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Robotic Pruning Demo (3/11)
March 11, 2014 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Robotic Pruning Field Demonstration
Tuesday March 11
9:00 AM (not 1:00 PM)
Directions: The demonstration site will be on Acampo Rd, about 1/2 mile east of Bruella Rd. Look for the Vision Robotics sign on north side of road. Call (209) 200-1803 with location questions.
Vision Robotics and Vino Farms are teaming up to host a robotic pruning field demonstration. A number of articles about robotic pruning have recently been published in Good Fruit Grower and Wines and Vines. A YouTube video demonstration is available HERE. The features and goals for the robotic pruner are listed below (from Wines and Vines).
• Precision cuts with the quality of hand pruning.
• Day and night operation.
• Options to be towed by a tractor or be self-propelled.
• Two pruning heads per row, with an over-the-row design to prune 2 rows at once.
• Prune at speeds of 8 feet/minute.
• Prune 1 acre in 4.4 hours (depending on vine density).
• Save 40% to 50% over hand labor, with payback of 2.4 years.
• Costs $125/acre (17.3 cents/vine), compared with hand labor at $257/acre (35.3 cents/vine).