Valk Horti Systems.
Marc van der Knaap, speaking on behalf of SchermNed, explains: "A broken pull wire is frustrating enough on its own. But if it isn't detected immediately, the damage only gets worse. That's exactly what we want to help our customers avoid. Thats why we started working with a practical solution."

How the protection works

The pull-wire break detection system is installed next to the drive shaft of the screen installation. If a pull wire breaks, for instance, because something has become caught in the installation, the broken wire makes contact with the detection cable. This immediately sends a signal to the climate computer, which stops the screen installation system. This ensures that action is taken before the broken wire can cause further damage to the installation or equipment below. 

Valuable with three screen installations stacked above one another

A broken pull wire is never welcome, but the stakes are higher when multiple screen installations are installed above one another. In such setups, the risk of a single pull-wire break causing more complex secondary damage is considerably higher, and repair costs tend to be greater as a result. For this reason, SchermNed recommends this type of protection when installing multiple screen installations above one another.
According to Marc, the system is also worth considering in other situations where the consequences of a malfunction could be significant. "Especially with multiple screen installations operating in a confined space, you don't want to discover a fault only during an inspection. The sooner you detect the breakage, the sooner you can get back up and running with minimal impact."

With pull-wire break detection, SchermNed adds a practical way tp prevent problems rather than resolving them afterwards. This small addition that can prevent major damage and prolonged downtime.

Because we care.