Academic Edi o : Ni K akaue
Recei ed: 10 Feb ua y 2025
Re ised: 12 Ma ch 2025
Accep ed: 13 Ma ch 2025
Published: 17 Ma ch 2025
Ci a ion: Ga cía-Chica, A.;
To es-Mo eno, J.L.; Fe nández, A.G.;
Gómez-Galán, M.; Chica, R.M. Design
and Compa a i e Analysis o a
G ound-Le el T ellising Tool o
G eenhouse Toma o Cul i a ion. Appl.
Sci. 2025,15, 3263. h ps://doi.o g/
10.3390/app15063263
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Licensee MDPI, Basel, Swi ze land.
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licenses/by/4.0/).
A icle
Design and Compa a i e Analysis o a G ound-Le el T ellising
Tool o G eenhouse Toma o Cul i a ion
An onio Ga cía-Chica 1,* , José Luis To es-Mo eno 2, An onio Giménez Fe nández 2, Ma a Gómez-Galán 1
and Rosa Ma ía Chica 1
1
Depa men o Enginee ing, Uni e si y o Alme ía, C a. Sac amen o, s/n, La Cañada, 04120 Alme ía, Spain;
[email p o ec ed] (M.G.-G.); [email p o ec ed] (R.M.C.)
2Depa men o Enginee ing, Cen o Mix o CIESOL, ceiA3, Uni e si y o Alme ía, C a. Sac amen o, s/n,
La Cañada, 04120 Alme ía, Spain; [email p o ec ed] (J.L.T.-M.); [email p o ec ed] (A.G.F.)
*Co espondence: [email p o ec ed]
Abs ac : G eenhouse cul i a ion in Alme ía, Spain, has expe ienced con inuous g ow h
o e he las i e decades, and his a ea has es ablished i sel as one o Eu ope’s leading
ege able-p oducing egions. Wi h 8201 hec a es unde cul i a ion, oma oes a e he mos
impo an c op, accoun ing o 63% o he o al alue o g eenhouse oma o p oduc ion
in Spain. The aim o his s udy is o design and de elop a ool ha acili a es oma o
ellising unde g eenhouse condi ions and allows i o be ca ied ou a he g ound le el.
An ope a ing p inciple is de eloped, and a s a ic analysis o he ool is ca ied ou . Time,
cos s, and isk o alling om heigh a e compa ed wi h adi ional me hods (ladde s, s il s,
manual wheeled sca olding, and mo o ized sca olding). The ool inco po a es a elescopic
ca bon ibe mas , a di ec -cu en mo o , and elec omagne s. The esul s indica e ha he
ool is he second as es me hod (4
′
38
′′
) and has he second lowes cos (EUR 8026.93). I is
concluded ha i is a iable op ion o ellising, since i elimina es he isk o alling om
heigh while main aining compe i i e imes and easonable cos s.
Keywo ds: ag icul u al ool; ellising hook; g eenhouse ho icul u al c ops; isk p e en ion;
in ensi e ag icul u e e iciency
1. In oduc ion
In Spain, g eenhouse cul i a ion has expe ienced con inuous g ow h since i was i s
es ablished app oxima ely 50 yea s ago, co e ing an a ea o 63,390 hec a es cu en ly [
1
].
The la ges concen a ion is ound in he p o ince o Alme ía, loca ed in he sou heas o
Spain, which is one o he mos ou s anding p oduc ion egions in he wo ld wi h ega d o
bo h a ea and olume. This egion is known as “ he sea o plas ic” due o he signi ican
a ea o g eenhouses ha co e a la ge pa o i s e i o y (32,827 hec a es), ep esen ing
52% o he en i e win e ed su ace a he na ional le el [
2
]. Alme ía p oduced 80% o he
o al ege ables in Spain du ing he 2021/22 season [
1
,
2
], which gi es a clea idea o he
high p o i abili y o his ag icul u al p oduc ion sys em. Alme ía has managed o become
one o he la ges expo e s o ui s and ege ables in Eu ope.
Among all ho icul u al c ops, g eenhouse p oduc ion o oma oes in Alme ía is a
highly signi ican con ibu o o he economy, wi h app oxima ely 8201 hec a es unde
cul i a ion and a p oduc ion o 730,745 ons [
2
]. In 2021, he Andalusian p o ec ed oma o
a ea ep esen ed 76% o he o al g eenhouse a ea in Spain, wi h Alme ía accoun ing o
76% o his [
3
]. This c op ep esen s abou 63% o he o al alue o g eenhouse oma o
p oduc ion in Spain [
4
], making i a key elemen in he expo o esh ege ables. Alme ía’s
Appl. Sci. 2025,15, 3263 h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/app15063263
Appl. Sci. 2025,15, 3263 2 o 21
oma o expo s a e p ima ily des ined o Eu opean ma ke s, including Ge many, F ance,
and he Uni ed Kingdom, o which s able and high-quali y p oduc ion is demanded yea -
ound. The compe i i eness o oma oes om Alme ía in he global ma ke is a ibu ed o
he implemen a ion o ad anced p oduc ion and biological con ol echnologies, as well
as he op imiza ion o wa e esou ces h ough d ip i iga ion. The ho icul u al sec o
in Alme ía employs abou 75,000 people di ec ly [
2
]. O hese, i is es ima ed ha a ound
11,000 jobs a e ela ed o oma o cul i a ion in Alme ía, mainly in he s ages o sowing,
main enance, and ha es ing o he ui , as well as in he managemen and supe ision o
g eenhouses, which ha e a high impac on job c ea ion, including quali ied and unquali ied
labo . Fu he mo e, he e a e conside able numbe s o indi ec jobs gene a ed in auxilia y
sec o s, such as he anspo , ma ke ing, and p oduc ion o phy osani a y p oduc s and
ag icul u al machine y.
Since i s beginnings in he 1960s, g eenhouse in as uc u e has unde gone a e-
ma kable echnological e olu ion, adap ing o p oduc ion, clima e, and sus ainabili y
needs. G eenhouses ha e ans o med om being a udimen a y echnique wi h low and
la s uc u es ha did no exceed 2 m in heigh o complex mul i- unnel and “sc ape-and-
ame” ins alla ions, which allow o mo e e icien and p o i able ag icul u al p oduc ion
by eaching g ea e heigh s [
5
]. Today, hese ypes o g eenhouses ha e a maximum heigh
be ween 3.7 and 4.3 m and a minimum heigh be ween 2.8 and 3.5 m, depending on he
a ea [
2
]. These models ha e se e al ad an ages ha di ec ly a ec ag icul u al p oduc ion,
such as mic oclima e con ol, which p o ides impo an con ol o e en ila ion and, hus,
educes he p oli e a ion o pes s and diseases while p omo ing uni o m plan g ow h and
inc easing yield pe cul i a ed a ea.
In ce ain ho icul u al p oduc s, such as oma oes g own in g eenhouses, i is nec-
essa y o ca y ou ellising o achie e g ea e p oduc i i y and quali y in he c op by
imp o ing he ligh ing and en ila ion, as well as p e en ing he ui s om ouching he
g ound [
6
]. The ellising sys em ha is usually used in common p ac ice is he hanging
sys em and, la ely, a a ian o his ype o suppo has been in oduced; his is also known
as he “Du ch” o “hange ” echnique. This echnique consis s o placing a main s eel-wi e
ellising line ha suppo s he weigh o all plan s a a c op heigh be ween 3 and 3.5 m. A
hook o “hange ” is placed on i , whe e he plan is wound wi h a h ead o plas ic a ia [
7
]
ha has p e iously been placed in a spi al a ound he plan and ha will suppo he c op.
As he plan g ows, he hange mus be unhooked and he a ia mus be eleased and
e-hooked, le ing i all as he plan g ows, un il he p oduc ion cycle is inished, which is
a ai ly epe i i e job [
8
]. The disad an age o his is ha mo e labo esou ces and ime a e
equi ed, esul ing in highe p oduc ion cos s. Fu he mo e, his wo k is pe o med a a
ce ain heigh om he g ound, wi h he esul ing dange ha he a me may all om
heigh [
9
]. The e o e, al hough his echnique imp o es he p o i abili y and p oduc i i y
o c ops such as oma oes [
10
], i is s ill necessa y o emo e hese sa e y- ela ed d awbacks.
C op hange s ha a e commonly used in ag icul u e in sou heas e n Spain can be
classi ied in o wo g oups [
8
]: (i) adi ional hange s, consis ing o a s eel-wi e o plas ic
hange a ound which he aining h ead is wound, and (ii) new-gene a ion hange s,
consis ing o a coil wi h he h ead a ached o he body o he hange , some o which
may ha e a locking sys em o s op he aining h ead. Figu e 1shows an image o each
ype o hange . The bigges d awback o he new-gene a ion hange s compa ed wi h he
adi ional ones is hei p ice, which may be almos double ha o adi ional hange s
and, hence, adi ional hange s a e mo e o en used in mos g eenhouses. O he sys ems
o suppo c ops in a e ical posi ion in g eenhouses a e used o eplace he p ac ice o
manually un ying and e ying he suppo opes o lowe he plan when i has eached he
heigh o he g eenhouse ea es. This is achie ed by es ablishing a modula di ision ha
Appl. Sci. 2025,15, 3263 3 o 21
allows he lowe ing o each plan o a comple e ow o plan s by cu ing he suppo opes
o opes a anged app op ia ely so ha hey allow he con inued g ow h o he c op [11].
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 o 22
heigh o he g eenhouse ea es. This is achie ed by es ablishing a modula di ision ha
allows he lowe ing o each plan o a comple e ow o plan s by cu ing he suppo opes
o opes a anged app op ia ely so ha hey allow he con inued g ow h o he c op [11].
(a) (b)
Figu e 1. Types o cul i a ion hange s: (a) adi ional hange s; (b) new-gene a ion hange s.
Focusing on he ellising ask, speci ically he handling o he hange s, i can be ob-
se ed ha he e a e diffe en de ices ha help a me s gain heigh o ca y ou he el-
lising ac i i y on plan s. The mos common de ice is a adi ional ladde , which has wo
main d awbacks: i s ly, i mus be mo ed sideways o each each hange and, secondly,
he dange i p esen s because i is suppo ed by a sandy su ace ha is no i m (Figu e
2a). Some ag icul u al companies ha e designed manual scaffolding wi h wheels (Figu e
2b), which is sa e when he ellising ac i i y is being ca ied ou , bu his has he d aw-
back ha , o e e y ce ain numbe o hange s, he scaffolding has o be mo ed and he
a me has o ge off, mo e he scaffolding, and ge back on, leading o a isk o alling
when going up and down and a loss in efficiency. Mo o ized scaffolding (Figu e 2c) has
also been designed, which is qui e efficien , bu i s ill p esen s he dange o wo king om
a heigh . Addi ionally, he ac ion o climbing on o he pla o m p esen s a isk o alling
and his app oach implies a high economic cos . Finally, he e a e s il s (Figu e 2d), which
a e e y efficien , bu hey p esen a g ea dange o he a me due o hei ins abili y.
The ex eme se e i y o alls o acciden s ela ed o hei use is also no ed, which is why
hei use is p ohibi ed in some places.
(a) (b) (c) (d)
Figu e 2. Techniques o accessing he suppo ing wi e o c ea e a g eenhouse ellising sys em us-
ing (a) manual ladde s, (b) manual scaffolding, (c) mo o ized scaffolding, and (d) s il s.
Figu e 1. Types o cul i a ion hange s: (a) adi ional hange s; (b) new-gene a ion hange s.
Focusing on he ellising ask, speci ically he handling o he hange s, i can be
obse ed ha he e a e di e en de ices ha help a me s gain heigh o ca y ou he
ellising ac i i y on plan s. The mos common de ice is a adi ional ladde , which has wo
main d awbacks: i s ly, i mus be mo ed sideways o each each hange and, secondly,
he dange i p esen s because i is suppo ed by a sandy su ace ha is no i m (Figu e 2a).
Some ag icul u al companies ha e designed manual sca olding wi h wheels (Figu e 2b),
which is sa e when he ellising ac i i y is being ca ied ou , bu his has he d awback
ha , o e e y ce ain numbe o hange s, he sca olding has o be mo ed and he a me
has o ge o , mo e he sca olding, and ge back on, leading o a isk o alling when
going up and down and a loss in e iciency. Mo o ized sca olding (Figu e 2c) has also been
designed, which is qui e e icien , bu i s ill p esen s he dange o wo king om a heigh .
Addi ionally, he ac ion o climbing on o he pla o m p esen s a isk o alling and his
app oach implies a high economic cos . Finally, he e a e s il s (Figu e 2d), which a e e y
e icien , bu hey p esen a g ea dange o he a me due o hei ins abili y. The ex eme
se e i y o alls o acciden s ela ed o hei use is also no ed, which is why hei use is
p ohibi ed in some places.
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 o 22
heigh o he g eenhouse ea es. This is achie ed by es ablishing a modula di ision ha
allows he lowe ing o each plan o a comple e ow o plan s by cu ing he suppo opes
o opes a anged app op ia ely so ha hey allow he con inued g ow h o he c op [11].
(a) (b)
Figu e 1. Types o cul i a ion hange s: (a) adi ional hange s; (b) new-gene a ion hange s.
Focusing on he ellising ask, speci ically he handling o he hange s, i can be ob-
se ed ha he e a e diffe en de ices ha help a me s gain heigh o ca y ou he el-
lising ac i i y on plan s. The mos common de ice is a adi ional ladde , which has wo
main d awbacks: i s ly, i mus be mo ed sideways o each each hange and, secondly,
he dange i p esen s because i is suppo ed by a sandy su ace ha is no i m (Figu e
2a). Some ag icul u al companies ha e designed manual scaffolding wi h wheels (Figu e
2b), which is sa e when he ellising ac i i y is being ca ied ou , bu his has he d aw-
back ha , o e e y ce ain numbe o hange s, he scaffolding has o be mo ed and he
a me has o ge off, mo e he scaffolding, and ge back on, leading o a isk o alling
when going up and down and a loss in efficiency. Mo o ized scaffolding (Figu e 2c) has
also been designed, which is qui e efficien , bu i s ill p esen s he dange o wo king om
a heigh . Addi ionally, he ac ion o climbing on o he pla o m p esen s a isk o alling
and his app oach implies a high economic cos . Finally, he e a e s il s (Figu e 2d), which
a e e y efficien , bu hey p esen a g ea dange o he a me due o hei ins abili y.
The ex eme se e i y o alls o acciden s ela ed o hei use is also no ed, which is why
hei use is p ohibi ed in some places.
(a) (b) (c) (d)
Figu e 2. Techniques o accessing he suppo ing wi e o c ea e a g eenhouse ellising sys em us-
ing (a) manual ladde s, (b) manual scaffolding, (c) mo o ized scaffolding, and (d) s il s.
Figu e 2. Techniques o accessing he suppo ing wi e o c ea e a g eenhouse ellising sys em using
(a) manual ladde s, (b) manual sca olding, (c) mo o ized sca olding, and (d) s il s.
Appl. Sci. 2025,15, 3263 4 o 21
The inco po a ion o obo s o obo ic a ms o pe o m ag icul u al asks, such as
ellising, phy osani a y ea men s, and ha es ing [
12
–
15
], is cu en ly a de eloping
line o wo k a comme cial le els. Fo hei adop ion o be p o i able and o a me s
o o e come echnical and cul u al eluc ance [
16
–
21
], i is essen ial o add ess he high
economic in es men equi ed o hei implemen a ion [
22
]. Un il hen, i is necessa y
o inco po a e echnological ad ances ha a e easy o handle, imp o e p oduc i i y and
wo ke sa e y, and minimize cos s o a me s. This is he aim o he ool designed in
his s udy.
The inco po a ion o obo s and au oma ion in g eenhouses would be a g ea s ep
o wa d o a me s in Alme ia, who ace a ious occupa ional isks due o he in ensi e na-
u e o ag icul u al asks. Among he mos common acciden s a e hose ela ed o he use o
manual ools, he handling o phy osani a y p oduc s, and alls om heigh s o g eenhouse
s uc u es [
9
,
23
]. Repe i i e and p olonged wo k in ho and humid condi ions, oge he
wi h he handling o hea y loads, also con ibu es o musculoskele al inju ies
[24,25]
, such
as low back pain, sp ains, and join s ains.
The numbe o wo k acciden s in he ag icul u al sec o in Alme ía a ies annually,
al hough he mos ecen s a is ics epo an a e age o 1200 acciden s pe yea . O hese,
he majo i y a e mino acciden s, such as cu s, b uises, and mino bu ns, which occu
when handling ools such as p uning shea s and kni es o when coming in o con ac wi h
ho su aces inside he g eenhouse. Howe e , mo e se ious acciden s a e also eco ded,
such as alls om ladde s o suppo s uc u es, which can cause ac u es o mo e se ious
inju ies. Poisoning p oblems due o excessi e exposu e o phy osani a y p oduc s a e
ano he signi ican cause o se ious acciden s. In 2023, he numbe o wo kplace acciden s
esul ing in sick lea e du ing wo king hou s in he ag icul u e sec o in Alme ía amoun ed
o 1298. The causes o acciden s ela ed o alls in ag icul u e we e classi ied as “b eakage,
ac u e, bu s ing, collapse, o ma e ial ailu e” and “slip o ip wi h all o indi iduals”,
accoun ing o a o al o 76 and 299 such acciden s, espec i ely [26].
The main eason o acciden s is usually ela ed o a lack o adequa e aining in
occupa ional sa e y and he inco ec use o pe sonal p o ec i e equipmen . In some cases,
wo ke s do no use he necessa y sa e y measu es, such as glo es, masks, o ha nesses,
inc easing he isk o inju y. The lack o e gonomics a wo k, manual handling o hea y
loads, and physical exhaus ion due o long hou s unde condi ions o ex eme hea also
con ibu e o he numbe o acciden s. These ac o s highligh he impo ance o imple-
men ing mechanisms and ools o p e en he p esence o occupa ional isks, such as
wo king a heigh s and imp o ing wo kplace sa e y, o educe he a e o inciden s in he
ag icul u al sec o .
The aim o his s udy is o educe he isk o acciden s, imp o e e iciency, and educe
cos s in he ask o ellising oma oes in g eenhouses. To achie e his, i aims o design
and de elop a use - iendly ool ha acili a es ellising om he g ound. The manusc ip
con inues in he nex sec ion wi h he design and modeling o he ool. In addi ion, he
expe imen al alida ion me hod is desc ibed in Figu e 3. The Resul s and Discussion
Sec ions p esen he eal g eenhouse implemen a ion o he ool, ollowed by i s alida ion
and compa a i e analysis agains cu en ellising me hods, con i ming i s p oposed
ad an ages. Finally, he main conclusions o he s udy a e desc ibed.
Appl. Sci. 2025,15, 3263 5 o 21
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, x h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/xxxxx
Figu e 3. Resea ch p ocess.
Commen ed [M1]: Please use pe iods as decimal
signs ins ead o commas in he igu e, e.g., “0,1”
should be “0.1”.
Figu e 3. Resea ch p ocess.
2. Ma e ials and Me hods
The p oposed g ound-le el ellising ool was designed as a ligh weigh s uc u e-
suppo ed mechanism o use in mul i- unnel and sc ape-and- ench g eenhouses. I was
designed wi h an emphasis on cos -e ec i e manu ac u ing and ease o ope a ion while
pe o ming asks, imp o ing p oduc i i y, and, mos impo an ly, minimizing he isks o
wo king om a heigh o a me s. This sec ion shows he design me hod ollowed o he
manu ac u e o he ool and he s udies ca ied ou o i s alida ion.
2.1. Resea ch Me hod
To add ess he p oblem o ellising in high- ellis g eenhouses, a e e se-enginee ing
app oach was adop ed [
27
,
28
]. This me hod allows one o iden i y and imp o e exis ing
solu ions h ough a de ailed analysis o eal condi ions and he implemen a ion o new
design s a egies. The gene al scheme o he p ocess is illus a ed in Figu e 4and consis s
o i e main s ages.
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 o 22
Figu e 3. Resea ch p ocess.
2. Ma e ials and Me hods
The p oposed g ound-le el ellising ool was designed as a ligh weigh s uc u e-
suppo ed mechanism o use in mul i- unnel and sc ape-and- ench g eenhouses. I was
designed wi h an emphasis on cos -effec i e manu ac u ing and ease o ope a ion while
pe o ming asks, imp o ing p oduc i i y, and, mos impo an ly, minimizing he isks
o wo king om a heigh o a me s. This sec ion shows he design me hod ollowed o
he manu ac u e o he ool and he s udies ca ied ou o i s alida ion.
2.1. Resea ch Me hod
To add ess he p oblem o ellising in high- ellis g eenhouses, a e e se-enginee -
ing app oach was adop ed [27,28]. This me hod allows one o iden i y and imp o e exis -
ing solu ions h ough a de ailed analysis o eal condi ions and he implemen a ion o
new design s a egies. The gene al scheme o he p ocess is illus a ed in Figu e 4 and
consis s o i e main s ages.
This s uc u ed me hod ensu es ha he de eloped ool is effec i e, unc ional, and
able o mee he speci ic needs o ellising in oma o g eenhouses using a hanging sys em
wi h hange s.
Figu e 4. Design me hod.
Figu e 4. Design me hod.
This s uc u ed me hod ensu es ha he de eloped ool is e ec i e, unc ional, and
able o mee he speci ic needs o ellising in oma o g eenhouses using a hanging sys em
wi h hange s.
Appl. Sci. 2025,15, 3263 6 o 21
2.2. Desc ip ion o he Machine’s Design and Ope a ion
The ope a ing p inciple o he ool is based on he magne ic o ces gene a ed by
elec omagne s (F), which enable he g ipping o he hange s suppo ing he plan s. The
o a y mo ion ansmi ed by a di ec -cu en mo o (T
mo o
) allows o he oll o un oll o
he h ead o which he plan is a ached. The main o ces in ol ed a e shown in Figu e 5
and desc ibed below.
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, x FOR PEER REVIEW 6 o 22
2.2. Desc ip ion o he Machine’s Design and Ope a ion
The ope a ing p inciple o he ool is based on he magne ic o ces gene a ed by elec-
omagne s (F), which enable he g ipping o he hange s suppo ing he plan s. The o a y
mo ion ansmi ed by a di ec -cu en mo o (T
mo o
) allows o he oll o un oll o he
h ead o which he plan is a ached. The main o ces in ol ed a e shown in Figu e 5 and
desc ibed below.
(a) (b)
Figu e 5. T ellising ool: (a) ool wi h o ces and o ques p esen ; (b) ool p o o ype.
Du ing he ellising p ocess (Figu e 6), he plan is ini ially suppo ed by a hange
on he main ellising line (S ep 1). The i s ac ion pe o med by he ool is o g asp he
hange holding he plan (S ep 2). This is achie ed by ac i a ing elec omagne s, which
secu e he i on hange . Nex , he o a ion mo o is ac i a ed in he desi ed di ec ion, de-
pending on whe he he in en ion is o elease o oll he affia (S ep 3). Finally, he hange
is placed back on he main ellising line, and he elec omagne s a e deac i a ed, lea ing
he hange suspended in a new loca ion (S ep 4).
Figu e 6. Plan ellising p ocess: (S ep 1) oma o plan ; (S ep 2) lowe ing plan wi h ool; (S ep 3)
o a ion o he hange o elease h ead and la e al mo emen o he plan ; (S ep 4) wi h he help o
he ool, he plan is placed in he new loca ion.
Figu e 5. T ellising ool: (a) ool wi h o ces and o ques p esen ; (b) ool p o o ype.
Du ing he ellising p ocess (Figu e 6), he plan is ini ially suppo ed by a hange on
he main ellising line (S ep 1). The i s ac ion pe o med by he ool is o g asp he hange
holding he plan (S ep 2). This is achie ed by ac i a ing elec omagne s, which secu e he
i on hange . Nex , he o a ion mo o is ac i a ed in he desi ed di ec ion, depending on
whe he he in en ion is o elease o oll he a ia (S ep 3). Finally, he hange is placed
back on he main ellising line, and he elec omagne s a e deac i a ed, lea ing he hange
suspended in a new loca ion (S ep 4).
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, x FOR PEER REVIEW 6 o 22
2.2. Desc ip ion o he Machine’s Design and Ope a ion
The ope a ing p inciple o he ool is based on he magne ic o ces gene a ed by elec-
omagne s (F), which enable he g ipping o he hange s suppo ing he plan s. The o a y
mo ion ansmi ed by a di ec -cu en mo o (T
mo o
) allows o he oll o un oll o he
h ead o which he plan is a ached. The main o ces in ol ed a e shown in Figu e 5 and
desc ibed below.
(a) (b)
Figu e 5. T ellising ool: (a) ool wi h o ces and o ques p esen ; (b) ool p o o ype.
Du ing he ellising p ocess (Figu e 6), he plan is ini ially suppo ed by a hange
on he main ellising line (S ep 1). The i s ac ion pe o med by he ool is o g asp he
hange holding he plan (S ep 2). This is achie ed by ac i a ing elec omagne s, which
secu e he i on hange . Nex , he o a ion mo o is ac i a ed in he desi ed di ec ion, de-
pending on whe he he in en ion is o elease o oll he affia (S ep 3). Finally, he hange
is placed back on he main ellising line, and he elec omagne s a e deac i a ed, lea ing
he hange suspended in a new loca ion (S ep 4).
Figu e 6. Plan ellising p ocess: (S ep 1) oma o plan ; (S ep 2) lowe ing plan wi h ool; (S ep 3)
o a ion o he hange o elease h ead and la e al mo emen o he plan ; (S ep 4) wi h he help o
he ool, he plan is placed in he new loca ion.
Figu e 6. Plan ellising p ocess: (S ep 1) oma o plan ; (S ep 2) lowe ing plan wi h ool; (S ep 3) o-
a ion o he hange o elease h ead and la e al mo emen o he plan ; (S ep 4) wi h he help o he
ool, he plan is placed in he new loca ion.
Appl. Sci. 2025,15, 3263 7 o 21
The o ce Fgene a ed by he in ensi y o he magne ic ield o he elec o-magne
depends on he magni ude o he elec ic cu en lowing h ough he conduc o , he
numbe o u ns o he wi e a ound he co e, and he p ope ies o he e omagne ic
ma e ial used. The magne ic a ac ion o ce be ween an elec omagne and an objec made
o e omagne ic ma e ial is desc ibed by he ollowing magne ic a ac ion o ce equa ion:
F=0·N2·I2·A
2·g2(1)
This equa ion is an exp ession de i ed om Ampe e’s law, which desc ibes he o ce
o a ac ion o epulsion be ween wo coils ca ying an elec ic cu en . In his equa ion,
F ep esen s he o ce (in new ons, N) be ween he coils. The e m
µ0
is he acuum
pe meabili y (measu ed in hen ies pe me e , H/m), a cons an alue ha quan i ies he
capaci y o he emp y space o ansmi magne ic ields. Nis he numbe o u ns o coils
in he coil (uni less), while I is he elec ic cu en lowing h ough he coil, measu ed in
ampe es (A). The a ea Ais he c oss-sec ion o he coil, exp essed in squa e me e s (m
2
),
and g is he dis ance be ween he coils, measu ed in me e s (m). This equa ion e lec s how
he o ce is di ec ly p opo ional o he squa e o he cu en and he numbe o u ns, and
i is in e sely p opo ional o he squa e o he dis ance be ween he coils.
This equa ion shows ha he o ce o a ac ion inc eases wi h he numbe o u ns, he
in ensi y o he cu en , and he a ea o he co e, and i dec eases wi h he dis ance be ween
he objec s. The e o e, elec omagne s a e used as magne ic le i a ion de ices o g asp he
i on hange s ha suppo he c ops.
The o que p o ided by he DC mo o educe assembly mus exceed he momen
exe ed by he plan ’s weigh when he hange ack is in he ho izon al posi ion, as his is he
mos un a o able condi ion. The o que can be calcula ed using he ollowing exp ession:
Tmo o =d·load (2)
Thus, he o que o he mo o (T
mo o
) in N
·
m is ob ained om he p oduc o he
dis ance (d) in m and he load (load) suppo ed by he ool in N. Based on he o que
equi ed o oll o un oll he hange s, i is possible o de e mine he necessa y mo o powe
o e icien ope a ion. The powe o mo o (P
mo o
) in W is calcula ed using he o que
o he mo o (T
mo o
) in N
·
m, he angula eloci y (
ωmo o
) in ad/s, and he mechanical
e iciency o he mo o (η).
Pmo o =
Tmo o ·ωmo o
η(3)
To calcula e he ba e y capaci y, we mus conside he o al powe o he sys em
(P
sys em
) in W, which co esponds o he sum o he powe consumed by he elec omagne s
(Pmagne s) and he elec ic mo o (Pmo o ).
Psys em =Pmagne s +Pmo o (4)
Based on he o al powe o he sys em, i is possible o de e mine he elec ical
demand equi ed (I
sys em
) in A om he ba e y, gi en ha he supply ol age o he sys em
componen s and he ba e y (V
sys em
) is known o be 12 V. The ollowing equa ion allows
o he calcula ion o he equi ed cu en (I).
Isys em =
Psys em
Vsys em (5)
Appl. Sci. 2025,15, 3263 8 o 21
The ba e y capaci y (C
ba e y
) in Ah is de e mined based on he cu en demanded by
he sys em (I) and he equi ed ope a ing ime ( ) (in hou s, h) o ensu e i s unc ionali y
du ing a wo k shi .
Cba e y =Isys em· (6)
2.3. Me hodology o Design Valida ion
In his sec ion, i is p oposed ha a CAD simula ion be ca ied ou using SolidWo ks
2023 so wa e in o de o pe o m s ess analysis and he s uc u al beha io o he ool be
e alua ed while suppo ing he weigh o he c op. Addi ionally, expe imen al alida ion
is p oposed o de e mine he weigh a which he ool ails. This alida ion will help
o e i y he esul s ob ained and es ablish he ope a ional limi s o he ool unde eal
load condi ions.
To ob ain in o ma ion abou he weigh ha he ool mus suppo , a measu emen o
he weigh o oma o plan s in ull p oduc ion was conduc ed, esul ing in he da a shown
in Figu e 7.
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, x FOR PEER REVIEW 8 o 22
C
ba e y
= I
sys em
· (6)
2.3. Me hodology o Design Valida ion
In his sec ion, i is p oposed ha a CAD simula ion be ca ied ou using SolidWo ks
2023 so wa e in o de o pe o m s ess analysis and he s uc u al beha io o he ool be
e alua ed while suppo ing he weigh o he c op. Addi ionally, expe imen al alida ion
is p oposed o de e mine he weigh a which he ool ails. This alida ion will help o
e i y he esul s ob ained and es ablish he ope a ional limi s o he ool unde eal load
condi ions.
To ob ain in o ma ion abou he weigh ha he ool mus suppo , a measu emen
o he weigh o oma o plan s in ull p oduc ion was conduc ed, esul ing in he da a
shown in Figu e 7.
C op Weigh Measu emen s
Numbe o measu es 200
A e age weigh 2.98 kg
Maximum weigh eco ded 8.27 kg
Figu e 7. C op weigh measu emen s.
The s uc u e o he ool is based on he weigh ha i mus suppo when li ing he
hange ha holds a c op s em and olling o un olling he affia ha suppo s he plan .
The maximum weigh eco ded in he measu ed plan s was 8.27 kg. Fo he simula ion, a
mo e ad e se load alue o 15 kg was used [8]. The e o e, a CAE analysis was pe o med
using SolidWo ks so wa e, whe e he ool was subjec ed o a 15 kg load.
Du ing he ope a ional ials o he ool in he g eenhouse, i demons a ed p ope
unc ionali y, effec i ely pe o ming he ellising ask. The need o de e mine he c i ical
load ha he elec omagne s can suppo unde ope a ing condi ions led o he de elop-
men o expe imen al alida ion in he labo a o y. This es in ol es inc emen ally adding
0.5 kg weigh s o he hange suppo ed by he ool, and o simula e ope a ing condi ions,
he mo o was o a ed h ee e olu ions, ep esen ing he unwinding mo ion o he plan
un il ailu e occu ed.
2.4. Me hods o Analysis and Expe imen a ion
2.4.1. Compa ison o T ellising Times Acco ding o he T ellising Me hod
This analysis e alua es and compa es he ime equi ed by a a me o u o a ow
h ee imes. In his ow, he e a e 15 plan s (Figu e 8a) and 44 emo ed s ems, which
means ha he e a e 44 hange s (Figu e 8b) when using con en ional app oaches e sus
Figu e 7. C op weigh measu emen s.
The s uc u e o he ool is based on he weigh ha i mus suppo when li ing he
hange ha holds a c op s em and olling o un olling he a ia ha suppo s he plan .
The maximum weigh eco ded in he measu ed plan s was 8.27 kg. Fo he simula ion, a
mo e ad e se load alue o 15 kg was used [
8
]. The e o e, a CAE analysis was pe o med
using SolidWo ks so wa e, whe e he ool was subjec ed o a 15 kg load.
Du ing he ope a ional ials o he ool in he g eenhouse, i demons a ed p ope
unc ionali y, e ec i ely pe o ming he ellising ask. The need o de e mine he c i ical
load ha he elec omagne s can suppo unde ope a ing condi ions led o he de elopmen
o expe imen al alida ion in he labo a o y. This es in ol es inc emen ally adding 0.5 kg
weigh s o he hange suppo ed by he ool, and o simula e ope a ing condi ions, he
mo o was o a ed h ee e olu ions, ep esen ing he unwinding mo ion o he plan un il
ailu e occu ed.
Appl. Sci. 2025,15, 3263 9 o 21
2.4. Me hods o Analysis and Expe imen a ion
2.4.1. Compa ison o T ellising Times Acco ding o he T ellising Me hod
This analysis e alua es and compa es he ime equi ed by a a me o u o a ow
h ee imes. In his ow, he e a e 15 plan s (Figu e 8a) and 44 emo ed s ems, which means
ha he e a e 44 hange s (Figu e 8b) when using con en ional app oaches e sus using he
ool speci ically designed o his ask. The main objec i e o his expe imen is o de e mine
he e iciency o he new ool in e ms o ime educ ion and imp o ed e gonomics o he
p ocess, p o iding objec i e da a o assess i s implemen a ion in he ag icul u al sec o .
The da a we e analyzed using IBM SPSS S a is ics 29.0.2. Signi ican di e ences among
ellising me hods we e de e mined by analysis o a iance (ANOVA). Tukey’s mul iple
ange es was used o e alua e he p ocessing ime and ellising me hods, while he leas
signi ican di e ence (LSD) es a p≤0.05 was used.
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, x FOR PEER REVIEW 9 o 22
using he ool speci ically designed o his ask. The main objec i e o his expe imen is
o de e mine he efficiency o he new ool in e ms o ime educ ion and imp o ed e go-
nomics o he p ocess, p o iding objec i e da a o assess i s implemen a ion in he ag i-
cul u al sec o . The da a we e analyzed using IBM SPSS S a is ics 29.0.2. Signi ican di -
e ences among ellising me hods we e de e mined by analysis o a iance (ANOVA).
Tukey’s mul iple ange es was used o e alua e he p ocessing ime and ellising me h-
ods, while he leas signi ican diffe ence (LSD) es a p ≤ 0.05 was used.
(a) (b)
Figu e 8. Toma o cul i a ion sys em: (a) plan ing dis ibu ion o a ow (me e ); (b) s ems suppo ed
on hange s.
2.4.2. Compa ison o T ellising Cos s Du ing an Ag icul u al Campaign Acco ding o he
T ellising Me hod
The pu pose o his analysis is o e alua e he cos associa ed wi h ellising on one
hec a e o g eenhouse oma o c ops in he p o ince o Alme ía du ing an ag icul u al
campaign while conside ing diffe en ellising sys ems. The s udy ocused on e alua ing
he cos s o ellising in one hec a e o g eenhouse wi h a o al o 15,600 plan s, each o
which had h ee s ems pe plan , wi h each o hese s ems suppo ed by a hange . In o al,
46,500 hange s we e moun ed o e one hec a e. Addi ionally, he numbe o imes ha a
oma o had o be emo ed du ing he campaign had be aken in o accoun ; speci ically,
du ing he p oduc ion pe iod (Oc obe –Ap il), his was pe o med once e e y wo weeks.
Thus, om he equency o ellising pe yea (FT), he ellising ime o a hange using
he me hod (TT), he cos pe hou o he wo ke (CW), and he main enance cos (MC),
he cos o ellising could be ob ained o a oma o a me in one hec a e pe campaign
(CT).
CT (EUR) = FT · TT · CW + MC (7)
This app oach allows an accu a e assessmen o he economic impac o ellising on
g eenhouse oma o p oduc ion, p o iding key in o ma ion o op imize he p o i abili y o
ag icul u al ac i i y.
2.4.3. Analysis and Compa ison o Occupa ional Risks Acco ding o he
T ellising Me hod
The Na ional Ins i u e o Heal h and Sa e y a Wo k (INSST) occupa ional isk assess-
men me hod [29] was applied o analyze he isk o wo ke s alling while ellising.
The me hod is based on iden i ying he magni ude o isks ha canno be a oided in
o de o es ablish he necessa y p e en i e measu es. Figu e 9 p esen s he main phases
o i s applica ion [29].
Figu e 8. Toma o cul i a ion sys em: (a) plan ing dis ibu ion o a ow (me e ); (b) s ems suppo ed
on hange s.
2.4.2. Compa ison o T ellising Cos s Du ing an Ag icul u al Campaign Acco ding o he
T ellising Me hod
The pu pose o his analysis is o e alua e he cos associa ed wi h ellising on one
hec a e o g eenhouse oma o c ops in he p o ince o Alme ía du ing an ag icul u al
campaign while conside ing di e en ellising sys ems. The s udy ocused on e alua ing
he cos s o ellising in one hec a e o g eenhouse wi h a o al o 15,600 plan s, each o
which had h ee s ems pe plan , wi h each o hese s ems suppo ed by a hange . In o al,
46,500 hange s we e moun ed o e one hec a e. Addi ionally, he numbe o imes ha a
oma o had o be emo ed du ing he campaign had be aken in o accoun ; speci ically,
du ing he p oduc ion pe iod (Oc obe –Ap il), his was pe o med once e e y wo weeks.
Thus, om he equency o ellising pe yea (FT), he ellising ime o a hange using he
me hod (TT), he cos pe hou o he wo ke (CW), and he main enance cos (MC), he
cos o ellising could be ob ained o a oma o a me in one hec a e pe campaign (CT).
CT (EUR) =FT ·TT ·CW +MC (7)
This app oach allows an accu a e assessmen o he economic impac o ellising on
g eenhouse oma o p oduc ion, p o iding key in o ma ion o op imize he p o i abili y o
ag icul u al ac i i y.
Appl. Sci. 2025,15, 3263 16 o 21
he high cos o hese sca olds is due o he ac ha hey a e no mass-p oduced in any
ac o y. Ins ead, a ious supplie s manu ac u e hem acco ding o he speci ic equi emen s
o a me s, such as soil ype, g eenhouse heigh , ow wid h, and o he ac o s. The one
wi h he highes ellising cos pe campaign was ladde s, wi h a cos o EUR 18,451.64, an
un iable cos o he a me .
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, x FOR PEER REVIEW 16 o 22
(Figu e 16); he high cos o hese scaffolds is due o he ac ha hey a e no mass-p o-
duced in any ac o y. Ins ead, a ious supplie s manu ac u e hem acco ding o he spe-
ci ic equi emen s o a me s, such as soil ype, g eenhouse heigh , ow wid h, and o he
ac o s. The one wi h he highes ellising cos pe campaign was ladde s, wi h a cos o
EUR 18,451.64, an un iable cos o he a me .
Figu e 16. Cos analysis.
3.3.3. Analysis o Risk Reduc ion o Fa me s wi h he Designed Tool
Fo he applica ion o he INSST me hod [29], he ollowing in o ma ion was collec ed
du ing he pe iod o obse ing and in e iewing wo ke s:
• Wo kplace: In bo h g eenhouses, he suppo was laid along 1.5 m wide lines, so he
wo ke could com o ably place bulky ools such as ladde s and scaffolding. The
sandy g ound made he ladde uns able.
• Tools used: Fa me s o en used ladde s, s il s, o scaffolding o ca y ou hei wo k.
Du ing he obse a ion, one o he a me s also used he newly designed ool o
compa ison.
• The ma e ials used we e hange s and affia, so hey should no ha e inc eased he
isk.
• The wo king heigh was app oxima ely 3 m. Wo k could no be ca ied ou om he
g ound wi hou he assis ance o a ool o his pu pose.
• The ladde s and s il s did no ha e sa e y measu es agains alls om heigh . The
scaffolding had ailings on some pa s o i s pe ime e . The ladde and manual sca -
olding in ol ed epea ed climbs up and down h oughou he wo k being ca ied
ou .
• The new ool allowed wo k o be ca ied ou a he g ound le el.
The p obabili y o damage and he consequences we e de e mined om he in o -
ma ion collec ed. F om hese, he isk le el o each ellising me hod was ob ained (Table
4).
Figu e 16. Cos analysis.
3.3.3. Analysis o Risk Reduc ion o Fa me s wi h he Designed Tool
Fo he applica ion o he INSST me hod [
29
], he ollowing in o ma ion was collec ed
du ing he pe iod o obse ing and in e iewing wo ke s:
•
Wo kplace: In bo h g eenhouses, he suppo was laid along 1.5 m wide lines, so he
wo ke could com o ably place bulky ools such as ladde s and sca olding. The
sandy g ound made he ladde uns able.
•
Tools used: Fa me s o en used ladde s, s il s, o sca olding o ca y ou hei wo k.
Du ing he obse a ion, one o he a me s also used he newly designed ool o com-
pa ison.
•
The ma e ials used we e hange s and a ia, so hey should no ha e inc eased he isk.
•
The wo king heigh was app oxima ely 3 m. Wo k could no be ca ied ou om he
g ound wi hou he assis ance o a ool o his pu pose.
•
The ladde s and s il s did no ha e sa e y measu es agains alls om heigh . The sca -
olding had ailings on some pa s o i s pe ime e . The ladde and manual sca olding
in ol ed epea ed climbs up and down h oughou he wo k being ca ied ou .
•The new ool allowed wo k o be ca ied ou a he g ound le el.
The p obabili y o damage and he consequences we e de e mined om he in o ma-
ion collec ed. F om hese, he isk le el o each ellising me hod was ob ained (Table 4).
Table 4. Risk le el o each ellising me hod.
Me hods P obabili y o Falling o
Di e en Le els
Consequence o Falling o
a Di e en Le el Risk Le el
Ladde High Ha m ul Impo an
Manual sca olding High Ha m ul Impo an
Mo o ized sca olding A e age Ha m ul Mode a e
S il s High Ex emely ha m ul In ole able
Newly designed ool None No applicable No isk
Appl. Sci. 2025,15, 3263 17 o 21
The me hods commonly used o he ellising o oma o c ops pose a isk o wo ke s.
The highes le el o isk (in ole able) is p esen ed when ellising is pe o med wi h he
help o s il s. This is ollowed by a ‘signi ican ’ isk when ladde s o wheeled sca olding
a e used o each he equi ed heigh . The hi d mos ha m ul le el o isk acco ding o he
me hod also appea s in he case o a wo ke on a mo o ized sca old. The newly designed
ool does no p esen a isk o alling om a heigh (Table 4).
4. Discussion
The esul s ob ained om he design o he ool and he expe imen s ca ied ou in
g eenhouses p o ide aluable in o ma ion on he easibili y and e iciency o in eg a ing
his ool in o he ag icul u al ac i i y o Alme ía. This discussion in e p e s he design o
he ool and he esul s o he expe imen s in he con ex o he exis ing li e a u e while
explo ing possible design imp o emen s and u u e esea ch di ec ions. Du ing he es s,
he design o he ool and he p o o ype de eloped demons a ed i s success ul p ac ical
applicabili y in oma o c ops in he g eenhouses o he p o ince o Alme ía. This ool has
allowed us o p opose a new me hod o ellising o Alme ía a me s ha allows hem o
a oid wo king om a heigh ; in addi ion, we compa ed he e iciency and sa e y o his
me hod wi h he cu en me hods ha a e p esen in he ag icul u al sec o .
Following he es s ha we e ca ied ou , he esul s ob ained in he ield e ealed
signi ican di e ences in e ms o ime e iciencies and cos s associa ed wi h he di e en
ellising me hods used in oma o cul i a ion. Fi s , he analysis o he ellising imes
(Figu e 15) shows ha s il s a e he as es me hod, wi h a o al ime o 4 min and 23 s o
he 44-hange line and an a e age ime o 5.97 s pe hange . This sugges s ha , om he
poin o iew o e iciency, s il s o e a no able ad an age o e o he ools and me hods,
especially when compa ed wi h manual ladde s, which pe o med he wo s , wi h a o al
ime o 10 min and 47 s and an a e age ime o 14.7 s pe hange .
I we analyze hese imes wi h espec o he a e age labo cos pe hec a e du ing a
campaign, which is EUR 30,494 [
2
], he pe cen age o ellising cos s would be be ween 25%
and 60% depending on he me hod used—hence he impo ance o choosing an e icien
ellising me hod. The a e age pe cen age o empo a y labo hi ed o ellising asks
in he p o ince o Alme ía is 17.3% [
5
]. Howe e , when conside ing he cos analysis
(Figu e 16), we obse e ha al hough s il s ha e a ela i ely low cos o EUR 7583.90 pe
campaign, hei use implies a signi ican isk o wo ke s, classi ied as ‘in ole able’. This
inding is consis en wi h p e ious s udies ha indica e ha he use o s il s in ag icul u al
asks conside ably inc eases he isk o wo k acciden s, especially alls om heigh s, which
ep esen s a challenge in e ms o occupa ional sa e y in in ensi e ag icul u e. On he o he
hand, he newly designed ool is p esen ed as a compe i i e al e na i e bo h in e ms o
ope a ing ime (4
′
38
′′
o al and 6.34
′′
pe hange ) and cos (EUR 8026.93 pe campaign),
which makes i a iable op ion o a me s. Fu he mo e, i is impo an o no e ha his
new de ice signi ican ly minimizes he isk o acciden s, as i does no equi e he wo ke
o wo k a dange ous heigh s, which is a s ep o wa d in he p e en ion o occupa ional
isks in he ag icul u al sec o .
The use o s il s allows he a me o each he heigh equi ed o ellising wi hou
aking up p ac ically any space on he line. Howe e , i is he mos dange ous me hod o
hose p esen ed o pe o m his ask in e ms o alls om heigh (Table 4).
The p obabili y o alling is high, wi h climbing on s il s being one o he ac ions ha
leads o a g ea e loss o balance [
31
]. O he ac o s obse ed in si u in he g eenhouse o
he s udy whe e he wo ke uses s il s a e une enness o he g ound (sandy su ace) and
he lack o sa e y measu es o use (Figu e 2d). The loss o pos u al s abili y is common
and inc eases as he heigh o he s il s inc eases and wi h di e en oo a angemen s
Appl. Sci. 2025,15, 3263 18 o 21
(ha ing one oo in on o he o he p oduces a g ea e swing). T ips on obs acles a e mo e
equen wi h hei use [
32
]. The consequences o such a all can be ex emely ha m ul.
S il s also ha e isks o musculoskele al diso de s in he lowe ex emi ies [33,34].
When ladde s a e used, one o he ac o s ha inc eases he p obabili y o alling
(Table 4) is hei ins abili y and poo balance [
35
]. I is obse ed ha he lack o s abili y
is agg a a ed du ing ellising due o he sandy g ound o he g eenhouse, which does
no allow o sa e suppo . Some au ho s indica e ha acciden s usually occu while he
wo ke is s anding on he ladde , bu hey also occu du ing ascen and descen [
36
], which
is e y common in ellising. Fu he mo e, no ha ing bo h hands ee du ing he climb
inc eases he isk o alling [
37
], which is common du ing his wo k due o he anspo o
a ia. F ac u es o b uises a e he mos common consequences ha , in some cases, lead o
he dismissal o wo ke s [36].
Sca olding poses a isk o alling om a heigh du ing ellising (Table 4), which
is g ea e o manual sca olding. This is because he wo ke has o go up and down
epea edly o mo e he sca olding along he line. Mo o ized sca olding, on he o he hand,
is d i en om he pla o m. F equen ascen s and descen s on manual sca olding inc ease
he isk o alling [
38
]. The loca ion o ma e ials on he pla o m whe e he a me s ands is
a isk ac o o alling due o obs acles. The isks o his equipmen a e no in ole able, as
hose used in he e alua ed g eenhouses ha e ailings, an impo an measu e o wo ke
sa e y [39].
Measu es a e needed o educe o p e en alls om heigh in ag icul u e. Some
s udies sugges aining wo ke s [
40
], paying g ea e a en ion o asks a heigh and he
wo k en i onmen [
41
], using sa e y equipmen [
23
], and wea ing a bicycle helme when
using ladde s [42], among o he p ecau ions.
The use o he p oposed ool (Figu e 11) allows he wo k o be ca ied ou a g ound
le el. The equi ed wo king heigh is eached hanks o i s adjus able handle, wi hou
any isk o alling o he wo ke . The e o e, i is possible o a oid a e y common isk in
his sec o [
43
]. The elescopic mas is also designed o a oid awkwa d pos u es o he
a me . The In e na ional Labo O ice indica es he use o ools wi h handles whose leng h
is adjus ed o he use as an e gonomic measu e in he ag icul u al sec o [44].
These esul s ha e di ec implica ions o a me s in he p o ince o Alme ía and
o he egions o oma o p oduc ion. The balance among e iciency, cos , and sa e y mus
be ca e ully conside ed when selec ing he ellising me hod. Al hough s il s a e he mos
e icien and economical me hod, hei high isk indica es dange s o wo ke sa e y. The
newly designed ool appea s o be he bes op ion in e ms o balanced ac o s, combining
compe i i e ellising imes, easonable cos s, and a much lowe le el o isk. One o
he limi a ions o his s udy is ha ac o s such as wo ke a igue o he possibili y o
op imizing he me hods analyzed based on o he ag onomic a iables, such as c op ype
o soil condi ions, we e no conside ed. Fu u e s udies could ocus on e alua ing hese
ac o s and de eloping be e ellising p ac ices ha minimize bo h isk and physical e o .
Fo his pu pose, a ull (o ac ional) ac o ial expe imen is p oposed in u u e esea ch
analyzing how mul iple ac o s, depending on c op cha ac e is ics, a me cha ac e is ics,
and g eenhouse condi ions, a ec he isk o acciden s, e iciency, and cos o he ellising
p ocess [45].
In addi ion, i would be in e es ing o analyze he implemen a ion o echnological o
au oma ed solu ions in he ellising p ocess in o de o u he educe he associa ed isks
and cos s.
The b oade implica ions o hese indings a e signi ican o e icien and sa e ag icul-
u al p ac ices. In eg a ing he g eenhouse ellising ool no only educes he ope a ional
cos s o ag icul u al campaigns bu also con ibu es o occupa ional heal h and sa e y
Appl. Sci. 2025,15, 3263 19 o 21
objec i es. This dual unc ionali y o e iciency and sa e y can help o o se he economic
cos s o p oduc ion campaigns, pa icula ly in g eenhouses wi h une en soils, whe e o he
ellising me hods can pose sa e y isks o long ellising imes, leading o high economic
cos s. Fu u e esea ch di ec ions could ocus on op imizing he design o he ellising
ool and he ma e ials used o u he imp o e du abili y and pe o mance. To imp o e
he g ip o he hange s, i is sugges ed o inco po a e one o wo solenoids in he ool
head, in addi ion o using biodeg adable ma e ials o he a ia wine used in he ellising
sys em [
45
], in o de o con ibu e o mo e sus ainable ag icul u e. Fu he mo e, explo ing
he in eg a ion o his ool in o obo ic a ms o obo s could p o ide a mo e comp ehensi e
solu ion o g eenhouse au oma ion. In es iga ing he long- e m pe o mance and main-
enance equi emen s o he ool unde di e en wo king condi ions would also p o ide
aluable da a o suppo widesp ead adop ion. This s udy demons a es he p ac ical and
heo e ical easibili y o using ellising ools in g eenhouse ag icul u e. The success ul
implemen a ion and expe imen al cha ac e iza ion p o ide a solid ounda ion o u u e ad-
ancemen s in his ield, highligh ing he po en ial o mo e e icien and sa e ag icul u al
p ac ices o wo ke s.
5. Conclusions
The p esen s udy con i ms ha he p oposed ellising ool is a iable and e icien
solu ion o g eenhouse oma o cul i a ion, wi h an a e age ellising ime o 6.33 s and a
campaign cos o EUR 8026.93. While s il s a e sligh ly as e (5.98 s) and cheape (EUR
7583.9), hei high acciden isk limi s hei p ac icali y. The designed ool o e s a sa e
al e na i e wi h compe i i e pe o mance and easonable cos s, making i a aluable op ion
o a me s. I s adop ion can educe ope a ing cos s and imp o e wo king condi ions,
con ibu ing o he sus ainabili y o in ensi e ho icul u e.
Au ho Con ibu ions: Concep ualiza ion, A.G.-C. and J.L.T.-M.; me hodology, A.G.-C., M.G.-G.
and R.M.C.; so wa e, A.G.-C.; alida ion, J.L.T.-M., A.G.F. and R.M.C.; o mal analysis, A.G.-C. and
M.G.-G.; in es iga ion, A.G.-C. and M.G.-G.; esou ces, R.M.C. and A.G.-C.; da a cu a ion, J.L.T.-M.
and A.G.-C.; w i ing—o iginal d a p epa a ion, A.G.-C., M.G.-G. and J.L.T.-M.; w i ing— e iew
and edi ing, A.G.-C. and J.L.T.-M.; isualiza ion, A.G.-C. and M.G.-G.; supe ision, A.G.F. and R.M.C.;
p ojec adminis a ion, J.L.T.-M. and A.G.F. All au ho s ha e ead and ag eed o he published e sion
o he manusc ip .
Funding: This esea ch ecei ed no ex e nal unding.
Ins i u ional Re iew Boa d S a emen : No applicable.
In o med Consen S a emen : No applicable.
Da a A ailabili y S a emen : Da a a e con ained wi hin he a icle. The ool iles used o his s udy
a e a ailable upon eques om he co esponding au ho .
Acknowledgmen s: Pa o his wo k is a esul o he Cybe G een P ojec , PID2021-122560OB-
I00, and he Ag oconnec (www.ag oconnec .es, accessed on 13 Feb ua y 2025) acili ies, g an
EQC2019-006658-P, bo h unded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by ERDF “A way o
make Eu ope”.
Con lic s o In e es : The au ho s decla e no con lic s o in e es .
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Disclaime /Publishe ’s No e: The s a emen s, opinions and da a con ained in all publica ions a e solely hose o he indi idual
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people o p ope y esul ing om any ideas, me hods, ins uc ions o p oduc s e e ed o in he con en .
