Development of an Automated Cartesian Arm for Planting Seeds in Pots

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Agricultural engineering - faculty of agriculture -mansoura university

2 Agric. Eng. Dept., Fac. of Agric., Mansoura Univ., Egypt.

3 Agricultural Engineering , Mansoura University

4 Agric. Eng. Res. Inst., Agric. Res. Cent., El-Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

This study focuses on developing an automated Cartesian arm capable of sowing seeds in pots within a greenhouse. The automated Cartesian arm comprises a seeding unit and electrical components. The Cartesian arm was successfully installed on the greenhouse frame, and the motions in the three axes were performed to sow seeds in the designated pots. The parameters evaluated were three seed suction nozzle diameters (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mm) and four seed types (Armenian cucumber, pepper, turnip, and okra). Performance metrics included the number of captured seeds per stroke, seed resting duration, and deviation relative to the pots’ centers. Trials were conducted at the Agricultural Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University. The results recommended that a seed suction nozzle diameter of 1 mm yielded the best outcomes for okra and Armenian cucumber seeds, with average captures of 1.0 and 1.46 seeds per pot, respectively. Conversely, a seed suction nozzle diameter of 0.5 mm was the most suitable for turnip and pepper seeds, capturing 1.46 and 1.33 seeds per pot, respectively. There was variation in the resting duration of seeds, as Armenian cucumber required 6-8 seconds while okra required 9-10 seconds. The study recommends the possibility of applying pot cultivation using the developed automated system for different seeds, choosing the diameter of the suction nozzle appropriate to the properties of the seeds. Experiments can also be applied to other types of seeds to build a database suitable for the largest number of seeds and ensure the reliability of the developed unit under study.

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