Development of an Orchard Mowing and Sweeping Device Based on an ADAMS–EDEM Simulation

Shuai Shen, Yichuan He (), Zhihui Tang, Yameng Dai, Yu Wang and Jiaxin Ma
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Shuai Shen: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Yichuan He: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Zhihui Tang: Mechanical Equipment Research Institute, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 842000, China
Yameng Dai: Mechanical Equipment Research Institute, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 842000, China
Yu Wang: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Jiaxin Ma: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-21

Abstract: In the context of cutting grass in orchards, the practice of leaving cut weeds in the orchard rows hinders the decomposition of the weeds and the absorption of nutrients by the fruit trees. To address this issue, a grass-cutting machine with an integrated sweeping disc was designed to remove weeds from orchard rows and sweep them to the roots of the trees to promote their absorption of nutrients. A coupled simulation platform was established using multi-body dynamics ADAMS and the discrete element method EDEM. The weed-shedding and sweeping device was dynamically analyzed through an ADAMS–EDEM collaborative simulation that enabled the use of a second-order regression orthogonal rotation experiment and response surface methodology. The optimal parameters for the cutting tools, cutter shaft speed, and the number of cutting tools included 23 cutting tools arranged in a single helical pattern for the cutting device, a cutter shaft speed of 728 rpm, and claw-shaped blades as the cutting tools. A prototype machine was built based on the optimized parameters and tested in the field. The results indicated that, when there were 250 m² of weeds, the cutting rate reached 92.96%. The machine was highly maneuverable, and the average remaining weed height in the orchard was 110 mm, which met the national standards and local agricultural requirements. The new orchard grass-cutting and sweeping device meets the technical demands of orchard grass operations in the Xinjiang region of China.

Keywords: agricultural machinery; orchard management; mowing device; sweeping device (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: 2023
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