An Automated System for Mixing Chemical
A Mixmate is an automated chemical mixing system designed to make loading chemical faster, easier, and more consistent.
At its core, Mixmate combines software, measurement, pumps, valves, flowmeters, and other hardware to automate the process of building a chemical load. Bulk products can be automatically measured and transferred, while hand-add products are weighed through the inductor so operators don’t have to rely on measuring cups or calculate product quantities by hand.
The result is a mixing system that can help almost anyone load a chemical mix correctly with minimal training.
More Than Just an Inductor
When most people hear “Mixmate,” they picture an inductor and a Flow Stack. Those are important parts of many Mixmate systems, but they aren’t the entire system.
The heart of a Mixmate is the software.
The Mixmate App communicates with hardware modules that control valves, pumps, flowmeters, scales, and other components. Because the system is modular, a Mixmate can be configured around the equipment and processes an operation actually needs.
A typical Mixmate system might include:
- An Fusion or Pro inductor for hand-add products
- Flow Stacks for bulk chemical handling
- A carrier pump
- A rinse pump
- Carrier control
- Valves and flowmeters
- Mixmate control modules
- A tablet or other compatible device running the Mixmate App
Not every system will look the same. Some operations need only a few bulk inputs, while others need considerably more. Some systems are mounted on spray tender trailers, while others are built into stationary mixing systems.
That’s one of the biggest advantages of the Mixmate platform: the system can be configured around the application instead of forcing every operation into the same setup.
How Does a Mixmate Handle Chemical?
A Mixmate can handle products in two primary ways: bulk chemicals and hand-add products.
– Bulk Chemical Handling
Bulk chemicals are typically handled through Flow Stacks.
The system uses the suction created by the carrier pump to pull chemical from the bulk container through a vertical manifold. The chemical travels through a completely closed system and is measured as it enters the mix.
Once the desired amount has been dispensed, Mixmate automatically closes the appropriate valve and moves on to the next step.
Because the system controls the process, the operator doesn’t have to manually open and close valves or watch a meter to determine when the correct amount has been delivered.
– Hand-Add Products
Products that aren’t connected to a bulk system can be added through the inductor.
The inductor’s scale measures the product as it is added, allowing the operator to add the exact amount called for in the work order.
This eliminates the need for measuring cups and reduces the amount of math the operator has to do when preparing a load.
Instead of asking an operator to figure out how much product is needed for a particular load size, Mixmate calculates the required amount and guides the operator through the process.
What Does It Look Like to Use a Mixmate?
Once the system is configured and the products are set up, the process is straightforward.
The operator creates a work order and stages the hand-add products.
From there, the operator can press Go.
Mixmate automatically controls the bulk chemicals and carrier according to the work order. When a hand-add product is needed, the system prompts the operator to add it in the correct order.
The operator simply follows the instructions on the tablet.
Once the mix is complete, the operator saves and finishes the work order. The completed work record can then be viewed or saved for later reference.
If the tablet has a data connection, the work record automatically syncs. If the device is Wi-Fi only and doesn’t have a connection while mixing, the information can sync once the tablet reconnects to data.
The goal is simple: the operator follows the instructions while Mixmate handles the calculations, measurements, sequencing, and hardware control.
Why Do Operations Use Mixmate?
There are a lot of reasons an operation may choose to automate its chemical mixing process.
– Speed
Mixmate can make the loading process faster by automatically handling bulk products, carrier, and the calculations required to build a load.
Instead of manually measuring every product and operating valves throughout the process, the operator can focus on staging products and following the instructions on the tablet.
– Ease of Use
Finding experienced help can be difficult.
A Mixmate can make it possible for someone with very little experience to load a chemical mix correctly after only a short amount of training.
The operator doesn’t have to memorize application rates, calculate quantities for different load sizes, or remember the correct sequence of products. The system provides instructions at each step.
– Accuracy and Repeatability
Mixmate measures products according to the work order and controls the equipment used to dispense them.
That helps create a more consistent process from one load to the next, regardless of who is operating the system.
– Record Keeping
Mixmate doesn’t just help make the mix. It also creates a record of what was actually loaded.
Work records can be viewed and retained for future reference, providing documentation of the mixing process.
– Reduced Chemical Handling
Bulk products can be moved through a closed system rather than being manually poured or transferred by the operator.
Hand-add products are weighed through the inductor rather than measured with cups or other manual measuring equipment.
This can make the mixing process cleaner, simpler, and easier to manage.
A Mixmate Can Be Built Around Your Operation
One of the most important things to understand about Mixmate is that there isn’t one standard Mixmate configuration.
The system is modular, which allows the hardware to be configured around the needs of the operation.
A small trailer-mounted system might have an inductor and a few Flow Stack inputs. A larger operation might need several Flow Stacks and additional carrier controls. A stationary system may have more room for equipment and a completely different plumbing configuration.
The Mixmate software can work with different valves, flowmeters, pumps, and other hardware through the appropriate Mixmate control modules.
This gives you flexibility to build a system around the way you already operate rather than completely changing your operation to fit the equipment.
What Mixmate Does—and Doesn’t—Do
Mixmate is designed to automate the mixing process, but it isn’t intended to replace every part of the operation.
Mixmate does:
- Calculate the amount of each product needed for a work order
- Guide the operator through hand-add products
- Automatically control bulk chemical dispensing
- Control carrier flow when configured to do so
- Measure products
- Sequence products according to the work order
- Create and save work records
- Sync records when a data connection is available
Mixmate does not:
- Automatically start gas-engine-driven pumps
- Create your work orders for you
- Automatically import products without the appropriate setup or integration
- Replace the need for an operator to stage and add hand-add products
The system is designed to take the complicated parts of mixing and make them easier for the operator to execute correctly.
Who Can Benefit From a Mixmate?
Mixmate can be useful for virtually any operation that regularly mixes multiple chemical products.
That includes:
- Farmers
- Custom applicators
- Agricultural retailers
- Lawn and landscape operations
- Other professional chemical-mixing applications
Whether you’re building loads on a spray tender trailer or operating a stationary mixing system, the same basic concept applies: use automation and measurement to make the mixing process faster, easier, and more repeatable.
The Mixmate Is a System, Not Just a Piece of Equipment
A Mixmate isn’t simply an inductor, a flowmeter, or a Flow Stack.
It’s a combination of software, measurement, control, and hardware working together to automate the chemical mixing process.
The system can automatically handle bulk chemicals and carrier, guide operators through hand-add products, calculate the quantities required for each load, and create a record of the finished mix.
And because the platform is modular, the system can be configured to fit a wide range of applications.
That’s what makes a Mixmate a Mixmate: the software ties the entire system together.
Ready to Build a Mixmate?
Every operation has different products, equipment, space limitations, and mixing requirements.
Whether you’re looking for a compact trailer-mounted system, a larger bulk chemical setup, or a custom stationary system, the first step is determining how you want your Mixmate to work.
Maple Leaf Ag can help you configure the Mixmate hardware, plumbing, pumps, measurement, and controls around your operation.