Name: Kevin Lim Chze Yeong

Admin no.: A0112852M

ME4213 Vibration Theory & Applications

Almond Transporter Design Assignment
1.0 Question
An almond transporter in a processing plant consists of a horizontal
vibrating table forced by electrodynamics vibrators to move in an angle,
as shown in the Figure 1.
Assumption:
Static friction is high and slipping of the almond on the transporter
surface is not possible
The almond lose contact with the transporter at its highest position
and move along a free path until it hits the transporter on its return
from the lowest position.
Assuming plastic contact, the almond keeps moving with the
transporter until the cycle is repeated.
Clearly, after every jump the almond moves to the right.
Design a transporter for transporting speed,

v of 0.5m/s.

Figure 1: Almond Transporter

2.0 Solutions
2.1 Assumptions
From the problem statement, the following assumptions have been made:
Angle, is 0 - 90 according to Figure 1.
Vibrator motion can be considered as a simple harmonic.
When the almond lose contact with the transporter, only gravity is
considered because this period is considered as free path. Hence, no x
component for the velocity of the almond.
Therefore, the relations for the vibrator motion are as follows:
Displacement
Velocity

Acceleration

x ( t )= A sin( t )

[1]

x ' ( t )=A cos( t)

:

[2]

x '' (t )=A 2 sin( t)

[3]

Where
A = Amplitude of Vibration
= Angular Frequency of Vibration
The motion of the almond is periodic. Lets name the period, T:
T=

To simplify the study, one cycle from

t=

[4]
T
4

to

t=

3T
4

is used which is

equivalent to one period, T.

Figure 2: Vibrator Motion of the Almond Transporter

2.2 Calculations
From the assumptions made and Figure 2, the motion of the almond are as
follows:
T
T
From
to
, the almond moves according to the motion of
4
4
the vibrator.
T
At
, the vibrator arrives at the equilibrium position and the
4
almond is at the peak (highest position).
T
3T
From
to
, the almond advances vertically due to gravity
4
4
only along a free path.
3T
At
, the almond arrives at the valley (lowest position) and is
4
back on the transporter.
From the statement above, the following can be concluded regarding the
velocity of the almond:
T
T
From
to
, the almond has the same velocity in the x
4
4
direction than the vibrator.
T
3T
From
to
, the velocity of the almond only had a
4
4
component in the y direction.
Hence, the velocity of almond in horizontal is
x ' ( t )=A cos ( t ) cos ()
x ' ( t )=0
To identify the velocity,

when

T
4
when

vx

<t<
T
4

T
4

<t<

[5a]
3T
4

[5b]

, the average transporting speed of one cycle

T
is considered by integrating x ' ( t ) from equation [5a] between
and
4
T
and divided by the cycle time, T.
4
x
[ ' ( t ) ]dt
v x=

1
T

T
4

T
4

()
A cos ( t ) cos

vx=

v x=

1
T

T
4

T
4

A cos()
[sin ( t ) ]
T

To simplify the equation, cycle time, T is replaced by

velocity,
v x=

vx

. Therefore, the

in the x direction is as follow:

[6]

A cos ()
=0.5

The above equation is obtained because the transporter speed,

design to be 0.5 m/s.

is

Figure 3: Acceleration of the Almond

Next, the acceleration of the almond can be analyzed with the aid of
Figure 3.
a x ( t )= A 2 cos( )

[7a]

()
A 2 sin

a y ( t )=

[7b
]

where gravitational acceleration,

= 9.81 m/s2

T
, there is
4
no more component in the x direction for acceleration because the
When the almond reaches the top of the transporter at t =

almond enters in a free path. The acceleration in the y direction = 0

because the almond is about to fall.
Therefore, using the equation [7b] and when

ay

= 0,

A 2 sin ( )=g
Amplitude of Vibration , A=

g
sin ()
2

[8]

At this point, there are two equations and three unknown variables.
Hence, one parameter has to be fixed. In order to do that, the angle is
fixed because it is a visible parameter (earlier on the angle is assumed to
be between 0 - 90.
To find out the amplitude, A and frequency, , a specific value has to be
chosen. The angle, can be directly measured from Figure 1. This is due
to the assumption that the actual transporter has the same angle as
Figure 1. With a protractor, the angle, is
= 35 = 0.61 rad

[9]

As this is just an assumption, the angle, value might not be accurate and
will affect our findings.

With only two equations and two unknown variables, the problem can be
solved.
First, substitute equation [8] into [6]:
g
( sin()
) cos () =0.5
2

g
cotan()=0.5

[10
]

When = 0.61 rad,

Frequency , =

2 9.81
cotan ( 0.61 )=8.92 rad /s
3.14

With frequency,

[11
]

= 8.92 rad/s,

Amplitude of Vibration , A=

9.81
=0.21 m
8.92 sin (0.61)
2

[12
]

In order to prove that the angle, of 35 is suitable in designing a

transporter with a transporting speed, v x of 0.5 m/s, numerical analysis
software can be used to determine the rest of the angles ranging from 0 90 to obtain the corresponding values of amplitude, A and angular
frequency, of vibration which can then be used to compare with the 35
angle.