Non-destructive detection of mechanical damages in apples by using pulsed infrared thermography

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Abstract

During the picking, storage, and transportation processes, collisions between fruits can cause mechanical damage and reduce the overall quality of the fruit. In order to ensure the quality of fruits, it is necessary to carry out non-destructive testing on fruits. This paper investigates a method for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of early mechanical damage in apples using pulsed infrared thermography (PIRT). By applying thermal excitation to the apples and using an infrared camera to capture temperature differential data, various data processing techniques, including Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and morphological algorithms, were employed to process and analyze the acquired images. The experimental results show that the morphological algorithm performs better than other algorithms in defect edge detection, enabling clear identification of defect features and reducing noise interference. We provide an efficient and accurate NDE solution for mechanical damage in apples, which is significant for improving the quality of agricultural products and extending their shelf life.

About the authors

Sen Wang

School of Light Industry, Harbin University of Commerce

Email: 3170700600@qq.com
China, 150028 Harbin

Xin Huang

School of Light Industry, Harbin University of Commerce

Email: huangx1359@163.com
China, 150028 Harbin

Bin Wang

School of Light Industry, Harbin University of Commerce

Email: 2406185469@qq.com
China, 150028 Harbin

Tao Peng

School of Light Industry, Harbin University of Commerce

Email: 815509799@qq.com
China, 150028 Harbin

Chiwu Bu

School of Light Industry, Harbin University of Commerce

Author for correspondence.
Email: buchiwu@126.com
China, 150028 Harbin

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