1. NCDA: Pickle Sorter Project Proposal Project 98.09 Sponsored by Ed Kee of Keeman Produce, Lincoln, DE

2. 2 Overview Introduction –Description of Problem Method –Wants  Metrics  Concepts –System and Functional Benchmarking Schedule –Division of labor –Budget

3. 3 Project Background Title: Pickle Sorter Sponsor: Ed Kee of Keeman Produce Problem: The pickling cucumber industry currently separates undesirable cucumbers from desirable ones manually. Mr. Kee would like a device to efficiently and reliably separate the usable cucumbers from the unusable ones.

4. Schematic

5. 5 Strategy Mission: To provide an integrated, automated system to sort out undesirable pickles on the processing line. Approach: Collect customer wants and develop them into metrics which can be used to evaluate benchmarks and concepts for a design solution.

6. 6 Customers and Wants

7. 7 Benchmarking Current Method: –Manual selection and removal - No integrated, efficient, inexpensive system currently in use. System: –Several integrated solutions exist, each having its own set of problems. Functional: –Many of our concepts include functions that have been independently developed for other.

8. 8 Wants  Metrics Cost –Price Effectiveness –% Good Removed –% Bad Removed Working Area –Length –Width Reliability –Mean Time to Failure Speed –Pickles Per Minute Portability –Size –Weight

9. 9 Target Values

10. 10 System Benchmarks

11. 11 Functional Benchmarks

12. 12 Concept Generation Concepts –Brainstorming Identification: –Imaging –Mechanical Removal: –Pneumatic –Mechanical –Benchmarking Systems: –Bacchus –Aweta Functional: –Ensco –SensoRx –ELOP –Staalkat B.V.

13. 13 Concepts 1Imaging system coupled to solenoid activated pneumatic piston. 2Imaging system with a trap door removal system. 3Imaging system which controls a robotic removal arm. 4Tilted conveyor belt which separates good and bad pickles based on rolling characteristics.

14. 14 Concept Evaluation 1- Imaging/Pneumatic System: Most Promising; Is equally good with Effectiveness and Speed. Cost currently unknown. 2- Imaging/Trap Door System: Similar to system above, lags behind in Effectiveness and Speed. 3- Imaging/Robotic Arm System: Cost prohibitive if Speed Target Value is to be met. Also, more moving parts may decrease Reliability. 4- Rolling Method: Fails Effectiveness, Speed Metrics; Has been ruled out.

15. 15 Division of Work

16. Progress To Date:

17. Schedule To Next Presentation:

18. 18 Estimated Budget

19. 19 Closing Points Metrics Derived From Wants Benchmarks Evaluated Using Metrics Initial Concepts Evaluated Using Metrics Progress and Looking Ahead