ERGONOMICS FOR IMPROVING VISUAL INSPECTION AT FRUIT PACKINGHOUSES

Experimental studies with simulated fruit showed that visual inspection is 23% more accurate when produce approaches directly rather than laterally. Additional studies using signal detection theory and three dimensional plots indicated that increasing rotation speed had little effect on defect detection compared to changes in translation speed and width of flow. Detectability at selected throughputs was best for: a) a width of four rows, b) 250–333 items per minute, c) 0.095 – 0.126 meters per second translation speed, and d) 19.9 revolutions per meter of translation rotation.