Design and Validation of an Efficient, Low‐Cost Integrated Gripper‐Shear End‐Effector

ABSTRACT

As a critical component for robotic citrus harvesting, the mechanical design of the end‐effector determines harvesting efficiency, success rate, and fruit quality. This paper aims to enhance citrus harvesting efficiency by proposing an integrated gripper‐shear harvesting end‐effector and its control method suitable for harvesting operations in Ehime No. 38 Citrus orchards. First, the fruits were collected and their phenotypic characteristics and mechanical properties were measured. On the basis of mechanical design theory and CAE analysis methods, the flexible clamping mechanism and the sliding shear mechanism were developed. Second, a low‐cost clamping force control method combining finite element analysis and linear regression was proposed. Its validity was verified through transient dynamic analysis experiments conducted in Ansys Workbench, involving 15 clamping experiments (10 for initial testing and 5 for validation). Finally, 50 harvesting trials conducted in citrus orchards demonstrated a 96.0% success rate for stalk severing and 94.0% success rate for harvesting undamaged citrus fruits. The proposed harvesting end‐effector is easy to control, simple to maintain, low in manufacturing cost, minimally damaging to citrus, and highly successful in harvesting.