Design and Working Parameter Optimization of Pneumatic Reciprocating Seedling-Picking Device of Automatic Transplanter

Rencai Yue, Jianping Hu (), Yijun Liu, Mengjiao Yao, Tengfei Zhang and Jiawei Shi
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Rencai Yue: Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Hi-Tech Research for Intelligent Agricultural Equipment, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Jianping Hu: Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Hi-Tech Research for Intelligent Agricultural Equipment, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Yijun Liu: Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Hi-Tech Research for Intelligent Agricultural Equipment, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Mengjiao Yao: Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Hi-Tech Research for Intelligent Agricultural Equipment, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Tengfei Zhang: Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Hi-Tech Research for Intelligent Agricultural Equipment, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Jiawei Shi: Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Hi-Tech Research for Intelligent Agricultural Equipment, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 12, 1-18

Abstract: To improve the seedling-picking efficiency of the vegetable transplanter and reduce the damage rate of the seedling pot, a reciprocating seedling-picking device driven by full air pressure was designed. In this paper, the structure and working principle of the pneumatic seedling-picking device are introduced. Through the mechanical analysis between the seedling-picking claw and the seedling pot, working parameters such as the stroke and driving force of the pneumatic seedling-picking claw clamping cylinder were determined. According to the action sequence of the seedling-picking mechanism, which is horizontally dispersed and longitudinally conveyed, the pneumatic control scheme of the seedling-picking and -dropping system was formulated. The simulation model for the control loop of the longitudinal cylinder was created with AMESim simulation software, and the simulation analysis was carried out. The Box–Behnken response surface design optimization method was used to determine the best operating parameters of the cylinder. The optimized peak value of shock vibration at the end of the cylinder was optimized from −65.64 mm·s −2 to 35.41 mm·s −2 , proving that the optimization of pneumatic working parameters has a positive effect on the success rate of seedling picking. The bench test of the seedling-picking mechanism was conducted on 72-hole plug seedlings with two picking frequencies of 120 plants·min −1 and 144 plants·min −1 , respectively, and the average seedling leakage rate, seedling damage rate, and seedling pot damage rate at different picking frequencies were counted. The experimental results show that under the two seedling-picking frequencies, the average success rate of seedling picking and throwing after optimization is increased from 96.4% and 92.4% to 97.9% and 95.3%, respectively. This is in line with the requirements of high-speed seedling picking and confirms the rationality of the seedling-picking mechanism design.

Keywords: seedling-picking mechanism; pneumatic reciprocating; simulation analysis; parameter optimization; bench test (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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