Abstract
A method is presented for weighing fruit without separating it from its plant. The principle underlying this method involves use of the change in natural frequency when a known weight is attached to a fruit. A one dimensional multi-mass vibration model can be constituted from the shape of the fruit. The natural frequency equation is subsequently determined using the transfer matrix method.
Neither length (s) or stiffness (EJ) of the stem change even if a known weight is attached to a fruit. Therefore, if solution curves for the natural frequency equation are drawn in an s-EJ space, there should be no differences between these curves whether a weight is attached or not.
With this as a background, degeneation of solution curves were calculated for several weights. Fruit weight was determined from the maximum degeneration conditions. The accuracy of this method was then evaluated to be within 3% through experiments making use of a green pepper sample.
