Determination of Elastic Properties of <i>Coffea arabica</i> L. var. Castillo Bean‐Mesocarp Using Finite Element Analysis and Experimental Methods

ABSTRACT This research studies Coffea arabica L var. Castillo coffee fruit elastic properties using experimental techniques and finite element analysis (FEA). Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio for both fruit and bean at several stages of ripeness were measured through indentation and compression testing to evaluate mechanical behavior. Three simulation approaches in FEA were utilized, successively developing material characterizations from isotropic to orthotropic. The first simulation, with isotropic material characterizations, showed a significant deviation in agreement with experimental observations. In contrast, the second simulation, with incorporated properties derived through indentation, showed increased accuracy but continued to have discrepancies for overripe and ripe fruits. By contrast, in the third simulation, an orthotropic model with parametric variation in Young's modulus closely agreed with experimental observations in terms of compression, accurately depicting anisotropy in mechanical properties in coffee fruit. The observations can be utilized in optimizing mechanical harvesting and postharvest processing machinery, such as pulpers and sorters, with consideration for mechanical features in relation to stage of ripeness. Future studies with increased refinement in representing materials and including dynamic loading will have a significant impact in terms of predictive accuracy relevant to coffee processing operations.