Digitizing the “Curing” Process for BAT Bangladesh

The Context

While our field irrigation systems handle the growing phase, the post-harvest phase is just as critical. In the tobacco industry, there is a delicate process called curing, where farmers dry harvested leaves in barns. This process determines the final quality, texture, and color of the product.

Traditionally, curing is manual, labor-intensive, and prone to error. Small deviations in airflow, temperature, or humidity can shift outcomes—so we focused on bringing consistency and control into the barn.

The Solution: Smart Curing Automation

My team and I at Ruhul Engineering developed this custom control panel to modernize an age-old process. In the field, the controller becomes a practical tool—built where the work happens, not just where it’s designed.

Field-ready prototype: the smart curing control panel at the barn site.

Key Hardware Features

Hybrid Interface

We designed the unit with both a ruggedized 4x4 keypad and a modern touchscreen. This keeps usability inclusive—combining durability for rural barns with the familiarity of smartphone-style interaction.

Environmental Control

The panel actively monitors temperature and humidity inside curing barns. But it doesn’t just watch—it acts. It provides control signals for the dampers, regulating airflow to maintain the right drying curve.

Robust Build

We housed the electronics in a durable metal enclosure to protect sensitive IoT components from the harsh, humid environment of a curing barn.

Hybrid UI + rugged metal housing designed for humid barn environments.

Inside the Barn

To design for reliability, we mapped how the barn is built, how air flows, and how leaves are stacked—because the curing outcome depends heavily on real physical arrangement and ventilation.

Barn architecture diagrams used to reason about airflow and control points.

Leaf stacking pattern inside the barn — physical layout matters for consistent curing.

The Software: IoT & Analytics

We didn’t just build a controller—we built a connected ecosystem. The device is fully IoT-enabled.

Remote Connectivity

Field officers and farmers don’t need to stay inside the barn to know what’s happening. They can check status and key readings remotely.

Web Dashboard

We developed a centralized web platform where stakeholders can view real-time analytics, track drying cycles, and ensure consistency across barns.

The Ruhul Engineering Philosophy

This project is close to my heart because it represents our core mission: we research and design custom hardware and IoT solutions right here in Bangladesh.

We didn’t import a generic solution from abroad that might fail in local conditions. We used local resources to build technology tailored for our people and our farmers.

This is proof that world-class industrial automation can be “Made in Bangladesh.”