College - Author 1
College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Department - Author 1
BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in BioResource and Agricultural Engineering
Date
6-2016
Primary Advisor
Mark Zohns
Abstract/Summary
This senior project discusses the design, construction, and evaluation of an almond end-row nut sweeper. The sweeper attached to the three-point hitch of a John Deere orchard tractor using a Category 2 hitch and was used to sweep nuts back into the orchard after they had been swept into windrows. This system worked by utilizing the tractor hydraulics to power an 18 inch diameter cylinder brush.
Proper field testing of the implement could not be done during the academic year in which this project was constructed since this implement was designed to be used as part of the California almond harvest, which occurs from late August to early September. However, preliminary tests were conducted at the Cal Poly Feed Mill by staging a mock almond windrow using almond hulls, and sweeping them along the concrete floor with the implement. These tests indicated that with some minor modifications, the implement should perform as intended.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/braesp/128