DEVELOPMENT OF BELT GRADING MACHINE FOR OLIVE FRUIT

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Dept. of Agric. Eng., Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University

2 Res. Inst. of Desert Environ. Moniufya University

Abstract

Grading of olive fruits is important for export and local marketing. Grading
parameters were length, width, thickness, and weight of olive. The mechanical
grading, reduce the period needed to sort the olive varieties compared to manual
grading, and the olives price depend on its size.
The Belts grading machine for olive fruits was manufactured, and installed at
the Agricultural, Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, EI-Mansoura
University. However, the experiment was carried out at Kafr-Awd, Aga. Dakahlia
Governorate. The machine was tested in grading of Agize, Manzanillo and Picual olive
varieties. Grading was based on olive parameters such as (dimensions of fruits and
mass) and machine parameters conditions (belts speed m Is, grading unit slop age.
Rad. and olives feeding rate g/s).
Result indicated that the maximum grading efficiency of olive varieties
Manzanillo, Agiza and Picual, it was 93 %, 92 % and 91, %, respectively. These
results were obtained at the same operation conditions of feed rate 50 g/s. belts
speed 0.110 mls and tilt angle of -0.035 Rad. ).