The Open Mechanical Engineering Journal

2016, 10 : 1-12
Published online 2016 March 15. DOI: 10.2174/1874155X01610010001
Publisher ID: TOMEJ-10-1

RESEARCH ARTICLE
 Design and Test of a Solanaceae Grafting Robot

Qun Sun, * , Ying Zhao , Anfu Guo , Dongjie Zhao and Chong Wang
School of Mechanical & Automotive Engineering, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, 252059, China

* Address correspondence to this author at the School of Mechanical & Automotive Engineering, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China; Tel: +86 0635 8239270; Fax: +86 0635 8239968; E-mail: sunxiaoqun97@163.com

ABSTRACT

A grafting robot based on cleft grafting method has been developed to improve efficiency of grafting solanaceae vegetables. This robot consists of four parts including a clamping manipulator and carrying, cutting, feeding mechanisms. These not only enable the robot to conveniently perform clamping, carrying, positioning, cutting, joining, and binding rootstock and scion, but also improve the grafting efficiency. The average success rates for cutting rootstock, cutting scion and conjugation are 98.7%, 99.0% and 59.6% respectively. The developed robot was able to perform steady operations, suggesting potential value for practical applications.

Keywords:

Automatic grafting, cleft graft, grafting robot, solanaceae vegetable.