Design and Performance Testing of Seed Potato Cutting Machine with Posture Adjustment

Yingsi Wu, Xiangming La, Xuan Zhao, Fei Liu and Jianguo Yan ()
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Yingsi Wu: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
Xiangming La: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
Xuan Zhao: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
Fei Liu: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
Jianguo Yan: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-17

Abstract: In China, potatoes are predominantly cultivated using the tuber piece planting method. During the cutting process, it is essential to divide seed potatoes into tuber pieces based on the distribution of their bud eyes, ensuring that each tuber piece contains one to two bud eyes. These tuber pieces are subsequently sown into the soil. Currently, the preparation of potato tuber pieces relies heavily on manual labor, which presents challenges such as inefficiency and high operational costs. To address these issues, a seed potato cutting machine capable of posture adjustment, cutting, and spraying was designed. Three types of seed potato cutters were developed based on the distribution patterns of bud eyes. The movement mechanism of the posture adjustment process was analyzed, and a mathematical model was established. The key factors influencing the posture adjustment effectiveness were identified through discrete element simulation analysis. Using the qualified rate of potato cutting and the blind eye rate as evaluation metrics, a three-factor, three-level, orthogonal experimental design was implemented. The experimental factors included the rotational speed of the conical roller, the number of conical rollers, and the cutting angle. For the straight-shaped cutter, the optimal combination was determined as follows: a conical roller speed of 12 r/min, 44 conical rollers, and a cutting angle of 0°, yielding a qualified rate of 90.3% and a blind eye rate of 1.86%. For the Y-shaped cutter, the optimal parameters were 14 r/min, 44 conical rollers, and a 5° cutting angle, achieving a qualified rate of 87.9% and a blind eye rate of 2.86%. The cross-shaped cutter performed best at 14 r/min, 44 conical rollers, and a 0° cutting angle, with a qualified rate of 87.1% and a blind eye rate of 3.80%. All optimal configurations met agronomic requirements, demonstrating the efficacy of the designed machine and cutters.

Keywords: seed potato cutter; posture adjustment; qualified rate of potato cutting; blind eye rate; discrete element method; ANOVA (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: 2025
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