Development of a pneumatic gripper for cutting/grasping fruits towards robotized grape harvesting
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Date
2023-10-17
Authors
Χριστόπουλος, Αθανάσιος
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Abstract
The global agricultural industry is marked by its continuous pursuit of innovation and efficiency. The development of specialized robotic systems for tasks such as grape harvesting holds potential. This thesis presents a comprehensive exploration of the design, development, and testing of a pneumatic gripper tailored for robotized grape harvesting.
Starting with a meticulous review of the existing literature, delving into grape characteristics, prior research efforts, and the diverse gripper designs employed in similar applications. This foundational research presents the concept design of our gripper and provides insights into the specific challenges faced in grape harvesting.
Gripper’s design and development process is based on a flowchart developed to address the specific problem. Proposed gripper is based on the selection of a commercial actuator as the adaptive design method is used for the development. After evaluating several options, the actuator is a commercial copy of the MHC2-25S pneumatic angular actuator. This choice aligns with the goal of achieving optimal gripping and cutting performance while maintaining cost efficiency.
The subsequent chapters delve into the detailed design methodology, covering aspects such as configuration design, parametric analysis, kinematic analysis, and static stress analysis.
The prototype development phase achieved with the use of a regular low-cost 3D printer with PLA+ filament to fabricate the gripper components. Essential equipment, including an air compressor and various tools, facilitate the assembly and testing processes. Challenges encountered during development found in assembly procedure.
Operational experiments validate the gripper's performance, in an effort to laboratory simulating the real-world conditions of a vineyard. The gripper demonstrates a high success rate in harvesting grapes and exhibits stability when subjected to acceleration forces. Considering gripper’s performance on other fruits, the proposed gripper shows success that makes it capable of broadening its scope.
Future improvements includes refining the gripper's design, adding functions, and developing an adaptor for the chosen manipulator.
The proposed design, development, and testing lay the foundation for further advancements in this field, ultimately contributing to automating agricultural harvesting procedures.
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Keywords
Robotized grape harvesting, Robotic grippers, End effectors, Design theory