If vegetables are not grown in the soil, but in rock wool or coconut fibres, they are referred to as "organic vegetables". They are then supplied with a precisely dosed amount of nutrient solution. This has advantages such as independence from the weather, climate and soil. The start-up CombaGroup, founded in 2011, focuses on the use of a globally unique aeroponic system, a form of hors-sol method in which the seeds grow in the air rather than in the soil.
In Switzerland, the company operates a 600 square metre pilot greenhouse for this purpose, which has a yield around 10 to 15 times higher than outdoor cultivation. The mobility of the Aeroponic is unique: a spraying robot is used, which sprays the necessary amount of water and nutrients directly onto the roots. In addition, the roots are constantly moved by the robot so that the lettuce heads have enough space to grow.
As technology has progressed, however, the requirements in terms of stability, weight and media feed-through to the energy supply to the spraying robot have increased. The floor in a greenhouse is uneven, and the chain with the media is constantly in the water. With cables sometimes over 50 metres long, weight also plays a decisive role. The customer wanted a pre-assembled chain including all media feed-throughs and a guarantee of 1.5 million cycles.