Design and simulation of an artificial vision sorting machine and cocoa pulping machine

Resumen

This research project is focused on the design of an agricultural machine that allows to pulp the cocoa beans quickly and optimally by means of an artificial vision system to classify the beans and to obtain the mentioned product in a shorter production time with optimal quality. Cocoa has been placed in third place in production after sugar and coffee, this is due to the growing demand for chocolate, which is one of the most consumed derivatives in the world. Prior to the design, the manual and traditional methods used on the farms were investigated in order to take a mechanical design alternative. Of the three alternatives proposed, it was decided to take as an example alternative C, using a sieve with a constant translational movement. This machine was designed with the help of SOLIDWORKS software, allowing to obtain plans and dimensions suitable for its construction. A finite element analysis was performed to evaluate its deformations with the loads to which it will be subjected. The design of this machine aims to open new fields in agricultural production and maximize the income of small farmers, taking advantage of the reduction of labor used in the cocoa pulping process.