Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.17559/TV-20210323084618

Simulation Design of a Tomato Picking Manipulator

Jiahao Wu ; College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Yue Zhang ; College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Sihao Zhang ; College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Haijun Wang ; College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Li Liu ; College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Yinggang Shi* orcid.org/0000-0001-6835-4604 ; College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China

Abstract

Simulation is an important way to verify the feasibility of design parameters and schemes for robots. Through simulation, this paper analyzes the effectiveness of the design parameters selected for a tomato picking manipulator, and verifies the rationality of the manipulator in motion planning for tomato picking. Firstly, the basic parameters and workspace of the manipulator were determined based on the environment of a tomato greenhouse; the workspace of the lightweight manipulator was proved as suitable for the picking operation through MATLAB simulation. Next, the maximum theoretical torque of each joint of the manipulator was solved through analysis, the joint motors were selected reasonably, and SolidWorks simulation was performed to demonstrate the rationality of the material selected for the manipulator and the strength design of the joint connectors. After that, the trajectory control requirements of the manipulator in picking operation were determined in view of the operation environment, and the feasibility of trajectory planning was confirmed with MATLAB. Finally, a motion control system was designed for the manipulator, according to the end trajectory control requirements, followed by the manufacturing of a prototype. The prototype experiment shows that the proposed lightweight tomato picking manipulator boasts good kinematics performance, and basically meets the requirements of tomato picking operation: the manipulator takes an average of 21 s to pick a tomato, and achieves a success rate of 78.67%.

Keywords

force analysis; manipulator; simulation design; tomato picking; trajectory planning

Hrčak ID:

260847

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/260847

Publication date:

22.7.2021.

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