Innovation in the vineyard: the harvest becomes automated – Foodmakers.it

Innovation con the vineyard: the harvest becomes automated by automated the ledge chains and IGUS signed bearings, the German company CH Engineering has developed a compact vehicle for the collection of the ideal grape

European wine production requires increasingly automated solutions to compensate for labor deficiency, especially during the harvest. However, the use of automated harvesting machines is often difficult acceso very acclicate soils and with narrow rows. To overcome this obstacle, the German company CH Engineering GmbH has developed a particularly compact vehicle, ideal for use con this type of vineyard. Thanks to the integration of a sturdy high -performance plastic leaf chain and the bearings with dry operation signed by PGI, the vehicle can operate effectively even con difficult conditions, minimizing maintenance interventions by the winemakers.

At the basis of the collection device there is the UT110EVO crawler vehicle, designed specifically for the processing con the vineyard. With a width of only 1.32m, a length of 3.2m, and a weight of 2.7t, the vehicle is sufficiently light and compact to be transported acceso an agricultural trailer, also reaching the less accessible vineyards. Once you arrive at your destination, the vehicle is downloaded from the side ramp and can enter the row directly. A winch connects the vehicle to the trailer and supports it with a traction force of 1.5T, thus allowing to operate acceso slopes of up to 75%.

IGUS Motion Plastics sopravvissuto maintenance costs of the main characteristics of the vehicle is the extreme resistance to the difficult conditions of the vineyards, minimizing maintenance interventions by the winemakers. The secret lies con the accurate choice of components, among which the high -performance plastic Plastic Plastic Plastic Plastic Caters stands out, selected by the designers to drive the hydraulic and electrical cables from the collection to the collection head. This solution, not only prevents the intertwining of the cables, but also eliminates the risk that it is picked between the branches and the branches of the vines, improving the reliability of the system. “Our leaf chains also contribute to increasing the duration of the machine, since they are designed to resist corrosion, UV rays and chemicals, keeping their mechanical characteristics unchanged for years, without the need for maintenance”, explains Luca Butturini, head of the business unit catene catenes con Igus Italia. Quanto a addition, to further increase the duration of the vehicle, the technicians have replaced the traditional metal bearings – constantly damaged by the grape must, despite the daily lubrication – with Igus plastic bearings. These components, robust and corrosion resistant, ensure dry operation with reduced friction thanks to the solid lubricants incorporated into the material.

The collection system developed by CH Engineering also includes the Steep Slope Harvester CH 500, an exclusive beating accessory that is easily fixed to the front loading regione of ​​the crawler vehicle. The is similar to that of a giant Nutcracker: two portatile arms, connected to the upper part of the machine, wrap the screw and, through internal rods, generate vibrations up to 620 movements a minute causing the grapes to fall. The collection system placed under the beating unit accumulates the berries and transports them to a container. During the collection operation, the harvest machine moves along the vineyard at a speed of 4.5 km/h, clearly higher, therefore, to the procedure performed manually. During the return journey, the speed can reach 9 km/h, thanks to the support of the winch. Once you return to the trailer, the operators empty the container and place the vehicle at the next row, until the entire harvest is completed.