Methodology for Determining Almond Shaker Displacement and Frequency

A triaxial accelerometer system was developed to reliably estimate the frequency and displacement characteristics of commercial almond trunk shakers. The estimated displacement and frequency in the horizontal (x–y) plane were similar to values that have been previously reported for commercial trunk shakers, but a substantial displacement was also found in the vertical direction. Vertical displacements in mechanical tree shakers have not been previously reported and may represent an important source of mechanical injury to the bark and the root system of almond trees.