Aponix Newsletter 2017-12 – Indiegogo campaign
[Link to the original newsletter]
Summary:
Today aponix needs your support! Please check out our crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. You will find new details about the vertical barrel concept – peek into manufacturing, hear why we are doing all this (see video) and learn how it all began.
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Mission of aponix is to make hyperlocal edible plant production easy and productive – for commercial operations running urban micro-farms (B2B) but also for the prosumer or hobby enthusiast (B2C). The aponix parts can be used to set up grow spaces for both types of applications in very flexible and modular ways.
Remember: Height = number of grow spaces = always variable.
No fixed elements (tables, racks) needed. 3D-NFT
There are still a few missing parts that would make setups even more versatile. The funding we can generate through our campaign will be invested into design and tooling for these parts:
| Missing: Adapter piece with one centered net pot. This is a missing part for more flexible assembly of ring segments and setup of the cultivation area for more diverse crop sizes. It requires a new dedicated injection molding tool and will look like this: |  |
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Missing: A rolling metal triangle for the standalone barrels. Substrate based barrels can become heavy. Also the soilless standalone barrel still needs a good solution to move it around. If you look closely, the bottom of the closed base already has some placeholders for a triangle metal structure. It is a simple welded 3-piece structure that we can equip with rolls. |
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Missing: The metal base for rotation of the multi barrel setup. The idea here is to use the top lid upside down. It already can be used as base for the hanging barrel. We need to have sort of a christmas tree metal base that can hold such a turned lid and provide a bearing underneath and at the same time let the liquid drain. |
This would also make up the base for future automation and (auto-)rotation and solve lighting issues.
There are many more ideas for extensions. With your support we will realize as many of them as possible. If you are inspired by the design and have ideas for a useful extension you like to use yourself or share with us, we are happy to hear them.
Here are the perks we are offering for your support:
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Suspended Barrel Do you know the concept of a ‘suspended coffee’? It is when you go to a bar and pay for 2 coffee, drink one and the spare one can be picked later by someone that can not afford it. |
This is the same for the barrel parts! Your contribution helps give a school or institution that could otherwise not afford the parts access to the latest hyperlocal growing equipment for education or self-sustainability.
| Standalone Soilless Barrel Provides an integrated reservoir in the base, 10 plantable ring segments, assembled using 60 of our 1/6th parts each providing two 2-inch net pot inserts (120 in total), a top water buffer and a top lid. |
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You will need a simple 20-30W submergible pump and a 3/4″ hose to operate it. Get more info in our website about this bundle.
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Standing Substrate Barrel As a raised bed alternative the vertical barrel can also be filled with substrate (soil or other medium). Or it can be used for your pond as bio filter. |
In this case the 1/6 parts for ring segment assembly come with 18 shelf parts and 18 closed parts. The closed base provides a wicking tank for irrigation. Get more info on our website about this bundle.
| Standing Soilless Multi Barrel If you plan to run multiple barrels with an external nutrient reservoir or aquaponic sump this setup provides 144 grow spaces |
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using 72 of our 1/6th parts each providing two 2-inch net pot inserts. The top lid comes with a sprinkler for irrigation. Get more info on our website about this bundle.
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Have a drink with Marco ;) This is an experimental perk in our campaign. Get it and Marco owes you a drink. Thanks! Looking forward to post the pictures on Facebook! Prost! |
If you are new to the aponix vertical barrel component, this is what it looks like and how it works:
The aponix vertical barrel enables you to set up vertical grow spaces in a very flexible and modular way. By chosing from a range of different parts you can assemble ring segments and stack them into a vertical cylinder or barrel (diameter 57 centimeters). Cultivation area is the surface of the cylinder and it can provide differently sized grow spaces for your crops. Irrigation is done from one entry point at the top either by using a standard inverted sprinkler, an aeroponic spray nozzle or our own irrigation buffer that can be operated by a simple pump. You can use it as a single barrel with the base being the reservoir or arrange multiple barrels in a production line using a central nutrient reservoir. The system works just the same as a normal NFT but in 3D.
This is how the de-facto standard in soilless edible plant production looks like: It is done on a horizontal plane in 2D using up a lot of space. Most vertical systems use racks or multiple layers to stack production – introducing new challenges. The aponix vertical barrel translates the horizontal cultivation area to the surface of cylinders. A lot of thought and iterative improvement has gone into the parts and the design to make the vertical barrel easy to use and handle in your day to day production.
This is how it looks when it is ready for harvest! Your cultivation area is defined by the number, the position of the cylinders, their hight and surface configuration. Get creative to figure our your individual setup for your urban micro-farm plot! Check out our integration examples. Don’t hesitate to ask for help!
Upcoming trade shows where aponix will be exhibiting / Opportunities to meet and get a demo of the new parts and setups:
- IPM 2018, Essen, 23. – 26. Jan 2018
- HortiContact GO 2018, Gorinchem, 20. – 22. Feb 2018
- Seeds & Chips, Milan, 7. – 10. May 2018
- GreenTech 2018, Amsterdam, 12. – 14. June 2018
- Global Forum for Innovation in Agriculture (GFIA), Utrecht, 20. – 21. June 2018
Past events and media presence can be found in our news section and on our Facebook page.
If you like to get an insight into the latest results of the soilless research here in Heidelberg/Germany including 2 NFT solutions and our vertical barrels, please let us know.
Support aponix! Extend the system!