GRAINSENSE

Accelerated product development set the stage for global growth

How can a grain measurement device originally developed for laboratory conditions be made durable enough to withstand the extreme environment inside a combine harvester? A timely investment in industrial product development opened the door for GrainSense to enter new markets and created a strong foundation for scalable growth.

Suuri leikkuupuimuri työskentelee kypsällä viljapellolla kirkkaan taivaan alla, leikatessaan viljaa leveällä etuleikkurilla ja jättäen taakseen pölyvanan.

OBJECTIVE

Entering new markets through industrial product development

GrainSense, a developer of grain quality measurement solutions, was entering a critical growth phase. The company needed to move its innovative measurement technology from laboratory conditions into the combine harvesters of market leader CLAAS. The new solution had to enable real‑time grain quality measurement during harvesting and respond to agriculture’s increasing need to monitor crop quality more accurately and efficiently.

“This was an important stage in our development. We knew that, if successful, the collaboration with a global equipment manufacturer would open significant business opportunities for us in new markets. We therefore wanted to ensure the success of the product development by bringing in additional engineering expertise,” says Antti Leinonen, COO at GrainSense.

There was plenty to consider in the development work. The device needed an enclosure that would allow the technology to operate in conditions where it would be exposed to dust, moisture, vibration, and major temperature fluctuations. At the same time, the solution had to be suitable for serial production and ready within the key customer’s schedule.

SOLUTION

Simulation‑driven design advanced the development

Huld, now part of Gofore Group, acted as a temporary product development department for GrainSense and was responsible for designing the enclosure of the measurement device.

The foundation for smooth collaboration and staying on schedule was laid in a two‑day kickoff workshop. After that, the work progressed in close cooperation throughout the project. From the very beginning, the design was guided by manufacturability, supported by Huld’s extensive network of manufacturing partners.

The work combined mechanical engineering, industrial design, structural analysis, and thermal simulation. Together, these ensured that the enclosure met the strict IP69K requirements and remained durable, sealed, and fully functional across a wide operating temperature range.

“We utilised simulation‑driven design, which enabled us to cost‑effectively optimize the enclosure in a digital environment. Alongside simulations, we used rapid prototypes to test and validate the solution before final production decisions."

Juho Veteläinen, Project Manager, Huld

OUTCOME

Development leap supporting growth

The collaboration resulted in a reliable, serial production–ready solution that successfully passed critical field tests. Integrating the measurement technology into CLAAS combine harvesters marked an important step in GrainSense’s international growth.

“This development work created the conditions for significant growth for GrainSense. The successful implementation proved that our technology performs even in extremely demanding environments, which has already translated into increased interest,” says Antti Leinonen.

“We achieved exactly what we set out to do: a functional and scalable solution and a strong international reference. In addition, our own supplier network expanded through Huld’s contacts. I can genuinely recommend Huld as a partner — their expertise is something you can trust in projects that require a real development leap."

Antti Leinonen, COO, GrainSense

Project highlights

Object

The grain quality measurement technology, originally developed for laboratory conditions, needed to be made durable enough to withstand the demanding environment inside combine harvesters. GrainSense aimed to succeed in a critical product development leap and build the foundation for scalable, serial‑production‑based growth.

Solution

Huld served as GrainSense’s product development partner and accelerated the work during a pivotal phase. Simulation‑driven design, rapid prototypes, an established network of manufacturing partners, and early focus on manufacturability ensured that the solution could withstand extreme operating conditions and meet strict IP69K requirements.

Outcome

In under a year, the collaboration resulted in a reliable, serial‑production‑ready aluminum‑cast enclosure that enabled the integration of the measurement technology into CLAAS’s market‑leading combine harvesters. The project opened access to new markets for GrainSense and laid the foundation for significant international growth.