Abstract
The exact knowledge of olive suckers and branches cutting behaviour is one of the main parameters for optimizing the design of cutting elements in pruning machines. In this study, the cutting properties of five different varieties of the table olive, namely Halhali, Gullaki, Mavis, Belloti and Zoncuk respectively, were determined. The cutting properties were measured at three moisture content levels (17.05, 34.44, and 39.47 %) and four cross-sectional areas (12.56, 28.27, 50.26 and 78.54 mm2). The results showed that the cutting force and cutting energy requirement of olive suckers decreased with increasing moisture content in all of the olive varieties. However, these properties increased with increasing cross-sectional area. The maximum cutting force, cutting strength, cutting energy requirement and specific cutting energy of olive sucker were obtained at the Halhali variety as 869.15 N, 18.66 MPa, 4.29 J and 0.0875 J.mm-2, respectively, while the minimum cutting values were obtained at the Zoncuk variety as 619.19 N, 14.75 MPa, 2.44 J and 0.0531 J.mm-2, respectively. As a result, the data obtained from cutting tests of the olive sucker can be used in a new design and development of an experimental prototype of olive branch cutting and pruning machine.