2003 Volume 65 Issue 6 Pages 163-172
A grading robot system for deciduous fruits such as peaches, pears, and apples to automatically provide fruits from containers and to inspect all sides of fruit was developed. The system consisted of two types of 3 DOF manipulators, 12 suction pads as end-effectors, 12 color TV cameras, and direct lighting systems. 12 fruits were sucked up by a manipulator at a time and 12 bottom images of the fruits were acquired during the manipulator moving to trays on a conveyor line. Before releasing the fruits, 4 side images of the fruits were acquired by rotating the suction pads for 270 degrees. The stroke of the manipulator was about 1.2m and it took about 4.3 seconds to move back to initial position that meant that the robot could grade around three fruits per second.
Two blowers whose displacement volume was 1.3m3/min were used for the 12 suction pads. No damage was observed on fruit surfaces by sucking at 30kPa for peaches and at 45kPa for pears and apples.
