Design of Automatic Apple Net Packaging Machines

LIU Wantong; LI Xuetong; ZHANG Yizhi; TIAN Yuan; LI Qicheng; LI Jiangbo

doi:10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2025.23.021

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Packaging Engineering ›› 2025, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (23) : 197-205. DOI: 10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2025.23.021

Automatic and Intelligent Technology

Design of Automatic Apple Net Packaging Machines

LIU Wantong^1,2, LI Xuetong², ZHANG Yizhi², TIAN Yuan², LI Qicheng², LI Jiangbo^1,2,*

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Abstract

The work aims to address the issues of low efficiency, high cost, and intensive labor in manual post-harvest net packaging, thereby enhancing the automation level of apple packaging. An automatic apple net packaging machine composed of three functional units was designed. Bilateral circulation conveying lines and a mobile grasping module were employed in the feeding unit to achieve continuous alternating feeding and non-damaging transfer of apples. A four-servo modular driving mechanism was innovatively adopted in the netting unit, where net sleeves were accurately expanded and transported through synchronously driven roller sets combined with a conical suspended fixed core. A cylinder-driven transition mechanism was utilized in the discharging unit for automatic offloading. Key components such as the chain transmission system were optimized and selected through calculation. A control system was constructed based on a Siemens S7-1500 PLC, and a prototype was manufactured and tested with 100 apples of 65-85 mm diameter. Test results showed that an average packaging efficiency of 2.018 seconds per apple was achieved, and a packaging success rate of 99.4% was obtained. The equipment operated stably, achieving fully automated operation from feeding to discharging without manual intervention. The designed automatic apple net packaging machine is demonstrated to be rationally structured and reliably operated. Both its packaging efficiency and success rate are higher than those of manual operation, providing effective technical equipment support for promoting automation in apple packaging.

Key words

apple / apple protection / mesh sleeve packaging machine

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LIU Wantong, LI Xuetong, ZHANG Yizhi, TIAN Yuan, LI Qicheng, LI Jiangbo. Design of Automatic Apple Net Packaging Machines[J]. Packaging Engineering. 2025, 46(23): 197-205 https://doi.org/10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2025.23.021

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