Design and experimental study of end-effector for picking clustered crabapple

doi:10.3785/j.issn.1006-754X.2025.04.126

Chinese Journal of Engineering Design

2025, Vol. 32

Issue (1): 51-61 DOI: 10.3785/j.issn.1006-754X.2025.04.126

Robotic and Mechanism Design

Design and experimental study of end-effector for picking clustered crabapple

Sanping LI¹(

),Qiyu WANG¹,Liguo WU²(

),Longqiang YUAN¹,Jiamei QI¹,Tengjia SUN¹

^1.School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
^2.Harbin Forestry Machinery Research Institute, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Harbin 150086, China

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Abstract

In order to solve the problems of low success rate, easy damage to fruits and unreasonable picking methods in the process of mechanical picking of clustered crabapple, a rigid-flexible coupling end-effector for picking clustered crabapple was designed. The soft fingers made of silica gel were used to wrap the crabapple, and the crabapple stalks were cut using the method of cutting. The effects of shear air pressure, blade thickness and driving air pressure on the picking success rate and their value range were determined through single factor test. On this basis, the response surface analysis of three factors and three levels was conducted to study the interactive effects of each factor on the picking success rate. The quadratic regression model was established with the success rate of picking four- and five-fruits as the response value, and the picking success rate was used as the evaluation index to optimize each factor. The results showed that the influence on the picking success rate was shear air pressure, blade thickness and driving air pressure in order from large to small. When the shear air pressure was 0.260 MPa, the blade thickness was 0.4 mm, and the driving air gas pressure was 0.09 MPa, the end-effector had the highest picking success rate, and the success rate of picking three-, four- and five-fruits could reach 100%, 100% and 91.29%, respectively. The results of parameter optimization were verified by experiment, and showed that the picking end-effector could complete the picking task, and the success rate of picking three-, four- and five-fruits could reach 100%, 100% and 91%, respectively, meeting the expected picking requirement. The use of the end-effector can reduce the labor force of picking crabapple and provide a new idea for the picking of other clustered fruit.

Key words： picking clustered crabapple end-effector responsive surface optimization picking success rate

Received: 24 March 2024 Published: 04 March 2025

CLC:

TH 69

Corresponding Authors: Liguo WU E-mail: bluelii73@163.com;wlg0041@163.com

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Cite this article:

Sanping LI,Qiyu WANG,Liguo WU,Longqiang YUAN,Jiamei QI,Tengjia SUN. Design and experimental study of end-effector for picking clustered crabapple. Chinese Journal of Engineering Design, 2025, 32(1): 51-61.

URL:

https://www.zjujournals.com/gcsjxb/10.3785/j.issn.1006-754X.2025.04.126 OR https://www.zjujournals.com/gcsjxb/Y2025/V32/I1/51

成簇沙果采摘末端执行器的设计及实验研究

针对在成簇沙果机械采摘过程中采摘成功率低、果实易损伤及采摘方式不合理等问题，设计了一种刚柔耦合的成簇沙果采摘末端执行器。用硅胶制作软体手指以包裹沙果，采用对切的方式对果梗进行剪切。通过单因素试验确定了剪切气压、刀片厚度、驱动气压对采摘成功率的影响及其取值范围，在此基础上进行三因素三水平的响应面分析，研究各因素对采摘成功率的交互影响。以四果、五果采摘成功率为响应值建立二次项回归模型，以采摘成功率为评价指标对各因素进行优化，结果表明：对采摘成功率的影响从大到小依次为剪切气压、刀片厚度、驱动气压；当剪切气压为0.260 MPa、刀片厚度为0.4 mm、驱动气压为0.09 MPa时，末端执行器具有最高的采摘成功率，三果、四果、五果采摘成功率可分别达到100%、100%、91.29%。对参数优化结果进行实验验证，结果表明，该采摘末端执行器能完成采摘任务，且三果、四果、五果采摘成功率可分别达到100%、100%、91%，满足了采摘预期要求。采用该末端执行器可以减少沙果采摘劳动力，这为其他成簇水果的采摘提供了新的思路。

关键词： 成簇沙果采摘, 末端执行器, 响应面优化, 采摘成功率

Fig.1 Crabapple

Table 1 Diameter and stalk length of single crabapple

Table 2 Diameter of clustered crabapple

Table 3 Crabapple stalk shear force

Fig.2 Structure of end-effector for picking crabapple

Fig.3 Structure of strain layer of soft finger

Table 4 Structure parameters of strain layer of soft finger

Table 5 Parameter setting of motion example

Fig.4 Kinematic simulation results of shear process of clustered crabapple

Fig.5 Relationship curves of bending angle and driving air pressure of soft finger

Table 6 Single-factor values

Fig.6 Single factor test results of shear air pressure

Fig.7 Single factor test results of blade thickness

Fig.8 Single factor test results of driving air pressure

Table 7 Experimental factors and levels

Table 8 Experimental scheme and results based on BBD method

Table 9 Variance analysis result of response surface model for success rate of picking four-fruits

Table 10 Variance analysis result of response surface model for success rate of picking five-fruits

Fig.9 Response surface plots and contour plots of relationship between factor interaction and success rate of picking four- and five-fruits

Fig.10 End-effector for picking clustered crabapple

Fig.11 Experimental platform for picking clustered crabapple

Fig.12 Experimental process of picking clustered crabapple

Table 11 Experimental results of picking clustered crabapple


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