In view of the urgent need for pollination equipment for existing hybrid rice and the practical problems of traditional manual pollen-driving, such as high labor intensity, low efficiency, and easy-to-break rice stems, an automatic pollen-driving system combining traditional manual and mechanical auxiliary control was designed. According to the analysis of the driving process, the driving speed v and the rope height h are the main factors affecting the bending degree of rice stems (the cross-section angle θ of rice stems). Through shear and extrusion tests, the characteristic parameters of rice stems and the bonding parameters of the rice stem bonding model were obtained. The test results showed that when the bending angle of the rice stem was 47°, the maximum shear force of the rice stem was 5.42 N. A quadratic orthogonal rotation combination simulation test was carried out using the discrete element method (EDEM), and the optimal parameter combination of powder driving speed and rope height was determined. The angle error between the measured angle value and that obtained by the constraint solving tool of Design-Expert software was less than 5%. Furthermore, combined with field experiments, through the optimization of the pollen-driving operation parameters, the phenomenon of rice breakage was reduced in the process of pollen-driving. Therefore, the research in this paper can provide certain references for the design of hybrid rice powder-driven systems and the optimization of operating parameters.
To promote the mechanization of the tobacco industry, a self-propelled tobacco stem harvester was designed in this study. To improve harvesting efficiency under varying terrain and planting conditions, the machine integrates key functional components, including a chain-clamp conveyor and a loosening shovel with optimized structural parameters. The performance of these core components was analysed using 3D modelling and finite element simulations conducted in ANSYS. Field experiment optimization indicated that the optimal operating parameters were a clamping chain speed of 0.7 m/s, a forward travel speed of 0.4 m/s, and a clamping chain gap of 12 mm. Experimental results showed that the harvester achieved a leakage rate of 3% and a breakage rate of 7%. Overall, the machine demonstrated reliable performance and satisfied practical operational requirements. This study provides an effective technical solution for the mechanization of tobacco stem harvesting, contributing to reduced production costs and the advancement of agricultural modernization.
Liquan Yang, G. Yin, Rui Feng et al.· INMATEH Agricultural Enginee...· 0 citations
To address seed contamination, narrow-row mechanized cutting difficulties, and potential damage to maternal plants in muddy paddy fields during hybrid rice seed production, a walk-behind self-propelled hybrid rice male parent pulverizing and cutting machine was designed. The machine primarily consists of three key structures: a key cutting device, a gravity-free crop dividing device, and a crawler walking mechanism. The cutting device features an innovative mechanism where main-shaft rotation drives flail blades into inertial autorotation, while a stopper bar physically constrains their maximum swing amplitude to guarantee a 500 mm working width. Crucially, the gravity-free crop dividing device safely pushes aside adjacent maternal plants to effectively prevent accidental mechanical injury. A flexible plant model and a kinematic model were established using DEM software EDEM 2024. A three-factor, three-level orthogonal experiment indicated that the primary order of influence on the male parent cutting rate is forward speed > flail-blade rotational speed > blade arrangement. The optimal simulation parameters were a 0.4 m/s forward speed, a 1700 r/min blade rotational speed, and a straight–curved blade arrangement, yielding a simulated cutting rate of 97.60%. Furthermore, field tests demonstrated that under these optimal parameters, influenced by complex paddy conditions and natural plant lodging, the actual average cutting rate was 91.39%. The machine exhibited excellent passability and pulverizing performance, thoroughly satisfying the requirements of agronomic and agricultural machinery integration.
Ranbing Yang, Hao Zhang, Wanru Liu et al.· Agriculture· 0 citations
In order to solve the boredom of high labour demand and cost of transplanting operations during rice cultivation that shares 25 % of the total production cost (Kumbhar et al., 2017) as well as requiring the ranges from 50 - 60 man-days/ha. A wheel actuated four – row rice transplanter was developed to transplant washed root seedlings, the objectives of the study were to determine tsome physical properties of the seedlings, design, construct and evaluate the performance of the machine. The machine consists of the handle, seedlings trays, four bar linkage transplanting mechanism, wheel drive and the float. The results of the physical properties show that the average length, weight and stem diameter were 211 30 mm, 1.15 0.87 and 1.11 0.88 respectively. The performance evaluation of the rice transplanter revealed that The developed rice transplanter transplanted root washed type seedlings on 4 rows at 250 mm inter-row spacing. Effective field capacity and operating speed were 0.2 ha/h and 0.5 m/s respectively. Percentage missing hills, visible damage of the seedlings by the transplanter, floating hills and transplanting efficiency were 10 %,. 9 %, 8 % and 65 % rexpectively.
M. Abubakar, A. A. Balami, S. Dauda et al.· BADEGGI JOURNAL OF AGRICULTU...· 0 citations
To address issues such as plastic film residue and poor seed depth stability during cotton sowing operations in Xinjiang, a new type of no-till cotton seeder has been proposed and designed. The seeder is mainly composed of a rotary tillage device, a furrow opener and fertilizing device, a sowing mechanism, a compaction mechanism, and mechanical transmission parts. The structure and working principle of the cotton seeder are expounded on; the key parts, such as the rotary tillage mechanism, furrow opener, and compaction system are analyzed; and the key factors of the best size of each part are determined. The single-factor simulation design was carried out using the EDEM discrete element simulation technology, with the machine’s forward speed, rotary tillage speed, furrow opening depth, and compaction depth as the test conditions and the sowing quality as the evaluation standard. The corresponding mechanical model was established and determined the optimal combination of simulation parameters. To evaluate the performance of the cotton no-tillage seeder, field tests were conducted on its rotary tillage, tape laying, and seed press performance. The field experiment’s results indicate that under the optimal simulated parameter combination, the actual planting depth was approximately 28 mm with a coefficient of variation of 12.26%, achieving a compliance rate of 93.3%; the average planting spacing was 64.05 mm with a coefficient of variation of 12.46%; the soil disturbance rate was 32.9%; the germination rate was 96%; and the seed drying rate was below 2%. These results comply with industry standards and agronomic requirements, providing technical support for ensuring the quality of no-till cotton cultivation.
Panpan Yuan, Zhikun Wang, Jia You et al.· Agriculture· 0 citations
The high-value utilization market for crop straw renders the development of stubble management technology crucial. This study aims to reduce the energy consumption of L-shaped rotary blades during stubble-breaking. Based on a theory analysis of the rotary-cutting operation process, this study involved the burial of the in situ maize root–soil composite in an indoor soil bin, and investigated the effects of rotary speed (275, 330, 385, 440 rpm) and working depth (50, 85, 120 mm) on torque, power, and energy. Field verification yields an overall average relative error of 2.76% across six replicates, verifying that the indoor test method can reliably reproduce field cutting conditions. As the high-speed video images show, a reduction in rotary speed coupled with an augmentation in working depth has the potential to result in residue entanglement and secondary cutting, thereby leading to an escalation in consumption. As the working depth increased, peak torque appeared at a deeper penetration position. The analysis of the computer-aided geometric model section of the root–soil composite indicated that the diameter of the branching root was the primary factor influencing peak torque. At a working depth of 85 mm, the average power savings ranged from 2.26% to 24.8% compared to 50 mm and 120 mm. Despite the increase in average power, peak power, and specific energy requirements at all operational depths with increasing rotary speed, torque reached its minimum at 385 rpm. At 385 rpm, average torque hits its minimum to mitigate component wear, though power and specific energy rise monotonically with rotational speed. The multi-index evaluation balancing mechanical load, energy loss, and residue delivery identifies 385 rpm paired with 85 mm depth as the optimal parameter set. The optimized parameter combination delivers a quantifiable sustainable residue management scheme that balances ecological residue treatment and economic machinery operation costs, supporting low-carbon, sustainable production.
Detasseling the female parent plants is a critical operation in hybrid corn seed production. This article systematically reviews global developments in mechanized detasseling technology for corn seed production. First, it provides an in-depth analysis of two key technologies supporting mechanized detasseling: the biomechanical characteristics of corn tassels and intelligent tassel-detection technologies based on machine vision and photoelectric sensing. Second, the current development of mechanized detasseling equipment is reviewed, and the technical parameters and field performance of representative domestic and international machines are compared in detail. The comparison identifies four major constraints limiting the wider adoption of this technology in China: an insufficient single-pass detasseling rate, poor coordination between machinery and agronomic practices, a high crop-damage rate, and low acceptance among farmers. Finally, three targeted optimization strategies are proposed: developing intelligent and precision detasseling equipment, promoting closer integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy, and strengthening field demonstration and extension activities. This review aims to provide a theoretical basis and practical reference for improving mechanized detasseling processes and supporting the development of more effective detasseling equipment.
Yang Li, Yiteng Lei, Luo-Chuan Xu et al.· INMATEH Agricultural Enginee...· 0 citations
We use cookies to run the site and, with your consent, for analytics and to show ads.
See our Cookie Policy.
