Design of an innovative clip mechanism for autonomous orchid clipping operation

Securing orchid spikes to supporting sticks is essential for preserving flower quality and preventing spike damage, yet conventional methods remain manual and physically straining. Existing approaches, such as speed clips pre-attached to sticks, metal wire wraps, or standard spring clips, offer reliable fixation but universally demand two-handed operation, which becomes an obstacle to autonomous robot clipping operations. This paper presents a novel single-hand device optimized for commercial orchid clipping workflows. The proposed design centers on an innovative purpose-built clip geometry and evaluated ABS material that balances flexibility for loading with sufficient stiffness for secure engagement. The device’s magazine loader feeds individual clips into a pneumatically actuated gripper, enabling rapid, repeatable placement around the spike and supporting stick with one hand. The clip material selection process, finite element analysis of clip deformation, and pneumatic actuation mechanics are described in detail. This single-hand-operated clipping mechanism paves the way for fully autonomous robot-operated orchid clipping platforms, improving productivity and uniformity in large-scale floriculture operations.