Leader investigator of the task: dr hab. inż. Piotr Komarnicki
Summary: The aim of this study was to develop a methodology that is to help define favorable working conditions for apple pickers and growers with a minimal risk related to the appearance of problems in the musculoskeletal system and maintaining high quality fruit for consumption. In the research, the Tekscan system was used to determine the value of surface pressures at various loads, acting during manual picking of apples, where the shape of the contact surface corresponded to the shape of the fingers. The work of the collector's muscles was also analyzed with the use of electromyography (EMG), a device that allowed to directly measure the workload of workers during the harvest. The conducted research allowed for the development of favorable working conditions for apple producers with a minimal risk related to the appearance of problems in the musculoskeletal system of the pickers and at the same time maintaining the high quality of apples intended for direct consumption.
Leader investigator of the task: dr hab. inż. Piotr Komarnicki
Summary: The aim of the study was to present the impact of dynamic loads on the sensitivity of pear fruit to bruising at variable values of the drop height and the number of hits. The work focuses on the experimental procedure aimed at quantifying the damage caused to the Clapp's Favorite pear fruit depending on changes in surface pressures occurring under impact loads.
Leader investigator of the task: dr hab. inż. Piotr Komarnicki
Summary: The values of force impulses, contact surface area and surface pressures were determined as a function of the height and number of bruises. Photographic documentation was made, which was used to perform a computer analysis of images in order to determine the volume of damaged tissue and to present a qualitative assessment of the apple sensitivity to bruises. Measurements under shock loads were carried out with the use of apparatus by Tekscan on a specially built test stand, the operation of which was based on the pendulum principle. The conducted research allowed to estimate the critical height of the fruit discharge, which did not cause plastic deformations.
Leader investigator of the task: dr hab. inż. Piotr Komarnicki
Investigators: dr hab. inż. Roman Stopa, prof. uczelni, dr. inż. Łukasz Kuta, mgr inż. Małgorzata Młotek
Keywords: shock load, apple, pressure, EMG
