Design and Simulation of End Effector for Young-Pear-Bagging Robot

Abstract

In order to address the time-consuming and labor-intensive challenges as well as the suboptimal operational quality encountered in the conventional processes of fruit bagging within expansive orchards, an innovative end-of-bagging actuator is proposed, which can be installed on a fruit-production robot. Due to the excessive power sources required to complete the bagging operation, while also taking into account the quality and cost of the end effector, we have implemented a clutch transmission system to control individual motors, thereby achieving efficient bag-opening and collection actions. Through kinematic analysis of the bagging end effector, the optimal bag opening size is determined to be 40.3372 mm, with a deviation of 0.1428 mm from the design target and an error rate of 0.35%. This ensures the desired bag size for bagging juvenile fruits. Moreover, a dynamic simulation model comprising rigid drive components and a flexible clutch was developed. The simulation results demonstrate the system’s stable performance. However, it is evident that the gear speed falls below that of the flexible clutch, resulting in insufficient bag opening and bag gathering compared to the intended design target. The observed phenomenon is a result of the characteristics exhibited by the flexible clutch. Specifically, the demands for bagging and stretching can be accommodated by modifying the stiffness and geometric configuration of the flexible clutch, alongside the level of operational force. To conclude, the suggested end effector can successfully simulate the implementation of the manual bagging process. By taking into account the quality and cost of the end effector, a clutch drive system was utilized to regulate a single motor, resulting in efficient bag-opening and collection actions. This approach offers a more integrated and efficient solution compared to manual bagging and semi-automatic mechanically assisted bagging methods.