- English
Besseling Techniek’s Roofmaster deck washing installations and their predecessors have occupied a permanent place in glasshouse horticulture for about 30 years. The market is already well aware that the company from Heerhugowaard in the Netherlands is the place to go for a clean greenhouse cover. The company’s installations can be found in more than 60 countries around the globe.
Although these installations might all seem identical, appearances are deceiving; no 2 greenhouses are the same, so each roof washer is adapted to the customer. For example, there could be a long facade requiring a reel kit, special wheels for a separate gutter, the washer might have to be height adjustable, pass under a screen cloth or be installed in a limited space between 2 buildings, deal with automatic coating, etc. The experts from Heerhugowaard have already found solutions for all kinds of unusual projects.
Everybody has their own particular needs, and the same goes for greenhouse roof cleaners. At the end of the day, the Roofmaster model delivered is determined by the customer’s wishes. How does the customer want to use the machine? Is there a lot of dirt, washing, or even chalking? Are personnel available who are willing and able to operate it? The answers to all these questions lead to an optimal installation that the customer will enjoy for decades to come.
Almost 30 years ago, the first machines were delivered. Back then, they were controlled manually; first a button was pressed on the control box, which would send the machine to the end of the gutter after which it would return to the platform. The user would then have to press another button box to send the platform to the next roof. This version is not very popular in the Netherlands these days, because someone is needed by the platform. Roofs are washed when the windows are closed and this is often at night, when deploying staff is difficult and expensive. In countries such as China and Tunisia, however, this model remains popular, because it is easy to operate and staff are available.
A semi-automatic control system was developed in-house at Besseling Techniek. In this system, the operator indicates how many roofs have to be washed and when. All that remains is to manually close the windows, and the Roofmaster does the rest. The roof is washed and the platform moves to the next roof completely automatically, without the intervention of personnel.
Besseling Techniek soon realised the added value of linking the Roofmaster to a climate computer, after which the fully automatic control system was developed. With this model, the climate computer takes control of everything, and the grower can let the machine get on with its work. When the windows are closed and other parameters such as wind and temperature allow, the climate computer sends a release signal to the Roofmaster to start washing. As soon as the windows have to be opened or when wind or temperatures are no longer acceptable, the roof washer waits on the platform for the next release signal.
A phone app has also been available for some years, so that the operation is always literally at the user’s fingertips. Whatever type of control is chosen, one thing is sure; every Roofmaster guarantees a clean greenhouse roof.
