Kinetics Simulation of the Crucial points on a Fruit Grading and Packing Line

Abstract. There are several crucial points that lead significant mechanical damage to fruits easily on fruit grading and packing lines, which may cause great economic loss. In my study, two crucial points was detected in a part of a fruit grading and packing line by vision observation. In order to analyze drop height, initial impact velocity and mechanical speed for the influence to fruit mechanical damage on the crucial points, kinematic simulation of the two crucial points was conducted by RecurDyn (FunctionBay, Inc.). After simplifying 3D model of the crucial points, the materials of all parts were set especially the material on the surface of the collision according to the reality. Take apple to be my simulation object whose Poisson's ratio and Young modulus were used from a previous study. Four drop height h1(60mm, 80mm, 100mm and 120mm) and five initial velocities (25mm/s, 35mm/s, 50mm/s, 60mm/s and 75mm/s) were selected to study the impact situation on crucial point one. Three height h2(70mm, 90mm and 110mm), four mechanical speeds (457mm/s, 571.5mm/s, 685.8mm/s, and 800.01mm/s) and four materials(Steel, Rubber, Acrylic and Nylon ) were selected to study the crucial point two. The kinematic simulation results show that the designed drop height of 90mm on crucial point one is appropriate, and lengthening the head of the single-row belt can reduce the impact acceleration at this crucial point. At crucial point two, the maximum impact acceleration increase with the increasing of assembly height h2 and mechanical speed. And Rubber is the best cushioning material at this crucial point.