牛舍智能推料作业机器人设计与试验

Design and Experiment of Intelligent Feed-pushing Robot for Cowshed

摘要:

针对传统人工推料劳动强度大、作业效率低，难以满足牛只采食需求，饲喂精料易下沉导致营养不均等问题，本文设计一款基于双螺旋结构的牛舍智能推料作业机器人。根据牛舍推料饲喂流程和输送原理，对推料机器人整机结构和控制系统进行了研究；分析了饲料推送运动过程，确定双螺旋推送机构工作结构和主要参数，利用EDEM离散元仿真软件建立推料作业过程颗粒群运动仿真模型；以饲料含水率、双螺旋推送机构转速以及机器人前进速度为试验因素，推送率为评价指标，进行三因素三水平正交试验。仿真结果表明，最优推料参数组合为饲料含水率50%、双螺旋推送机构转速72r/min、机器人前进速度0.3m/s。室内试验结果与仿真试验结果推送率平均相对误差6.11%，表明构建的仿真模型具有较高的可行性。牛舍现场试验结果表明，推料机器人最大饲料推送率为98.15%，避障成功率100%，可在空载条件下连续工作25.5h，实际推料条件下连续工作3~5h，满足牛舍推料需求。研究结果为畜牧养殖智能化推料作业装备研发提供技术参考。

Abstract:

In response to the prominent issues of high labor intensity and low operational efficiency in traditional manual feed-pushing, which struggle to meet the feeding demands of cattle, along with uneven nutrition distribution caused by the sinking of concentrated feed, an intelligent feed-pushing robot for cattle barns was developed based on a dual-screw structure. Firstly, the overall structure and control system of the feed-pushing robot were designed according to the feeding and transportation processes in cattle barns. Then the feed-pushing motion was analyzed to determine the working structure and key parameters of the dual-screw pusher. EDEM discrete element simulation software was used to establish a simulation model of particle group movement during the feed-pushing process. Finally, a three-factor, three-level orthogonal experiment was conducted to identify the optimal feed-pushing combination, with feed moisture content, dual-screw pusher speed, and robot forward speed as experimental factors, and pushing rate as the evaluation index. The simulation results were validated through actual robot testing. The simulation experiment results showed that the optimal feed-pushing parameter combination was 50% feed moisture content, 72r/min dual-screw pusher speed, and 0.3m/s robot forward speed. The indoor experimental results indicated an average relative error of 6.11% between the simulated and actual pushing rates, confirming that the developed simulation model had high feasibility. Field tests conducted in cattle barns demonstrated that the robot achieved a max feed-pushing rate of 98.15%, the obstacle avoidance success rate was 100%, and it can work continuously for 25.5h under no-load conditions, and can work continuously for 3~5h under actual feed-pushing conditions, meeting the operational requirements of cattle barn feeding. The research result can provide a technical reference for the development of intelligent feed-pushing equipment in livestock farming.