At 10:53 AM 5/21/96 +0200, you wrote:
>Hello!
>Our school of engineers is working in technology transfer. One of our
projects is the development of an inexpensive automatic weighing machine for
bee hives. It consists of a frame equiped with sensors that takes place
underneath the hive and an electronic pocket instrument for data
acquisition. This instrument can be used for many frames and connected to a
computer.
>We are interested in knowing the main characteristics of such a device and
would be pleased if you could possibly answer the following questions :
>1. What should be the range of measure of the weighing machine?
>2. What should be the precision?
>3. What would be reasonable price for a frame?
>4. What would be reasonable price for a data acquisition instrument?
>5. How many hives would you equip with such a device?
>
>Thank you for your collaboration.
>
>Serge Amoos
>Ecole d'ing=E9nieurs du Valais
>47, rte du Rawyl
>1950 Sion
>Switzerland
>phone   xx41 27 243 212
>fax     xx41 27 243 215
>e-mail  [log in to unmask]
>
>Hello Serge:
 
I am an instrument technician by trade.  I have just finished working on a=
=20
state of the art Bio-tech facility.  The facility was built for Bayer (of
Germany)
in Berkeley California.  They have very sophisticated weighing systems for
the vessles they are using.=20
 
There are some things I would like to know about some of your system=20
requirements. =20
 
1. Is the frame used for weighing all the hives with one frame or is there a=
=20
frame for each hive?
 
2. Is the pocket instrument or the frame hooked to the computer, or do you=
=20
just use the pocket instrument to collect data and dump it into the=
 computer?
 
3. What is the maximum number of deep hive bodies(brood chambers or supers)=
=20
that You will allow in each hive.
 
4. How often are you checking hive weight, and what is the time frame of the
monitoring, (days,years)?
 
5. What are the worst case conditions the equiptment would have to operate=
 in?
 
6. Do you want an off the shelf solution or do you want to build your own?
 
7. What resolution do you want, grams, kilos?
 
8. What is the general object of the project?
 
This is a starting place hope to hear from you soon.
 
Thank you
 
Jeffrey R. Tooker=20