| Popis: |
Packing line sorting equipment utilizing an electronic quality sensor usually requires oriented fruit for reliable measurements. The performance of mechanisms using the rolling behavior of peaches to achieve orientation is dependent on the fruit’s physical characteristics. The focus of this study was to determine the effect of peach physical characteristics (shape and mass) on orientation potential. Starting completely out of orientation, peaches became oriented within 43 cm of travel, on the average, and always within 105 cm. Starting with the peaches properly oriented (the stem-to-blossom axis horizontal), 75% remained so oriented while being rolled 1.4 m. Thinner peaches (cheek diameter, D, less than stem-blossom height, H) like Harmony stayed oriented 88% of the time while only 57% of spherical-shaped fruit like ‘Red Haven’ stayed oriented for 1.4 m. Peaches with diameter/height ratio (D/H) greater than 1.0 had the greatest variability in orienting behavior. Knowing a peach’s shape enables a prediction of orientation probability for a given travel distance. |
