Laboratory vibration measurement from hand-held harvesters for olives

Vibration represents the most important risk connected with the use of portable harvesters for olive and other drupe. This research was developed within an inter-laboratory test (Round Robin Test – RRT) with the purpose of measuring the vibration to the hand-arm system produced by one portable harvester. To standardise the measurement under load conditions, a suitable laboratory test bench was used. This paper reports the results obtained by the Section of Mechanic and Mechanisation of the Di3A. The results showed an average acceleration of 2.6 m s-2 in idling running and of 13.6 m s-2 under load conditions. The highest component was always along x direction (12.8 m s-2 under load), the lowest in y direction (1.8 m s-2 under load). The test bench proved to be a useful tool to standardise the test conditions, but further studies are necessary to compare acceleration values measured with the test bench and during harvesting.