GINTRAcane - GSM based networking solution for Cane Procurement Centers

Till recently the main source of integrating remote systems were V-SAT, intranet and Internet which cause a lot of pinch in the owner’s pocket, in one way or another. To overcome this problem and with a lots of added features sugarudyog.com has innovated a new technology that would revolutionize the way system integration will be done in future. 
The objective of system integration through GSM technology is to provide a low cost integrated solution with high reliability and real time data transfer at various points and almost negligible running cost. This low cost solution on the one hand would save the owner from high one time and running costs and on the other hand provide a reliable, efficient and real time monitoring system. Another strong factor regarding our GSM system is the extent of coverage it can provide i.e. anywhere in the world-it can connect wherever mobile service provider (MSP) is present.
 
To ensure that correct information or reports are generated Every Day and transmitted at required centers, we strongly propose to use Sugarudyog.com’s GSM based systems solutions in your esteemed organization. So that at the end of the day, your organisation is in health & wealthy condition & this could be monitored every day using our products.

WHAT IS GSM TECHNOLOGY?
SMS or short messaging service is a value added service provided by mobile service providers for sending and receiving text messages on mobile phone handsets. Major advantage of GSM or short messaging service is its cost effectiveness (Rs. 100/- per month for unlimited messages) and speed of message transfer, which is instantaneous. The massages can be sent through out the world at the same price and speed.
 
OUR SYSTEM
Sugarudyog.com has developed a system, which provides an interface between the head office, the nodes at the out centers and the plants. Data from the electronic weighbridge is transferred to the Computer installed the out center. If weighbridge is mechanical then data can be punched manually in the system. This data is encoded and relayed by a remote transmitter present at each out center through SMS using GSM network provided by the existing cellular service provider in the region. Incase the out center or the factory falls in such an area that the signal of the cellular provider is weak; we would provide an antenna that increases the strength of the signal in the same area. The receiver installed at the H.O. receives the relayed data. Receiver further sends the data to the interface that decodes the data. This decoded data is fed to the database in the main server.
 
A backup of the relayed data is maintained in the Computer installed at the out centers. This system is a two way interactive system thus providing the H.O. with the facility of sending instructions or reports to the out centers instantly. Also a Cane Purchase Receipt is printed while making the transaction. The module also has the provision for Farmer related Enquiries at the out center.
 
 
SCOPE OF THE SYSTEM 
In certain industries such as milk products, sugar industry etc. where the out centers are located at far away places and it is not feasible to employ a local area network and all other forms of network such as internet or leased lines or V-Sat fail for one reason or another our system provides a unique solution of data transfer. 
The weighment and procurement of cane/milk (or any other product depending upon the type of industry) is recorded in ledgers maintained at the out centers. These ledgers are then sent to the factory for manual feeding of the data in the server. Due to this the actual quantity of cane/milk (or any other product depending upon the type of industry) present at any out center cannot be ascertained at any given time. Also due to delay in transfer of data tampering of records in the ledger is always possible. The manual feeding of the data received from the ledgers of the out centers takes lot of time and incurs manpower cost.
 
Our system provides online data transfer from out centers to the head office in the required format and the desired reports are generated from time to time.

MANPOWER SAVING
Till now mostly the records at the out centers are maintained manually in ledgers an then this data is fed to the main database manually. This consumes a lot of manpower and costs the company dearly. In the solution provided by our firm this has been effectively taken care of because in no point of the process manual labor is needed. Once the system has been installed an is fully functional the process starting from the feeding of data from the weighbridge to the receiving of data in the main server in the ho through GSM is fully automated an instant. There is no time lag or error.
 
INCREASE IN EFFICIENCY OF OUT CENTRES
This system is totally fool proof an no tampering can be done with the data that is received from the weighbridge an that is sent to the main server. This increases the efficiency of the out centers an more procurement is done.
 
SAVING OF TIME
A lot of time is spent on maintaining the ledgers at the out centers, getting the ledgers from all the out centers to the factory an processing of data an feeding it in the main database of the factory. With this system provided by out firm this problem is solved very effectively because no time is spent in receiving the data from the weighbridge an coding that data an then further relaying it to the main server.
 
MAINTAINING BACKUP AT THE OUT CENTRES ITSELF
A backup of all the data can be made in the Computer installed at the out center an can be retrieved whenever needed apart from maintaining a backup in the main server at the factory premises.
 
TWO WAY INTERACTIVE SYSTEM
This system not only provides the ho with instant data from the out centers but also provides the ho to send any kind of notice or change in policies or work practices at that moment only when decided which in the other methods would take a lot of time because everything will have to be done manually otherwise. This system provides a two-way data transfer mode.
 
REAL TIME INFORMATION FROM OUT CENTRES
The most basic and essential need to a sugar industry is availability of accurate and instant information about the availability of sugarcane. This system will provide real time and instant information about cane availability at the out centers and this data will be encoded, relayed and finally processed by the main server at the factory instantly. This information. 

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Now-a-days a no. of companies are coming up with solutions for Out-center Automation, below is a comparison between our Solution and other Solution available in the Market.

Introduction: Other Companies are providing with a Electronic Data Punching/Storing Machines, which can be attached to a Electronic weighing Bridge. It automatically captures the weight. Other related data can be fed into it using various keys. The data is then stored in Flash Cards/ Smart cards. These cards are then manually taken to the main server located at Mill premises and then data is copied from them to server. These machines have very limited functionality
 
Real-Time Information: as the flash card or smart cards are moved manually and the data is fed into the main server after these cards are manually transferred to the mill premises, so these solutions don’t provide real time information. In short it can be said that these solutions are electronic versions of maintaining a ledger/ register where as our solution is independent of any human intervention and it transfers the data instantaneously whenever any transaction is made.· 

Technology Constraint: these solutions use electronic machines to store and transfer data. It requires a highly skilled manpower to maintain the system. If any problem arises only the system provider can fix the problem. In short for any technical support the mill management has to depend on the solution provider where as our solution that is run on a computer, its maintenance can be obtained from any hardware provider in the region or the hardware professional already employed by the mill.

OPEN Technology: As explained above our system is based on Open Technology. It uses a computer and a software solution. This solution can be upgraded and modified easily at negligible cost. Our Solution can be upgraded to make it GPRS compatible, which will add enormous features to the solution. Like you will be able to run your existing Software solution using same Computer and other hardware on the out centers. But the solution being offered by other companies, which is based on customized electronic machines which have very limited functionality, can never be modified or upgraded to such extent. More over if in future the mill management want to replace the solution then the whole cost incurred in procuring the solution (Electronic Data Punching/Storing Machines) will go waste.
 
Upgradation-Modification:  these solutions are customized electronic machine thus making it less viable for technical/ logical Upgradation or modification. On the other hand our system being based on open technology can be readily modified/ upgraded at negligible cost.

Data Storage capacity: these solutions use flash cards or smart cards for transferring data, which have a limited storage capacity. On the other hand our system uses GSM technology in which a message is sent instantaneously. Further our system uses the memory of the computer to store that data locally as a back up. Hence any previous transaction can be viewed if desired.

Security: as in these solutions flash cards are moved manually from o0ne location to another, it increases the chances of their damage or loss where as in our system there is no human intervention thus reducing such chances on data/ equipment loss.

Cost effectiveness:  the hardware required for our solution is a computer and a mobile phone, which are very cheap and are readily available. Moreover their maintenance cost is very low and technical support is easily available. On the other hand these solutions work on expensive equipments like data logger whose procurement and maintenance cost is high. These solutions need electronic weigh bridge which further adds to its cost where as our solution does not have any such dependency though availability of electronic weighbridge make our system more automatic and human intervention free.

Power Consumption:  as these systems need electronic weighbridge hence their power consumption shoots up sharply whereas our system can work on UPS/INVERTERS.

Automation: as data transfer is totally dependent on manual transfer of flash cards, these solutions cannot be described as automatic whereas as explained above our system is free of any human intervention or any hardware dependency.