Design and Experimental Study of a Biomimetic Pod-Pepper-Picking Drum Based on Multi-Finger Collaboration

Chuanxing Du, Weiquan Fang, Dianlei Han, Xuegeng Chen and Xinzhong Wang ()
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Chuanxing Du: School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Weiquan Fang: School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Dianlei Han: School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Xuegeng Chen: School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Xinzhong Wang: School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 2, 1-18

Abstract: In order to reduce ground drop loss during mechanical pepper picking and improve the net recovery rate, a drum snap finger picking device was designed. The picking device is mainly composed of a picking drum and auxiliary picking components; the picking finger arrangement was designed biomimetically and its structure and operating parameters were optimized by the DEM (discrete element method). According to the physical and mechanical characteristics of the pepper and the simplified three-dimensional model of the picking device, a virtual simulation model of the pepper-picking device was established using the EDEM software. Through simulation analysis and using the orthogonal test method, the main factors which affect the ground drop loss rate of pepper and their optimal parameter combination values were determined. The simulation results were verified by a pepper-picking field experiment. Orthogonal tests show that, when the picking drum speed ( V ′ ) is 210 rpm, the pepper-feeding speed ( V ″ ) is 1100 m m · s − 1 , the bending angle of each picking spring tooth (C) is 162°, and each group of circumferential fingers has rows, the picking device has a good picking effect. At this time, the ground drop loss rates in both the simulation and field test were 7.50% and 7.85%, respectively, and the drop error was only 4.46%, which was within the allowable range. The design form and parameter optimization simulation method in this paper provide an important reference for the design and optimization of pepper-harvesting machinery.

Keywords: bionic design; pod pepper; picking device; ground drop loss; orthogonal test method (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: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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