Pickup Mechanisms Research Articles

Advancement in Vegetable Transplanting: Mechanization, Challenges and Opportunities By IJISRT

The transplanting operation is required higher labour intensity and lower efficiency for the operation by hand in vegetable production. It is largely done by hand in India and vegetable transplanting is a time-consuming field operation when performed manually. This makes it necessary to adapt the mechanization for vegetable transplantation to save money and time and increase the productivity to fulfil the food requirement of a huge population. Due to the growing demand for vegetables all year round, the use of vegetable transplanters has become widespread in agricultural production. Hand transplanting of vegetable seedlings is always been a time consuming and laborious activity which often leads to muscular fatigue. The work is drudgeries and laborious as the operation is done in a bending and squatting posture. The semi-automatic vegetable transplanters are heavy to operate due to limitations on manual feeding rates of seedlings which vary with respect to work duration and skill of the operator. Automation in the field of vegetable transplanters has provided opportunities for savings in labour and time required for transplanting operation. The beginning and current advances in transplanting technologies suggest ample scope of working on automated seedling pickup and drop mechanisms using robotics. This study highlights the discuss vegetable transplanter and advances in transplanting technologies used in the field.

SWOT analysis to determine waste management strategy in Tenggilis Mejoyo District, Surabaya City

Tenggilis Mejoyo District, Surabaya City has had a population growth rate of 0,03% in the last ten years, so the amount of waste generation has also increased. Waste management in the district still applies the collect-and-dispose method which results in a large amount of waste that goes to the landfill. This study aims to examine the potential for household waste reduction that occurs in each waste source and determine strategies for improving household waste management. Waste generation data collection method with direct sampling method at the source according to SNI 19-3964-1994 as wee as interviews. The number of samples is 100 houses selected using a stratified random sampling approach which refers to the strata of population density. Interview data were analyzed using Strength Weakness Opportunity Threat (SWOT) analysis to determine waste management strategies to increase waste reduction at the source. The results of this study indicate that the average household waste generation is 15.62 tons/day. Currently, household waste reduction reaches 19.3% from each waste source, namely waste banks, temporary disposal sites (TPS), Reduce Reuse Recycle waste disposal site (TPS 3R), and composting. Increasing reduction through waste utilization and increasing community participation is ideally planned to reach 28.5%. The results of the SWOT analysis show that household waste management is in the third quadrant, namely the turn-around strategy. The strategies that can be implemented consist of conducting socialization and training for the community, providing waste pick-up mechanisms by waste banks, scheduling a waste collection, and implementing technical guidance and periodic monitoring by Environmental Agency and collaborating with corporations.

Design and tests of a rotary plug seedling pick-up mechanism for vegetable automatic transplanter

The rotary plug seedling pick-up mechanism for vegetable automatic transplanter is the technical bottleneck to improve the mechanization level of vegetable planting in China. In order to solve the problems of rotary seedling pick-up mechanism proposed in previous study, such as low success ratio of seedling pick-up at high speed, and interference between the seedling bowl and the end of the other seedling pick-up arm, a novel kind of rotary seedling pick-up mechanism of planetary gear train with combined type gears of incomplete denatured-eccentric-circular and non-circular gears was proposed. Through kinematic analysis of the seedling pick-up mechanism, the kinematics model was established. The computer-aided analysis and optimization software with human-computer interaction method was developed to realize parameters optimization of the seedling pick-up mechanism. Three-dimensional parametric design system of seedling pick-up mechanisms with combined non-circular gear transmission was developed for mechanism virtual simulation to verify the correctness of theoretical model and design results of the mechanism. The physical prototype of the mechanism was manufactured, and high-speed camera kinematics tests of the mechanism were conducted in the laboratory to study its kinematic characteristics. Laboratory seedling pick-up tests were carried out. The mechanism has the success ratio of seedling pick-up 96.3% without interference during seedling transporting when the rotation speed of the mechanism is 50 r/min and the seedling transplanting efficiency is 100 plants/min per row, showing that the novel mechanism has better working performance than the original one and could be applied in vegetable plug seedling transplanter. Keywords: vegetable automatic transplanter, rotary seedling pick-up mechanism, incomplete denatured-eccentric-circular gear, kinematic analysis, parametric design DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20201303.5647 Citation: Ye B L, Zeng G J, Deng B, Yang C L, Liu J K, Yu G H. Design and tests of a rotary plug seedling pick-up mechanism for vegetable automatic transplanter. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2020; 13(3): 70–78.

Design and tests of a rotary plug seedling pick-up mechanism for vegetable automatic transplanter

The rotary plug seedling pick-up mechanism for vegetable automatic transplanter is the technical bottleneck to improve the mechanization level of vegetable planting in China. In order to solve the problems of rotary seedling pick-up mechanism proposed in previous study, such as low success ratio of seedling pick-up at high speed, and interference between the seedling bowl and the end of the other seedling pick-up arm, a novel kind of rotary seedling pick-up mechanism of planetary gear train with combined type gears of incomplete denatured-eccentric-circular and non-circular gears was proposed. Through kinematic analysis of the seedling pick-up mechanism, the kinematics model was established. The computer-aided analysis and optimization software with human-computer interaction method was developed to realize parameters optimization of the seedling pick-up mechanism. Three-dimensional parametric design system of seedling pick-up mechanisms with combined non-circular gear transmission was developed for mechanism virtual simulation to verify the correctness of theoretical model and design results of the mechanism. The physical prototype of the mechanism was manufactured, and high-speed camera kinematics tests of the mechanism were conducted in the laboratory to study its kinematic characteristics. Laboratory seedling pick-up tests were carried out. The mechanism has the success ratio of seedling pick-up 96.3% without interference during seedling transporting when the rotation speed of the mechanism is 50 r/min and the seedling transplanting efficiency is 100 plants/min per row, showing that the novel mechanism has better working performance than the original one and could be applied in vegetable plug seedling transplanter. Keywords: vegetable automatic transplanter, rotary seedling pick-up mechanism, incomplete denatured-eccentric-circular gear, kinematic analysis, parametric design DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20201303.5647 Citation: Ye B L, Zeng G J, Deng B, Yang C L, Liu J K, Yu G H. Design and tests of a rotary plug seedling pick-up mechanism for vegetable automatic transplanter. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2020; 13(3): 70–78.

Gibson and Gestalt: (re)presentation, processing, and construction

Seeking to avoid the typical binary choices between symbolic representations and no representations, or between functionally decomposable psychological processes and no psychological processes, or between direct perception of mind-independent physical properties and indirect perception of sense data, this article proposes that even a clear-thinking friend of Gibson can accept that perception of the environment is mediated by appearances and that such appearances are produced by functionally decomposable, rule-instantiating psychological processes. In so doing, it avoids both hyper-intellectualization of the perceptual process and the positing of sense data as immediate objects of perception. It considers notions of perceptual mediation from classical Gestalt psychology, while referencing recent phenomenological arguments showing that perception does not simply conform to mind-independent physical properties. Perception presents objects and scenes under a phenomenal aspect, in a manner suitable to be (and evaluable as) action-guiding. Finally, it examines neuroscientific decompositions of Gibsonian information pickup mechanisms, finding that such mechanisms are reasonably described as effecting processes of construction (on a not-necessarily-cognitivist conception of construction). As a separate point, such mechanisms are usefully described as including subpersonal, non-symbolic representations and processes of information integration.

A high-resolution characterization of the oxide-metal interface in Zircaloy-4 and its relation to the oxidation and hydrogen pickup mechanisms

Oxide growth and hydrogen pickup have been measured for Zircaloy-4 in environments of different pH. The metal-oxide interface has been studied at high-resolution over sufficient lengths to show meaningful trends in the behaviour of the ZrO and oxygen-saturated metal layers (suboxides). It was found that suboxide width decreases rapidly at transition, then increases more slowly. The suboxide width is a constant proportion of the dioxide width prior to transition, but drops then increases after transition. Density functional theory was used to predict suboxide stability under different pressures.The behaviour of the suboxide can be explained on the assumption that the dioxide layer is the protective layer until it is bypassed by the environment percolating into the crack network.The relation between hydrogen pickup rate and the oxide behaviour suggests that hydrogen moves across the Zircaloy-4 oxide with no net charge, and that the role of the constrained environment within the cracked fossil oxide requires investigation.

Charged Particle Production in Stopped Pion Absorption by Nuclei

The spectra of 3,4He charged particles produced in stopped pion absorption by nuclei were measured for 17 nuclei in the mass-number range of 6 ≤ A ≤ 209 by means of a semiconductor spectrometer. These data were analyzed on the basis of a phenomenological model where the absorption reaction in question is treated as a three-stage process: primary absorption by intranuclear clusters, preequilibrium stage, and evaporation stage. It is shown that a dominant contribution to the production of helium isotopes with energies not less than 20 MeV comes from the preequilibrium stage. The contribution of the knockout and pickup mechanisms to 3,4He production is estimated.

Compensations for an Assistive Robotic Interface

The goal of assistive robotic devices, such as a wheelchair-mounted robotic arms (WMRA), is to increase users’ functional independence. At odds with this goal is the fact that device interfaces tend to be rigid, requiring the user to adapt, rather than adapting to the user. Paperno, et al. (2016) identified key physical, cognitive, and sensory capabilities that affect an individual’s performance of simulated activities of daily living (e.g. picking up an object from the floor) while using a WMRA. Greater visual abilities (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and depth perception), cognitive abilities (processing speed, working memory, and spatial ability) and physical abilities (dexterity) resulted in participants completing tasks more quickly and with fewer total moves. We propose that interfaces should adapt to compensate for deficits in these capabilities to support a wider range of users. A variety of compensations should be developed and tested in order to identify the most effective techniques. For instance, object segmentation, a computer vision technique that separates objects and background in a visual scene, may compensate for deficits in contrast sensitivity, depth perception, processing speed, and working memories. However, contrast sensitivity may be better compensated for by use of a simple yellow filter on the screen, mimicking yellow lenses in glasses used for the same purpose. Similarly, depth perception limitations may be better overcome through the use of multiple camera views or by automating the pick-up and release mechanisms of the gripper. Thus there may be one compensation that facilitates WMRA use for a multitude of decrements or each factor may be better served by a specific separate compensation. In incorporating the effective compensations into the interface software, there should also be a capability of identifying which specific compensations should be activated for an individual user. For this we propose testing for these important individual differences should be included within the software. Virtual or online testing already exist for many of the identified factors and can be modified to fit our purpose. This is especially the case if gamification principles are applied as testing will engage user interest. In this way, the software can adjust compensations as a user’s visual, cognitive, and physical abilities change over time. Future research ventures will include identifying the most beneficial compensation for each identified individual difference and developing virtual gamified measures for those individual differences.

Effect of nuclear-reaction mechanisms on the population of excited nuclear states and isomeric ratios

Experimental data on the cross sections for channels of fusion and transfer reactions induced by beams of radioactive halo nuclei and clustered and stable loosely bound nuclei were analyzed, and the results of this analysis were summarized. The interplay of the excitation of single-particle states in reaction-product nuclei and direct reaction channels was established for transfer reactions. Respective experiments were performed in stable (6Li) and radioactive (6Не) beams of the DRIBs accelerator complex at the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, and in deuteron and 3Не beams of the U-120M cyclotron at the Nuclear Physics Institute, Academy Sciences of Czech Republic (Řež and Prague, Czech Republic). Data on subbarrier and near-barrier fusion reactions involving clustered and loosely bound light nuclei (6Li and 3He) can be described quite reliably within simple evaporation models with allowance for different reaction Q-values and couple channels. In reactions involving halo nuclei, their structure manifests itself most strongly in the region of energies below the Coulomb barrier. Neutron transfer occurs with a high probability in the interactions of all loosely bound nuclei with light and heavy stable nuclei at positive Q-values. The cross sections for such reactions and the respective isomeric ratios differ drastically for nucleon stripping and nucleon pickup mechanisms. This is due to the difference in the population probabilities for excited single-particle states.

Some Calculated (p,α) Cross-Sections Using the Alpha Particle Knock-On and Triton Pick-Up Reaction Mechanisms: An Optimisation of the Single-Step Feshbach–Kerman–Koonin (FKK) Theory

The FeshbacheKermaneKoonin (FKK) multi-step direct (MSD) theory of pre-equilibrium reactions has been used to compute the single-step cross-sections for some (p,a) reactions using the knock-on and pick-up reaction mechanisms at two incident proton energies. For the knock-on mechanism, the reaction was assumed to have taken place by the direct ejection of a preformed alpha cluster in a shell-model state of the target. But the reaction was assumed to have taken place by the pick-up of a preformed triton cluster (also bound in a shell-model state of the target core) by the incident proton for the pick-up mechanism. The Yukawa forms of potential were used for the proton-alpha (for the knock-on process) and proton-triton (for the pick-up process) interaction and several parameter sets for the proton and alpha-particle optical potentials. The calculated crosssections for both mechanisms gave satisfactory fits to the experimental data. Furthermore, it has been shown that some combinations of the calculated distorted wave Born approximation cross-sections for the two reaction mechanisms in the FKK MSD theory are able to give better fits to the experimental data, especially in terms of range of agreement. In addition, the theory has been observed to be valid over a wider range of energy.

Barrier oxide chemistry and hydrogen pick-up mechanisms in zirconium alloys

The chemistry of barrier oxide layers formed on zirconium alloys was investigated using atom probe tomography (APT). Grain boundary segregation of Fe and Ni was observed. The Zr(Fe, Cr)2 particles maintain a constant Zr:Fe:Cr ratio through the oxide until they reach an oxygen content of approximately 50at%, when Fe depletion occurs. Enrichment of hydrogen along oxide crystallite boundaries was observed, which is interpreted as a sign of ingress being localized to grain boundaries. TEM revealed porosity networks around particles and oxide grain boundaries. It is proposed that pores are local reduction sites where H2 evolves on transition metal sites.

Deuteron-induced reaction mechanisms at low energies

An extended analysis of the reaction mechanisms involved within deuteron interaction with nuclei is presented. An increased attention is devoted to the breakup mechanism, all its components, namely the elastic, inelastic (fusion), and total breakup being carefully considered. Next, the direct reactions represented by the stripping and pick-up mechanisms are discussed. Finally, the pre-equilibrium and compound-nucleus contributions, corrected for the breakup, stripping, and pick-up decrease of the total reaction cross section, complete the deuteron-induced reaction cross section analysis. The overall agreement between the measured data and model calculations validates the description of nuclear mechanisms taken into account for the deuteron-nucleus interaction.

Threshold velocities of particle-fluid flows in horizontal pipes and ducts: literature review

Numerous industrial processes such as conveying, fluidizing and handling involve two-phase (fluid-solids) flows. Investigation of the two-phase flow mechanisms have importance in both industrial manufacturing processes and natural phenomenon such as dust storms, erosion, air pollution and soil deposition in rivers and ocean flows. One of the most significant parameters for designing two-phase (fluid-solids) flow conveying systems is the fluid velocity magnitude. Inaccurate determination of the fluid velocity can lead to high energy consumption, particle attrition, pipe erosion and in some cases pipe blockage. This work reviews numerous studies presented in the literature concerning various threshold velocities in horizontal two-phase (fluid-solids) flow systems. The threshold velocities include: incipient motion, pickup from a layer of particles, pickup from hill-shape particle deposits, boundary saltation and minimum pressure velocity. Most of the studies were conducted in pneumatic and hydraulic conveying systems and large-scale wind tunnels systems. As each threshold velocity characterizes a transition between two or more flow regimes and mode of particle movement, all possible flow regimes of the particle-fluid horizontal conveying systems are present first. Then the threshold velocity models and correlations are analyzed and compared. The theoretical models are compared for the forces and torque vectors taken into account for various threshold conditions and particle package geometry. In addition, the main parameters influencing the pickup and saltation mechanisms and the dimensionless numbers are reviewed. Finally, four threshold velocities are used to characterize a generalized flow regime diagram for horizontal conveying systems. This diagram makes a significant contribution to researching and designing two-phase flow systems. For example, the diagram may assist in the transition conditions between dilute and stratified flow regimes. However, more theoretical and empirical research is required to discover all the possible states of horizontal systems.

Droplet Dynamics and Ionization Mechanisms in Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

A droplet pickup and other mechanisms have been suggested for the ionization of biomolecules like peptides and proteins by desorption electrospray ionization. To verify this hypothesis phase Doppler particle analysis was used to study the sizes and velocities of droplets involved in DESI. It was found that impacting droplets typically have velocities of 120 m/s and average diameters of 2-4 microm. Small differences in sprayer construction influence the operating conditions at which droplets of these dimensions are produced. Under these conditions, the kinetic energy per impacting water molecule is less than 0.6 meV and sputtering through momentum transfer during collisions or ionization by other electronic processes is unlikely. Droplets arrive at the surface with velocities well below the speed of sound in common materials, thereby excluding the possibility of ionization by shockwave formation. Some droplets appear to roll along the surface, increasing contact time and presumably the amount of material that is taken up into droplets during conditions typical of the DESI experiment.

Review of Folklore in Design and Operation of Secondary Clarifiers

Dick published a classic paper in the mid-1970s illuminating popular final settling tank beliefs as folklore with little factual or logical support. Unfortunately, some of that folklore persists in an evolved form and new folklore developed along with technology development. Secondary clarifier folklore examined in this paper include: (1) scraper mechanisms outperform suction pickup mechanisms; (2) surface overflow rate accurately dimensions secondary clarifiers; (3) secondary clarifiers should not be used for sludge storage under any operating conditions; (4) solids flux theory and state point analysis does not predict secondary clarifier failure; (5) dye studies always indicate secondary clarifier deficiencies; (6) rectangular clarifiers outperform circular clarifiers; (7) flocculator center wells encourage density currents; and (8) the sludge volume index must be high to produce low effluent suspended solids.

The effect of level density and reaction mechanisms on the reaction cross-section calculations at intermediate energies

Two versions of the pre-equilibrium ALICE code (HMS-ALICE and ALICE-IPPE) were used to investigate the effect of various models for level density and cluster emission mechanisms on the description of reaction cross-sections with multiple-particle emission induced by protons of energy up to 200 MeV in a mass region from Mn to Bi. Comparison with experimental data shows that the generalised superfluid model for level density is preferable for nuclei far from the beta stability line. For the reactions where composite charged particles can be pro-duced, the account of both pick-up and knock-out mechanisms can be crucial for the consistent description of excitation functions in the energy region 30–80 MeV where the pre-equilibrium cluster emission and emission of several uncorrelated nucleons compete.

Interaction of the solar wind with dusty cometary plasmas

Dusty space plasmas contain negatively charged, heavy dust grains with characteristic frequencies much below those of usual plasmas. Pickup of ions of cometary origin by the solar wind is partly due to relative streaming between cometary and solar wind ions parallel to the interplanetary magnetic field, partly because of skewed velocity distributions perpendicular to it. Both pickup mechanisms excite low-frequency electromagnetic turbulence, which is altered by the presence of charged dust in cometary environments. We focus on parallel modes at frequencies below the cometary watergroup gyrofrequency. Existing firehose-like instabilities are stabilized at very long wavelengths. On the contrary, when modes would be stable in the absence of charged dust, the left-hand circularly polarized mode shows a new instability window. The scarce data available from recent cometary missions indicate that the wavelengths needed probably exceed the dimensions of the cometary structures. However, more data are needed to elucidate this.

Polymerization of 2-Methacryloyloxyethyltrimethylammonium Chloride Organized on Poly(sodium acrylate) Template

2-Methacryloyloxyethyltrimethylammonium chloride (MMAC) was polymerized in the presence of poly(sodium acrylate) as the template polymer and potassium persulfate as the initiator in water. The polymerization was accompanied by the precipitation of complex of poly(MMAC) and poly(sodium acrylate). A negative template effect (polymerization rate reduction) was observed when the template of low degree of polymerization (Pn) was used, while increase of Pn of the template decreased such negative effect. Coexistence of the template and sodium chloride to increase ionic strength of the reaction medium showed great negative template effect even by using the template of high Pn. The results were interpreted based on zip and pick-up mechanisms. The polymerization of MMAC took place thermally in the presence of the template of high Pn, indicating the effect of organization of the monomer.

Pickup and saltation mechanisms of solid particles in horizontal pneumatic transport

Both pickup and saltation mechanisms of solid particles have been examined from an experimental viewpoint, in relation to the prediction of the minimum conveying velocity required in horizontal pneumatic transport systems that operate in dilute-phase. Several experiments were carried out to determine pickup, saltation, and particle velocity of a wide variety of materials using different techniques. The use of dimensional analysis and the experimental findings led to a simple correlation useful to predict pickup velocity of coarse particles (above 100 μm). Noteworthy is the existence of a pipe diameter effect on the pickup mechanism, an important result to consider in scale-up procedures. For the first time in pneumatic transport, pickup and saltation mechanisms of solid particles in horizontal pipelines have been related, with the aid of branching and stability analysis. These ideas open new avenues to full understanding of the complex behavior of particles conveyed pneumatically through pipelines.

On the development of mini disc players

A very thin portable MD (mini disc) and a four-disc MD auto changer for cars have been developed. The development of a very small optical pickup and small mechanisms in particular, together with the small MD discs, has helped to dramatically reduce the size of portable MDs and the construct a four-disc MD auto changer system of only 1 DIN size. In the auto changer, by developing a new memory control, four discs can be played continuously. It has been confirmed that vibration characteristics of the MD changer are no longer a practical problem. >