Capacitive throughput unit applied to stationary hop picking machine

• Automatic throughput control of stationary hop picking machine could be beneficial.
• The suitability of capacitive throughput unit as a source of electronic control signal has been tested.
• Linear dependence of capacitive throughput unit signal on wet hop cones throughput was found.
• Output voltage signal from capacitive throughput unit can be used as a base for hop picking machine throughput control.

Higher requirements on final hop product quality have appeared during the last few years. Purity of final hop product can be improved by hop picking machine control. In this research, a capacitive throughput unit as a source of electronic signal for stationary hop picking machine throughput control has been tested. Linear dependence of capacitive throughput unit output voltage signal on wet hop cones throughput was confirmed under both laboratory and harvesting conditions. The error between unit-predicted and determined weights of harvested material did not exceed ±4%. Based on the measurements carried out it can be stated that the output voltage signal from capacitive throughput unit can be used for stationary hop picking machine throughput control with adequate precision under real harvesting conditions.