Munckhof Fruit Tech Innovators has redesigned its tree shaker solution for harvesting fruit, nuts and olives for the food industry quickly and efficiently.
According to a news release, using this harvesting machinery, two to three workers can harvest the fruit, nuts or olives from 100 to 180 trees in just one hour. The new version of Munckhof’s Tree Shaker, which makes harvesting even more labour-efficient and user-friendly, will be commercially available this summer.
Harvesting performance: 100 to 180 trees per hour with just 2 to 3 employees
Munckhof Fruit Tech Innovators’ Tree Shaker has been specifically developed to achieve industry-leading harvesting performance – 100 to 180 trees per hour, at exactly the right stage of ripeness – with a small team of just two to three workers. The Tree Shaker has been designed to catch the fruit, nuts and olives before they touch the ground. So Munckhof ensures high harvest quality while minimizing clean-up costs.
Munckhof’s Tree Shaker consists of a shaker truck with a collection tarpaulin and a deflection truck with just a collection tarpaulin. When harvesting, both trucks drive parallel to each other on each side of a row of trees in the orchard. The produce harvested by both trucks is deposited centrally.
One worker drives the tree shaker. This worker operates the joystick to extend the collection tarpaulin under the tree and grip the tree with the shaker arm. A second worker in the deflection truck extends the collection tarpaulin on the other side of the tree. The fruit, nuts or olives are carefully shaken off the tree.
The harvested produce lands gently in the collection tarpaulins that were previously extended by the shaker truck and the deflection truck. The harvested produce in the collection tarpaulins of the shaker truck and deflection truck is gently transferred to the collection belt. A cross-flow suction system removes leaves, twigs and other unwanted debris from the harvested produce. A further worker centrally organises feeding and removal of full and empty crates via a roll-on, roll-off system with a rotating turret unit.
Tree Shaker more efficient and user-friendly
Munckhof has added innovations to its tree shaker to make the harvesting machine even more efficient and user-friendly. For example, a new accumulator that automatically determines the right shaking time. Trees are now emptied more effectively without subjecting the crop to unnecessarily high shaking loads.
Munckhof has also developed a new, flexibly adjustable cleaning system that is capable of completely removing unwanted debris from all kinds of fruit, nuts and olives under a variety of conditions. The new tree shaker’s driving speed has increased to 25 km per hour. As a result, road use is more pleasant and the tree shaker is better able to handle uphill inclines.
The new tree shaker has also been equipped with a joystick that improves operator comfort and safety. The very latest 50HP Kubota diesel engine is both more powerful and more fuel-efficient than before, and also meets the new EU emissions directives.
Munckhof’s Tree Shaker is suitable for harvesting sour cherries, plums, cider apples, apples for apple sauce, nuts and olives for industrial use. The tree shaker can be made even more complete by adding a crate trailer. The tree shaker requires very little maintenance.
More information on Munckhof’s Tree Shaker is available at www.munckhof.org.
