Your Questions, Answered

Grain bin automation uses programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and custom control panels to automatically manage your grain handling equipment — bins, dryers, bucket elevator legs, augers, and conveyors. Instead of manually starting and stopping equipment and watching it run, the system sequences everything automatically, monitors for problems, and shuts down safely if something goes wrong. You can check status and receive fault alerts from your phone, wherever you are.

Costs vary based on the size and complexity of your operation. A Bin Yard Starter package for a small-to-mid family farm typically starts around $15,000–$25,000. A Full Farm System with dryer integration and elevator leg automation ranges from $35,000–$60,000. Commercial Elevator systems are quoted individually based on facility size, number of legs, and routing complexity. Most customers see a full payback period of 2–4 years through labor savings and reduced equipment damage. Contact us for a free site assessment and quote.

We can automate virtually any grain handling equipment including: grain storage bins (aeration fans, temperature cables, bin level sensors), grain dryers (temperature and moisture control, automatic shutoffs), bucket elevator legs (belt slip detection, sequence control, plug detection), grain augers and conveyors (automatic routing and sequencing), and HMI touchscreen control panels for facility-wide management. Every system is custom-designed for your specific equipment and grain flow.

In most cases, we can automate your existing equipment. We design custom control panels and PLC programs that work with what you already have — whether it's older Brock bins, a legacy dryer, or a bucket elevator that's been running for 20 years. We assess your equipment during the site visit and design around it. You do not need to replace functional equipment to add automation.

Our systems include cellular or ethernet-connected PLCs that push status updates and fault alerts to your phone or tablet. You can see what's running, check bin levels, and receive instant notifications if a fault occurs — a plugged leg, belt slip, dryer fault, or motor overload. You don't need to be on-site to know what's happening. Depending on your package, you may also be able to start and stop equipment remotely through a secure app or web interface.

A Bin Yard Starter installation typically takes 2–4 days on-site. A Full Farm System with dryer and elevator integration usually runs 5–10 days depending on field wiring complexity. Commercial Elevator projects are scheduled individually. We coordinate timing around your operation so we're not mid-install when harvest starts. Panel fabrication happens in our shop before we arrive, so on-site time focuses on installation, wiring, programming, and commissioning.

We work with industry-standard PLC platforms including Allen-Bradley (Rockwell Automation) and AutomationDirect, selected based on your application's requirements and long-term serviceability. HMI touchscreens are sourced from leading manufacturers and sized for your operation. All panels are built with commercial-grade components — properly labeled, cleanly wired, and fully documented so any qualified technician can work on them in the future.

Our primary service area covers the Corn Belt and Great Plains: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, and South Dakota. We are based in Chrisman, IL (Edgar County) and regularly serve operations throughout east-central Illinois and western Indiana. Projects outside our primary area are considered on a case-by-case basis — contact us to discuss your location.

Yes. We offer annual service contracts that include a pre-harvest system check, priority response during harvest season, remote diagnostics, and discounted labor rates for service calls. We also offer as-needed service on a time-and-materials basis. Because we designed and built your system, troubleshooting is fast — we know exactly how your program works and can often diagnose issues remotely before we ever roll a truck.

Most customers see full payback within 2–4 years. Savings come from multiple directions: reduced labor during filling and harvest, fewer equipment failures from automatic shutoffs catching problems early, less grain spoilage from proper aeration management, and the ability to run one operator where you previously needed two or three. On a large farm operation, eliminating even one full-time harvest employee can pay for a system in a single season.

The first step is a free site assessment. We come out, walk your facility, learn your equipment and grain flow, and talk through what you want to automate. From there we put together a detailed quote with no obligation. Fill out our quote request form or call us at 812-240-9229. We typically respond within one business day.