Harvesting Equipment: Maximize Your ROI by Transitioning from Cabbage to Zucchini

For a vegetable producer, the choice of equipment is decisive for farm profitability. Should you invest in a machine per crop or opt for a single, adaptable tool?

Using the same equipment for heavy, dense vegetables like cabbage and fragile products like zucchini presents a technical challenge. However, utilizing a versatile harvesting conveyor is the most rational solution for amortizing your investment. Here is how to adapt your machinery to move from one crop to the next without compromising product quality.

1. Analyzing the Physical Constraints of the Vegetables

Equipment adaptation begins by taking into account the specific characteristics of each product:

• Cabbage (Cauliflower, Broccoli, Red): This is a dense and voluminous vegetable. The main constraint is the load on the belt and the structural resistance of the arm. The conveyor must continuously support a significant weight.

  
  

• Zucchini: Weight is secondary. The priority is protecting the skin's integrity. The slightest excessive friction can bruise the vegetable and render it unsaleable.

A high-performance conveyor must therefore offer the modularity necessary to address these two opposing needs.

2. Key Technical Adjustments for Versatility

Variable Hydraulic Speed

This is the most critical parameter. For cabbage, a constant speed allows for the rapid flow of product toward the bins. For zucchini, it is necessary to reduce the running speed. This gives operators time to carefully sort and deposit the vegetable without impact at the end of the line.

Angle and Working Height

Zucchini is harvested close to the ground, while cabbage often requires a higher cut. An adjustable hydraulic conveyor arm allows the belt to be positioned as close as possible to the harvester's hand. This reduces physical effort and limits the drop height of the vegetable onto the conveyor.

Belt Type (modular or PVC)

For mixed use, prioritize a mesh belt. This allows for better suitability for the types of vegetables harvested while maintaining product quality. For use with fragile vegetables, we recommend a PVC belt, which will provide optimal shock absorption during the conveyance of the vegetables.

3. The Impact on Work Organization

Using a single conveyor for multiple campaigns standardizes working methods:

• Ergonomics and MSDs: The conveyor brings the vegetable to the conditioning area, eliminating repeated heavy lifting. Adjusting the height relieves strain on operators' backs, regardless of whether the vegetable is heavy or light.

  
  

• Team Training: By standardizing your harvesting tool (such as Delecroix models), you simplify the training of seasonal workers. A team trained on the summer harvest will be immediately operational for the autumn campaigns.

Conclusion

Investing in a multi-vegetable harvesting conveyor allows you to spread the investment over the year. Thanks to precise hydraulic settings and arm positioning, the same equipment efficiently manages both the significant volume of cabbages and the fragility of zucchinis. This guarantees consistent product quality and improved profitability.

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