Abstract
The mechanization of field activities has been the response of coffee producers to the labor shortage, especially for fruit harvesting. The use of mechanical harvesters allows greater harvesting efficiency and ensures the economic viability of coffee plantations, which currently depend mainly on the reduction in production costs. The principle used for mechanized coffee harvesting is based on the principle of mechanical vibration. The objective of this studywas to analyze the dynamic behavior of the coffee fruit-peduncle-branch system under mechanical vibration and the impact of the vibrating rods on the fruit detachment process in association with this behavior. Fragments of coffee branches containing fruits in the unripe and ripe stages were used in this experiment. These samples were subjected to different frequencies (20, 30, 40, and 50 Hz) and amplitudes (0.002, 0.003, and 0.004 m). Another variableanalyzed was the form of vibration transmission to the fruits, with the vibrations being transmitted to the samples with or without the impact of the fiberglass rods. The fruit detachment efficiency increased as the ripening stage progressed from unripe to ripe. A higher detachment efficiency occurred with the increase in vibration frequency and amplitude because of the higher vibrational energy imposed on the fruit. The detachment efficiency was low when the vibration was transmitted without the impact of the rods. Conversely, the vibration in combination with impact achieved a mean detachment efficiency of approximately 90%.Key words: Coffee crop; dynamic behavior; harvester machine; mechanical harvesting.
Highlights
Since the nineteenth century, coffee crop has been a major agricultural activity in Brazil
To perform the experimental tests, the coffee fruits were subjected to different combinations of vibration frequencies and amplitudes using a Ling Dynamic Systems (LDS) vibration system powered by a PA 1000 L amplifier, with a 10L field power supply (FPS), a V 555M6-CE electromagnetic shaker, and a Dactron Comet USB controller
For Routine 1, the Table 1 shows the results of the analysis of variance, with the ripening and frequency factors exhibiting significant differences at the 5% level
Summary
Coffee crop has been a major agricultural activity in Brazil. Coffee crop is going through a transitional period because of the difficulty in securing labor, which makes manual harvesting impractical (Ortega; Jesus, 2011; Silva et al, 2015). The mechanization of field activities allows greater operational efficiency and ensures the economic viability of coffee plantations, which, in this scenario, depend on reduced production costs (Silva; Silva; Magalhães, 2014; Cunha et al, 2016). Coffee harvesting can represent up to 60% of the cost of a bag, and those costs are mainly associated with labor (Oliveira et al, 2007; Lanna; Reis, 2012). The mechanization of cultivation and harvesting operations plays an important role in supporting the coffee supply chain, providing greater peace of mind to coffee producers in times of crisis by reducing operational costs (Silva et al, 2010). Santinato et al (2014) state that mechanized harvesting with maximum efficiency reduces operational costs and minimizes the need for manual reharvesting
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