Mechanics and Mechanisation
Research themes and Projects
Soil preservation
The research is interdisciplinary and involves many factors interconnected, as soil erosion and, more generally, soil and water preservation depends on cultivation techniques, soil management, pedo-climatic conditions, chemical and energy inputs, and others. To this end, not only different techniques and equipment for seedbed preparation are compared, but also systems of minimum tillage and sod seeding are studied to evaluate their effects on erosion through rain simulator and natural rainfall. At the same time, uses of energy and polluting emissions for the environment are evaluated.
Plant protection product application
This research concerning the distribution of plant protection products (PPP) to crops, in particular citrus groves, almond orchards, protected crops, espalier and “tendone” vineyards, may be included in the main topic of environment and food protection. Spraying machines, both commercial and prototypes purposely adapted to crop needs, are studied in order to minimise losses in the environment (soil and atmosphere) and to optimise the uniformity of deposition on the target. Evaluations concern not only the quantity of pesticide that reaches the target, but also the quality of the deposition in terms of number of stains per unit surface and surface coverage. The risk for the operator during PPP distribution is also assessed by measuring his dermal exposure. A laboratory test bench, purposely designed and built, allows analysing sprays by measuring the droplet size distribution as affected by nozzle types and working conditions. Finally, the Section of Mechanics and Mechanisation is actively involved in the drafting of ENAMA Guidelines for the development of procedures to be adopted during sprayer inspection and carries out training activities on the territory.
Organic farming
The research in this area concerns technical and functional evaluations of the use of natural antagonists in protected and open field crops in organic and / or integrated pest management. The Section of Mechanics and Mechanisation designed and patented a prototype suitable for the mechanised release of beneficials on strawberries, peppers, aubergines and floral crops, evaluating the effectiveness of mechanical distribution compared to the manual one in terms of uniformity of application and reduction in working times.
Mechanisation in the nursery sector
The research concerns both flower and horticultural nursery, characterised by specific peculiarities. The various cultivation operations, decisive for production purposes, already mechanised or that can be mechanised, are analysed by examining machines and work organisation in work sites in order to highlight any critical points and suggest changes to be made.
Tree crop harvesting
This research topic concerns the study and optimisation of harvesting sites of citrus fruits, olives, almonds, pistachios and hazelnuts. For the former, mainly intended for fresh consumption, the research now marginally concerns facilitating machines, but it is increasingly aimed towards automatic systems (robots). For drupaceous trees, on the other hand, Researchers study not only the use of large shakers, also equipped with interceptor frames, but also small operating equipment able to increase the worker productivity. Among other things, evaluations usually include the effects of machines and operating methods on product quality.
Post-harvest
Post-harvest research concerns the automatic selection of fruit by size, colour, and external defects, using techniques that essentially refer to image analysis, but which, today, tend to increasingly include also the internal qualities of the fruits and their organoleptic characteristics. The use of “impact meters” (also known as “Instrumented Spheres”) in packing lines of citrus fruits, peaches, potatoes, prickly pears, etc., proved to be profitable to suggest changes to reduce number and extent of impacts to the fruits.
Ergonomics, safety and hygiene at work
This research concerns the analysis of the risks to which workers are subjected in workplaces (farms, processing warehouses, agri-food industries, livestock farms). The analysis focuses in particular on operations that require the use of agricultural machines and food processing plants. Among other things, Researchers study whole body and hand-arm vibration exposure, noise exposure, skeletal-muscle risk, exposure to powders and volatile organic compounds (VOC).
Plants for milking and cheese-making
With the aim of contributing to the maintenance of the traditional pastoralism in the internal Sicilian areas, where transhumant and / or in the wild flocks are widespread, often allocated inside protected areas where the absolute prohibition of building is in force, the Section of Mechanics and Mechanisation has conducted research aimed at the realisation of transportable prototypes suitable for mechanical milking of sheep and goats and for the cheese making production. Two fully functional prototypes have been designed and built which, despite the absence of infrastructures and services, such as roads, buildings, aqueducts, electricity, etc., allow operating in compliance with the regulations in force.
Mechanisation in the sector of ready-to-eat produces
The Section of Mechanics and Mechanisation has also conducted research in this sector, with particular reference to salads with lettuce and fennel, in order to optimise the level of mechanisation of the processes.
Energy and Environment
In this context, the Section of Mechanics and Mechanisation studies processing and recovery of wastewater and agro-industrial and forestry by-products for energy purposes, as well as the evaluation of energy and environmental balances of the cultivation on marginal land and transformation into biodiesel of oil crops. In particular, the biochemical methane potential (BMP) of “Mediterranean” substrates (citrus pulp, Italian sainfoin, agricultural and agro-industrial waste) to be used in anaerobic digestion plants for the production of biogas is being studied. Finally, in a circular economy perspective, work sites for the redistribution in citrus orchards and vineyards of the liquid and stable fractions of the digestate are also being studied.
Sensors and Automation
Research in this area, in collaboration with other Departments of the Catania University, concerns the design of innovative high-tech machines in terms of sensors, robotics and automatic control techniques, in order to increase degree of operator safety and productivity of the machines. We highlight the design of different climbing robots for industrial inspection, the development of different adhesion systems between robots and walls, the development of mathematical models, linear and non-linear, using standard (ARX - NARX) or more specific techniques (Direction Dependant models). These models are applied in Hardware In the Loop (HIL) or Software In the Loop (SIL) architectures in order to calibrate appropriate PID, Neuro-Fuzzy or predictive control systems. Different UGV - UAV robots (Wheeleg, Morduc, Surfy, Volcan, Robovolc, U-Go) have also been developed, contributing to the design of machines and system architectures with relative sensors. Research activities are underway in the field of bio-sensors for agronomic-environmental monitoring and Precision Farming applications.