This project analyzes the economic feasibility of a recently developed automated strawberry calyx removal machine. With millions of dollars spent each year on manual calyx removal, the development of an automated system for strawberry processing could lead to significant labor savings. The machine analyzed in this project uses a computer vision-guided water knife to slice the calyx off a strawberry at a rate of 2,500 berries per minute. Machine optimization is characterized using a mathematical model with linearly dependent parameters. This project demonstrates the use of a linear model to describe the adoption of labor-savings automation equipment in strawberry production.

Additional Resources

• Lin, J., Holmes, M., Vinson, R., Ge, C., Pogoda, F. C., Mahon, L., Gentry, R., Seibel, G., Chen, X., & Tao, Y. (2017). Design and testing of an automated high-throughput computer vision guided waterjet knife strawberry calyx removal machine. Journal of Food Engineering, 211, 30-38.