Hainan Rubber progresses smart tapping with fourth-gen robots

Hainan, China – Hainan Rubber Group is advancing the automated tapping of rubber trees a fourth generation of intelligent robots going through the final phases of R&D.

The development builds on the natural rubber supplier's introduction of its third generation ‘one tree, one machine’ tapping device in 2021.

This device has achieved 'phased results', Hainan Rubber leader Ai Yilun said during a visit to a local rubber plantation in May.

The R&D work on the fourth generation machine has been completed, passed the functional verification, and is in trial production, he reported.

The smart-tapping technology, said a group statement 10 June, has been developed in response to the ‘dual pressure’ of labour costs and shortage in plantations.

“It is an inevitable trend to develop natural rubber intelligent tapping robots to replace manual tapping with automated and intelligent operations,” he added.

Originally developed in 2018, the system includes a tapping machine and an accompanying app that obtains data such as rubber production, weather, pests and diseases in plantations.

Developer TMicroelectronics claimed the system can increase latex yield by two to three times while “minimising damage to trees and prolonging the trees’ productive lifespan.”